Category: Reptile Basic Care Guides

Care level: Intermediate

Temperament: interactive, but not handleable; can be trained to walk onto your hand/arm and take food from tongs/fingers but should not be grabbed due to their fragile skin

Minimum Enclosure Size: 2’×2’×4’ (.6m×.6m×1.2m) for 1; 3’×2’×3’ (1m×.6m×1m) for 2, opposite sex pair or 2 females

Basking Spot Temp (surface): 90-95°F (32-35°C)

Cool Side Temp: 75-88°F (24-31°C)

UVB: UVI 2.9-7.4/Ferguson zone 3 (e.g. Arcadia T5HO 6% at 8-13”(20-33cm) away with no mesh or 6-10”(15-25cm) away with typical mesh)

Humidity: 40-75%

Diet: omnivorous; crested gecko diet and insects

Size: 8-10″(20-25.4cm)

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

ReptiFiles Guide – Standing’s Day Gecko

Care level: Intermediate

Temperament: interactive, but not handleable; can be trained to walk onto your hand/arm and take food from tongs/fingers but should not be grabbed due to their fragile skin

Minimum Enclosure Size: 2’×2’×4’ (.6m×.6m×1.2m) for 1; 3’×2’×3’ (1m×.6m×1m) for 2, opposite sex pair or 2 females

Basking Spot Temp (surface): 85-90°F (29-32°C)

Cool Side Temp: 77-82°F (25-28°C)

UVB: UVI 2.9-7.4/Ferguson zone 3 (Arcadia T5HO 6% at 8-13”(20-33cm) away with no mesh or 6-10”(15-25cm) away with typical mesh)

Humidity: 40-75%

Diet: omnivorous; crested gecko diet and insects

Size: 9-11″ (23-28cm)

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

ReptiFiles Guide – Giant Day Gecko

Dubia.com Guide – Giant Day Gecko

ADW – Phelsuma grandis (formerly Phelsuma madagascariensis)

Common hobby species: Uromastyx dispar maliensis (Mali uromastyx or dispar uromastyx), U. geyri (Nigerian uromastyx, yellow/red uromastyx, or Saharan uromastyx), U. ornata ornata (Moroccan uromastyx or ornate uromastyx), U. aegyptia (Egyptian uromastyx), U. ocellata (ocellated uromastyx)

Care level: Advanced

Temperament: generally can be tamed well and can be handled

Minimum Enclosure Size: species vary in size; 4’×2’×2’ (1.2m×.6m×.6m) for most species, 7’×4’×3’ (2.1m×1.2m×1m) for larger species (over 24”/60cm) like U. aegyptia

Basking Spot Temp (surface): 120-130°F (49-55°C)

Cold Side Temp: ~85°F (29°C)

Nighttime/minimum temp: 70-75°F (21-24°C)

UVB: UVI 4.5-8/Ferguson zone 4 (e.g. Arcadia T5HO 12% at 11-16”(28-41cm) away with no mesh or 9-13”(23-33cm) away with typical mesh)

Humidity: 20-30% for most species, with humid microclimates such as a humid hide or burrow

Diet: true herbivores; greens, seeds, flowers and rarely fruit

Size: size varies greatly, 10-36” (25-100cm)

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6470)

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Other Resources:

ReptiFiles Guide – Uromastyx

Dubia.com Guide – Uromastyx

Care level: Advanced 

Temperament: display pet, may be interactive through tong feeding but should not be handled

Minimum Enclosure Size: 2’×2’×4’ (.6×.6×1.2m)

Basking Spot Temp (surface): 80-85°F (26-29°C)

Cool Side Temp: 68-75°F (20-24°C) 

Nighttime/minimum temp: 50-65°F (10-18°C)

UVB: UVI 2.9-7.4/Ferguson zone 2-3 (e.g. Arcadia T5HO 6% at 8-13” (20-33cm) away with no mesh or 6-10” (15-25cm) away with typical mesh)

Humidity: 40% during the day, and 75-100% at night; automatic mister is recommended

Diet: insectivore

Size: 7-14” (18-35cm)

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

ReptiFiles Guide – Jackson’s Chameleon

Dubia.com Guide – Jackson’s Chameleon

Chameleon Central – Simplified Jackson’s Chameleon Guide – Nathalie Norris

ADW – Trioceros jacksonii ssp. (formerly Chamaeleo jacksonii ssp.)

Care level: Advanced 

Temperament: display pet, may be interactive through tong feeding but should not be handled

Minimum Enclosure Size: 4’×2’×4’ (1.2m×.6m×1.2m) – should be all mesh

Basking Spot Temp (surface): 85-90°F (29-32°C)

Cool Side Temp: 72-77°F (22-25°C)

Nighttime/minimum temp: 60-70°F (15-21°C)

UVB: UVI 2.9-7.4/Ferguson zone 3 (e.g. Arcadia T5HO 6% at 8-13” (20-33cm) away with no mesh or 6-10” (15-25cm) away with typical mesh)

Humidity: 50-60% during the day, and 75-100% at night; automatic mister is recommended

Diet: insectivore

Size: 16-20” (40-50cm)

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

ReptiFiles Guide – Panther Chameleon

Dubia.com Guide – Panther Chameleon

Chameleon Central – Panther Chameleon Guide by Nathalie Norris

ADW – Furcifer pardalis

Care level: Advanced 

Temperament: display pet, may be interactive through tong feeding but should not be handled

Minimum Enclosure Size: 4’×2’×4’ (1.2m×.6m×1.2m) – should be all mesh

Basking Spot Temp (surface): 85°F (29°C)

Cool Side Temp: 72-78°F (22-25°C)

Nighttime/minimum temp: 55-65°F (13-18°C)

UVB: UVI 2.9-7.4/Ferguson zone 3 (e.g. Arcadia T5HO 12% at 14-16″ (36-41cm) away with no mesh or 8-12″ (20-31cm) away with typical mesh)

Humidity: 40-50% during the day, and 80-100% at night; automatic mister is recommended 

Diet: insectivore (adults can eat a small amount of plant matter in the form of live plants)

Size: females – 10-13”(25-33cm); males – 18-24”(45-60cm)

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

ReptiFiles Guide – Veiled Chameleon

Dubia.com Guide – Veiled Chameleon

Chameleon Central – Simplified Veiled Chameleon Guide by Nathalie Norris

ADW – Chamaeleo calyptratus

Care level: Intermediate

Temperament: may be handleable, although generally do not enjoy it

Minimum Enclosure Size: 8’×4’×2’ (2.4m×1.2m×60cm)

Basking Spot Temp (surface): 95°F (35°C)

Cold Side Temp: 75-85°F (24-29°C)

Nighttime/minimum temp: 70-75°F (21- 23°C)

UVB: UVI 2.9-7.4/Ferguson zone 3 (e.g. Arcadia T5HO 6% at 8-13”(20-33cm) away with no mesh or 6-10”(15-25cm) away with typical mesh)

Humidity: 40-75%

Diet: Herbivorous; high fiber, mainly grasses and greens

Size: generally up to 10” (25cm)

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

ReptiFiles Guide – Russian Tortoise

Dubia.com Guide – Russian Tortoise

Care level: Intermediate

Temperament: Can be very personable, but not handleable

Behavior: active throughout night/day, aquatic, solitary

Minimum enclosure size: 40 gallons (180L)

Water temp: 60-68°F (16-20°C); over 68°F (20°C) can become dangerous

Lighting: No lighting needed, although plant lighting can be used for 6 hours or less per day

Diet: Soft-bodied invertebrates like nightcrawlers as well as occasional soft sinking salmon pellets

Adult size: about 12” (30cm)

Wild Distribution: lakes and wetlands throughout the Mexican Central Valley; very rarely found in the wild now

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

Axolotl Central Care Guide

Dubia.com Guide – Axolotl

ADW – Ambystoma mexicanum

Care level: Beginner

Temperament: Docile

Behavior: primarily crepuscular/nocturnal, arboreal/semi-arboreal, semi-social (can live alone or with others)

Minimum enclosure size: 18×18×24” (45×45×60cm) for 1-2 frogs

Basking spot temp (surface): 80-85°F (27-30°C)

Cold side temp: 70-75°F (21-24°C)

Nighttime/minimum temp: 65°F (18°C)

UVB: UVI zone 0.5-1/Ferguson zone 1 (e.g. Arcadia Shadedweller Arboreal 2.5% at 2-4″ (5-10cm) with no mesh or Arcadia Shadedweller 7% at 12+” (30+cm) with typical mesh)

Humidity: Babies and juveniles – 60-75%; adults – 45-60%

Diet: Insectivorous

Adult size: Up to 5″ (13cm)

Wild Distribution: many different environments including moist forests and suburban areas (often seasonally dry areas) in Australia and New South Guinea

(care guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

Dubia.com Guide – White’s Tree Frog

The BioDude Guide – White’s Tree Frog (includes info on bioactive)

ADW – Ranoidea caerulea (formerly Litoria caerulea)

Care level: Beginner

Temperament: Generally docile, but can be bitey and defensive when young

Behavior: crepuscular, terrestrial/semi-arboreal, solitary

Minimum enclosure size: 40B (36×18×18”(90×45×45cm))

Basking spot temp (surface): 90-100°F (32-38°C)

Cold side temp: 78-80°F (25-27°C)

Nighttime/minimum temp: 60°F (16°C)

UVB: UVI 1-3/Ferguson zone 2 (e.g. Arcadia Shadedweller 7% at 12-15” (30-40cm) away with no mesh or Arcadia T5HO 6% at 11-21”(28-54cm) away with typical mesh) 

Humidity: Around 50%

Diet: Carnivorous; mainly small mammals with occasional reptiles and avians 

Adult size: 2-4’ (60-120cm)

Wild Distribution: various habitats such as forests, savannas, grasslands, wetlands, and shrublands in northern Australia

(guide written with contributions by mandi#6740)

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Other Resources:

Dubia.com Guide – Children’s Python

IUCN – Antaresia childreni