I have a confession. I kept my male painted turtle in a 10 gallon tank with no substrate or enrichment for 10 years. I upgraded him to a 75 gallon tank with river rock substrate, live nontoxic plants, hiding places, a massive above tank basic platform, and the biggest filter I could afford about a year ago. Both of us are so much happier now, he gets to dig through the rocks, swim through thick plants, and chase down fish like a mad man and I love watching him enjoy all of it. Channels like your are what taught me how to improve my husbandry skills and knowledge, Thank you for calling attention to common poor practices.
okay but this is why these videos are so important for people to make, not to shame people, but to educate people, thanks for not being an asshole about it like some people are and putting your animal first and risking the hate comments by acknowledging that you weren't educated at first!
Same bro, I just completely redesigned my map turtle tank with more filtration and a more natural substrate. It’s still smaller than I want, however, I’m moving soon so I plan to pick up a larger tank and filter for them and have it ready for when they move.
good on you for improving! its wonderful to see people realizing their mistakes and improving, rather than just denying the existence of their mistakes at all. unfortunately denying mistakes is very common within the pet (especially reptile) community.
I think what too many people think is that you're creating a house for your reptile. No, you're creating a neighborhood. It's just this neighborhood is only inhabited by 1 reptile. Give them options in where to go, hides to live in, places to explore. Because they don't just want to live in one hole, they need stimulation.
People definitely don’t think that way. One of the most useful tips I read was to have more than one hide. Especially ones that the reptile can walk all the way through. So even if it’s shy it can walk around the enclosure without feeling exposed.
The "enclosure cant be too big" thing is probably the one weird misinformation thing that cooks my noodle the most. These animals come from *outside.* You literally cannot get a larger enclosure than their natural habitat.
True, but at a certain point it becomes unimportant the animals have set ranges. Most of that range is for hunting and they have little interest in it beyond a possible food source. Bigger is better but a leopard gecko probably won't make use of a room like a Burmese python would. Not to mention heating and lighting expenses become astronomical over a certain size.
@@aliablackwell8311 well I mean yeah, there's clearly an upper limit in terms of practicality for an animal (and that might even be down to individual animals, too, since different critters can be more or less exploratory just based on temperment,) but the main objection most people have about larger enclsoures is the mistaken impression that an animal will feel exposed in a large space, even if given plenty of clutter and hiding opportunities.
I never understood why people go so minimal when decorating an animals enclosure why wouldn’t you want to have a small rainforest or a small desert or creek in ur room? Decorating my chameleons cage was so fun and looking at it in my room is great
In my case its definitely money I own a turtle that's of a decent size and in a 40 gallon and I really wish I could get a very nice filter and tank overall but I cant afford it.
4:54 this is the same with Betta fish .My mom really said I spoiled my fish because she neglected hers. Most people neglect there fish because there just cheap fish. Like yes they need more food than pellets. That’s like eating oatmeal for every day for your whole life.
My mom's the exact same. I have a hamster and a gecko, she's always telling me that they need small cages because they're small animals. She even said I should just keep my gecko in an ice cream tub 😐
@@subzero2488 Hamsters are a lot of work if done correctly. Vegetables and herbs and seed mix. A big enclosure with a lot of bedding and then a ton of things for them to do.Hamsters are really fun to watch though. I just watch videos on them though I want one a lot😂
Agree with you 100% Of all fish the betta's are the most abused. People keep them virtually in tea cups. I always kept mine in a minimum of a 5 gallon tank. People would then just be stunned as mine would out live theirs. I used to tell them, "You could live in a 5' x5' box, but would you want to?" Varied diet helps too.
@ElizabethKeen I agree they're fun to watch, though mine usually comes out late evening to run around while we're trying to sleep 😂 it's noisy but I mean at least he's having fun. He's also a picky eater so I've got two different food mixes and a bunch of fresh things in the fridge just for him. They're so cute and loveable, it sucks that I see so many people that don't take proper care of them :(
Any time I tell people I put my BPs in 4x2x2 I get drilled by the old timers with “how many snakes do you have and for how long!?!” I dunno buddy but they all eat religiously and have over 9 hides in their enclosures and shed perfectly. 👍🏻
I have all this same rants about keeping pretty much every rodent as pets. Rats in 10 gallon tanks, hamsters in those redic plastic tube things.. it’s a weird human thing to intentionally seek out pets as companions but then not bothering to care or research what’s going to keep them ideally so they can be well adjusted and psychologically soundly. Keep it up!
Yeah hamsters and their awful care break my heart they get treated like crap, and I’m guilty as anyone. I had no clue how to properly keep my hamsters until recently
I think the common theme here is that animals that are big and animals that are cheap tend to get bad luck because people don't really think they need to pay way more for the enclosure than the animal.
@@WickensWickedReptiles I wonder if you go to australia if you'd find a bunch more people keeping blue tongues in bad conditions? Because I think they tend to win out here in that they're expensive enough that you have to really specifically want a blue tongue, and that probably means you've learned what a blue tongue needs for real.
that's crazy to me. I spent 3x the price of my corn snake on his enclosure. you can find pets for free! it's keeping them that gets expensive lmao okay edit bc technically I spent less than 1/6 of his price on his enclosure, he's a baby and I got his temporary cage off Craigslist lol. but the supplies that go into his setup were 3x as much as him, including shipping.
I completely agree. My bearded dragon is in a 40 gallon right now but I am working on making a custom enclosure that is around 160 gallons because I want him to have the best life possible in my care
And the reality is if anything he said offended u more than likely it's because I know what ur doing is not you giving everything I can to these animals my baby's eat better than my wife and kid! Lol
I love how you talked about the glass enclosures and how to do it properly, I personally have my BP in one and have most of the screen covered and three sides spray painted black. He was perfect sheds and no stress
"Just because you've been doing it for a long time, doesn't make you an expert." This line alone made this video worth watching. That line applies to EEEEEVERYTHING! Why do so few people understand this???! Thank you!
THANK YOU SO MUCH. Every. Single. Time. I say “hey maybe you shouldn’t keep a snake in an enclosure it can’t stretch out in” I get told OVER AND OVER “SnAkeS GeT stReSsEd iN a bIg EnCLoSuRe” it makes me so frustrated.
The fact that you include your own past inadequate husbandry and staying humble, makes you one of my favorite reptile youtubers. Sharing your past mistakes and providing accurate information for rookies like myself helps us keep from making those same mistakes. Keep up the great work!
My friend said she wanted a beardie and that she has a red heat bulb and a teeny tiny 10 or 20 gallon terrarium. I was like "oh noooo youre gonna need a lot more than that..." she wasn't against providing proper care, she just didnt know what all went into it. Its a good thing she told me so i could steer her in the proper direction.
I got my beardie as an adult rehome and her previous set-up was pretty much exactly what you described. She was kept in a 40 gallon with a bad UVB bulb and was fed wild-caught insects. Now she's in a 4x2x2 (about 120 gal) and had been treated for intestinal parasites and is doing well.
I'm in the same boat with my boy. But no UVB in a 20 gallon at a year old :/ they fed him wild insects and pellets, kept him on sand with a red night light. I'm honestly surprised the only thing wrong was parasites. But he is loving his 120 and is so much healthier!
I'm so happy I found channels like this one when I first started keeping a ball python. I had that poor boy in a 5 gallon. Idk how the heck he didn't get an RI but poor Pavlov is now in a large bioactive 3 foot long enclosure and will soon be upgraded to a better PVC 3 foot long fully bioactive enclosure with lots of enrichment and clutter. And a 5 foot long when he's fully grown. I love my little dudes and designing their enclosures is so fun
Pet store employee here. Beardies are definitely the most mistreated. Last week someone told me they're only feeding their baby 10 crickets a day. 9/10 people have no uvb, and most people don't feed veg. I always ask a lot of questions when I'm getting crickets for people and do my best to educate.
More of this please. Help bring reptile husbandry into this decade. Too many new keepers are watching 50 year old guys run puppy-mill style breeding facilities (with husbandry practices from the 1990’s) and thinking they should replicate that at home. Good grief. Let’s have more conversations about what it means to provide: proper infrared heat sources, UVB for boosting vitamin D levels in snakes and reducing bacteria in enclosures, the five types of enrichment each animal needs, how to structure an enclosure to make a reptile feel secure, how to target train your reptiles, how to switch to consent-based/cooperative care, what a humane amount of space looks like, how to add nutritional variety, how to feed based on behavior instead of a schedule to prevent over feeding, etc.... so many opportunities here to use data and research from recent years instead of outdated folklore!
I got my first Children's Python not too long ago and put her into a custom enclosure with a lot more verticality than what most 'care guides' suggested (one guide I read suggested "a shallow tub" for this semi-arboreal snake). She climbs all over the place at night and seems to enjoy exploring through all of the clutter and such. I also looked at and compared the temperatures suggested in these care guides to their natural environment and found that the care guides generally put the cool side temps around 10 degrees higher than they would be in nature. They also didn't account for the natural dry seasons that they get in nature but that's a bit more understandable for shedding purposes. After reading three different guides that gave three completely different feeding schedules for juveniles, as well as other things, I really started to wonder who was writing these things and how long ago. Anyhow, my point is that the top results that pop up on Google aren't always the best results. Do more research on the animal, their natural environment, and find and follow keepers that have proven success. And if you don't want to do the work and the research then don't own the animal.
I love your channel. I don't have many people in my social groups who are passionate about reptiles so seeing and hearing your stories really helps keep my passion for them healthy. I always feel encouraged to do better for my babies. We need people to bluntly point out flaws sometimes.
I have a female BCI that is only 9 months old, she has a lot of options to climb everywhere in the enclosure. And I will do the same with her final enclosure once she gets to her full size, she LOVES to climb.
@@juliac3933 Yeah I did lots and lots of research before getting my girl and I read a lot about them being in the trees, also about them being good swimmers, so she has a big water area. I replicate everything she has in the wild, if she decides not to use it then too bad but at least I gave her the option to. :)
One of the reasons I’m having a hard time researching reptile husbandry in preparation to get my first snake is that I don’t know what sources to trust. I read a lot of “care sheets” online and a lot of them have wrong information, like keeping a corn snake in a 20-40 gallon enclosure. The books I purchased are also out of date. Right now I’m in the process of watching every single video by you, Clint, and Snake Discovery because I feel like that’s who has the best information, plus I can see the condition of the animals you all are keeping. One video idea might be going through what you think are the best sources for research, not just ranking other vloggers. Just an idea. I’m very much enjoying your work, though. 👍🏻👍🏻
I feel so bad. I've been keeping my ball python in a 20 gal for a few years because breeder groups say they'll get stressed out in something bigger. I just bought a 4x2 pvc enclosure for him. Huge upgrade!
I've had my oldest ball python 13 years. He had an extremely empty setup for years (I was about 9 when I got him), was a horrible eater, constant problems shedding. 1 log hide, a heat rock, water dish, some aspen. Over the years (as I've learned more, resources became more advanced, and I could afford more) he has better substrate, plants and clutter and multiple hides and even climbing opportunities with UVB lighting. He never misses a meal anymore, sheds like a champ, and is always out on his branch basking. It's amazing to see the change in him as his setup has improved- I even got him to switch from live mice to f/t rats easily after years of accepting just live So I agree. Yoy can't go too big, just too empty, there's no walls in the wild. And personally, I think it's more interesting to observe an animal In a well decked out enclosure than in something with nothing to look at. I have 3 other ball pythons and a carpet python now and following that same thing with giving them enriching enclosures, I haven't had issues with any of them from the start
Snakes can have preferences when it comes to hides, my corn prefer long logs with holes instead of caves, my king prefer hiding behind caves or plants so i give more cover instead of hides, my male bp prefer artificial rock caves and would never use the plastic one, and my female bp is the least picky. People who give the same 1-2 hide their entire life would never know this.
This is very true! My milksnake likes to burrow and doesn’t use his hides at all, but the corn I work with absolutely loves his little caves but won’t use his branches. One of the rat snakes absolutely loves tubes and branches but refuses to use his cave, and the bp just likes to ignore all of her stuff and lie down on top of her substrate. It all depends on the individual snake!
I didn’t even have to watch this video to know I’d love it. I’m sick sorry and tired of people saying .... ‘Iv been keeping for 40 years and this has always worked fine’ Surviving and thriving are NOT the same thing!! We should always be trying to improve our keeping skills!
I was really scared to click on this because it breaks my heart to think i might be doing something wrong and hurting my animals but it's really important to stay informed, thanks for always informing everyone on important topics!❤️
Got 3 red eared sliders a few months back. They are 3 old ladies. All well over 30 years old. But they were kept in a tiny plastic tub. Now, they have a massive aquarium with everything a turtle could ever want or need. And now i let them live and hope they will stay with me for another 20 to 30 years :) great video, cheers from Belgium.
One thing that might be good to go along with the more serious stuff is also stuff like how to set up various animals well but cheaply, and emphasizing that that kind of thing is the minimum you should do. I really liked the video where you go into the stuff that you can use to decorate an enclosure from the dollar store for example.
I liked those videos also. My animals can't tell a $1 plant from the similar one at $8 at a chain petstore. I'm on a tight budget and little money saving tips like this are allowing me to upgrade/purchase larger enclosures than I would have been able to afford.
Amazing vid, I really agree with you here. Not a reptile, but I also see a lot of frogs not kept properly either, especially on Instagram/tiktok since people think they're "cute," and use them for views. Can't wait to see what you make next though as always!
This was amazing stuff. I feel even though most of us are doing everything correctly, we still are doing research and learning to make things better. I have 2 Leopard Tortoises that have a huge outside enclosure during the warmer months, but I live in Rhode Island, so we do have about 7 - 8 months of cold weather. During those months they have an insulated room in my garage that has the correct heating / lighting requirements. They are both healthy at 20 & 21 years old.
I ABSOLUTELY do not think it’s “most of us”. I actually think the opposite and 75-90% of reptiles sold are neglected and people don’t care enough to even look at a forum to TRY and give them good care.
@@eliarellano4972 thank you so much for the kind words. I think it is important to do what you can in the things you believe in. My pets from my dog to my frogs and everything in between are my world.
Here in Germany i hear often, that an encloser needs to be so big that the snake can lay in a straight line, as a point of reference. i think it is a very good tip to find the right enclosure for your snake.
I had a ball python breeder say that the most you should give a male ball python is a 20Long. And yup, because stress, they claim. And she also said people shouldn't give ball pythons opportunities to climb because they are terrestrial and they'll just hurt themselves. And she had people agreeing with her. Hearing you say the truth is refreshing.
This is why I watch 100 videos and read so many articles before I consider getting an animal within the next few years... and I will still spend those few years learning still before and after I get them...
Bearded dragons were also number one on my list. I was planning on making this video if someone else didn't soon, in fact. I'm so tired of seeing neglected beardies and leos!!!
When I was stationed in Korea 10 years agoI inherited 2 tiny Chinese gold thread turtles, they had been housed in what couldn't have been more than a 4 gallon tank that had no filtration and was filthy. For the year I was stationed there I cared for them best I could, being in military dorms. But when it came time to leave after my 1 year tour I knew they would never be provided the proper care...so I sorta smuggled them home with me. I got them a 120 gallon and set it up very nicely, and they absolutely thrived. I kept them for another 5 years then gave them to a friend as a classroom display. They are still doing well to this day.
My 3x had his boa in a converted china cabinet and full of levels and branches. His girl was never in a hide or just listless on the bottom. She was active and radient.
So true Adam! Great video! I believe it's all our duty to the reptiles to call out others on what they may be doing wrong... Doesn't mean we have to be jerks about it (You were NOT in the video), but we can all learn from each other... That's what this community is about!
So glad to see these being made on educating people, I made the mistake of asking for turtles when i was 9, did very basic research with my parents and within a year it had died. 2 years after that bought a beardie (after extensive research personally) which I've had now for 9 years, and a blue tongue which I've had for 2 years, both completely healthy and i hope that more parents get to see these kind of videos, every animal's happy life needs to come first before a child's want
"Boas are freaking awesome." Truer words, rarely spoken. Grew up with boas so they'll always be my favorites. Used to rescue then and burms from people who didn't realize what they were getting into back in the mid to late 90's
Not a problem at all, I've rescued 4 snakes over the last year and the condition of them and the tanks they came in where just absolutely horrendous. I feel really strongly about people learning about exotics and their husbandry. It blows my mind that they can't even do that correctly. Thank-you for doing what you do in teaching people how to properly look after exotic pets.
And while watching this video my ball python sit my neck, and we are completely agree with you. My snake love he’s enclosure (100x50x50)and like climbing too despite being large.
Amazing topic! In a lot of FB groups i see lots of dying chameleons and leopard geckos. Top 5 Skinks would be an amazing video! (Better add Peter's Banded Skink)!
I unfortunately do not have 5 to keep incorrectly but i have a box turtle that lives in front yard and 2 western hognose snakes that you have helped me to take care of and love with plants hides big terrariums and i hope a great home for them. Thank you Wickens
Great job with this video, I definitely agree that these animals are pretty neglected, and I understand most people are taught the wrong thing, but that just makes the reptile community look bad, and this can definitely be fixed, but will take time
House geckos are also neglected. I bought one at a reptile convention today for 6 bucks and the guy said that they don't need lighting or heating or any special care. He said that the size of the cage didn't matter and you could put them on any bedding. Dude. They need a baking spot and high level of humidity and the gallon size should be at LEAST 5 gallons. It made me sad. I took him home and I'm gonna be giving him proper husbandry. Poor baby.
Definitely a great video, I agree with your top five however I think something that needs to be brought up is the pet stores / chain stores that sell items like bearded dragon ball pythons and larger snakes like BCIs or even Burmese pythons or retics but don't properly educate the people that are buying them and so they get stuck in the wrong enclosure for their life and unfortunately sometimes people just aren't smart enough to do research on their own or they believe everything that they were told by the pet store which often times is incorrect.
You give such great info. I loved your comment “there are Monitor people and people who keep Monitors” so very true. Seriously thank you though for this video, I’ve been working with all sorts of different animals for years and instead of getting better even with all the info available it seems we as a society are not improving and possibly even regressing. The easier it is to get these animals the worse the care gets.
How can you say in the same thought that a 40 gallon aquarium isn’t big enough for a ball python while also saying that you’re not hating on rack systems which barely give them enough room to move
You have to keep Tarantulas in an smaller enclosure, because they can get stressed out in an enclosure too big for Them. But DO NOT PROJECT THAT THINKING OVER TO REPTILES. Thank you.
When I first got my ball a bit over a decade ago, people used to say a 20 gallon long was good. The hobby has progressed significantly and I’m glad for it.
Adopted a rescue bearded dragon in September, he was living in a 40 gallon with a years old UVB and a mealworm only diet. I knew nothing about BD's but I had to try. After hours of research and talking to my local exotic vet, I have his setup about perfect. 4'x2'x2' Zen Habitat, about 125 gallons, cool side 75 warm side 85, basking 95. Watching this video made me so proud of myself and super happy to hear actual quality advice on beardie keeping. Thanks so much!
Love the videos man! You should do a top 5 large lizards that make good pets. So many people seem to get nile monitors and the like bc they’re cheap but they’re just not reasonable. I guess a top 5 reptiles with misleading prices would be good too.
My beardie LOVED climbing and jumping all over their tree and hammock when they were small, but have now outgrown the little tree and 20 gallon baby enclosure. I am THRILLED that the 120 gallon is almost here and my baby will be climbing and jumping around by this time next week
I absolutely agree with all the points you made! I feel like there all different kinds of ways to do things, but people really need to be aware of providing animals with the proper basics and enrichment! I see so many people bashing tubs, but then keeping their animals in a tank with no enrichment and completely wrong humidity and temperature. I love what you've been doing for animals, by the way, it's nice to see someone with great information presenting it in such an entertaining way!
third comment lol but thank you for making this video! there definitely needs to be more videos about bad husbandry and i appreciate your controversial videos. love your channel loads, honestly you deserve a million. would totally subscribe to patreon if i wasn't broke
For my ball python, she’s only a few months old so she has a 40 gallon tank, hot side and cold side, fake plants and fake sticks and a few sanitized real sticks. We have a cart set up for her to get more enrichment and soon a bigger enclosure.
i myself have a bearded dragon and a blue tongue skink, both in 120 gallons and what kim kardashian posted made me sick to my stomach. i went on a rampage
I am not perfect but my Hermanns eats mostly safe fresh weeds from my yard ( which isn’t treated). I found a really good positive group (like a FB group) helps so much in learning the proper care and great techniques and methods. But I did tons of research before and still do. Always be open to learn and stay informed! Thanks for this video.
Brill video, I know it's not recent so you probably won't see this but Leopard Geckos should be on the list too. So many people use tiny enclosures and just one moist hide, it breaks my heart. My Leo's are in 3ft vivs with climbing opportunities, specialist substrates with UVB. I'm saving up to move them onto a deep heat projector. I also keep rats and they have a cage full of enrichment and have their own room to free range 3+ hours a day. Makes me so mad when people think cheap = neglect is OK.
Thanks for making this video - I’ve been guilty of this when buying an animal from a pet store (reptile shop) and setting the tank / crappy enclosure based on poor recommendations Glad that was decades and decades ago and glad that the hobby continues to be elevated by people that foster evidence based husbandry and keeping practices
Pet stores and breeders need to take WAY MORE responsibility for being proactive about preventing neglect and ensuring proper set up/care BEFORE PURCHASE of ANY animal.
Before I got my snake, and was looking online at what sized vivs to get, I kept seeing stuff saying that too big of a vivarium can stress them out which really confused me. Im glad i came across this video because I genuinely had no clue whether this was true or not and every time i'd look online about it it would say that too big causes stress. So glad i found this video before my snake got too big for her viv. Love the vids keeo em coming
Before I got my bearded dragon I did sooo much research to make sure I'm got it all right. 120 gallon enclosure, basking light, uvb, climbing spots. From what I can tell he loves it.
I custum made enclosure for my ball pythion and i made it as large as my room/furniture setup would allow. Most of the time she spends her time in hide, but every now and than like 2-3 days before feeding time she likes to go out and explore, climb and all that stuff so its really worth it to see her have fun instead of push on a plastic lid.
Yes!! Nothing irks me more than when someone wants a pet and then either refuses to do further research or ignores the research and takes care of them in the way they've only seen from other people or on TV. When i got my leopard gecko as a baby, i immediately got him a 25 gallon terrarium, and after seeing him grow up and explore his environment more I am looking into 40 gallons now just because I can tell he loves exploring the space!
Amazing topic! I’m so frustrated when people get animals and don’t care for them as they’re supposed to. No matter if they’re reptiles, rodents, fish or whatever. If you want an animal, research, research, research.
I have a desert spiny lizard (Sceloporus magister) and I have seen more than a few people telling me that keeping multiple in a 20 gallon is ok and it baffles me, she's a semi arboreal, extremely active, and highly territorial species so I have her alone in a 120 gallon and she loves to skitter around and uses 100% of her space.
This was a great video! I have 3 northern bluetongues and I have constant upgradeitis. Very serious condition. Always want them to have more space because they use it all. Next house they are getting 3'x 8' enclosures. I can't imagine not wanting to spoil your pets it's kinda all I dream about.
we "adopted: a RES that the previous owners of my house abandoned when he was the size of a quarter. 10 years and 2 enclosures later, he's about to move into his new 100 gallon with an fx4. You're not lying. Proper care for these little buggers takes work and money. It pays off in fun, though.
![Lp. Сердце Вселенной #1 НАЧАЛО ПУТЕШЕСТВИЯ [Новый сезон] • Майнкрафт](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/380Q7gLWGvk/mqdefault.jpg)
what reptiles do you see being most commonly miskept?
Chinese water dragons
bearded dragon, so many people keep them and most do it wrong
I see corn snakes a lot, being miskept, I rescued a 4ft 9" corn that was in a tank that you would keep a hatchling in.
Kardashian.
That's my answer. You know what I mean.
Turtles
I have a confession. I kept my male painted turtle in a 10 gallon tank with no substrate or enrichment for 10 years. I upgraded him to a 75 gallon tank with river rock substrate, live nontoxic plants, hiding places, a massive above tank basic platform, and the biggest filter I could afford about a year ago. Both of us are so much happier now, he gets to dig through the rocks, swim through thick plants, and chase down fish like a mad man and I love watching him enjoy all of it. Channels like your are what taught me how to improve my husbandry skills and knowledge, Thank you for calling attention to common poor practices.
okay but this is why these videos are so important for people to make, not to shame people, but to educate people, thanks for not being an asshole about it like some people are and putting your animal first and risking the hate comments by acknowledging that you weren't educated at first!
Same bro, I just completely redesigned my map turtle tank with more filtration and a more natural substrate. It’s still smaller than I want, however, I’m moving soon so I plan to pick up a larger tank and filter for them and have it ready for when they move.
@@jfaw87 I wish you and your map turtles luck! It is such a pleasure to keep turtles and watch them enjoy their tanks. :)
@@jfaw87 what have you got now and what do you plan on getting
good on you for improving! its wonderful to see people realizing their mistakes and improving, rather than just denying the existence of their mistakes at all. unfortunately denying mistakes is very common within the pet (especially reptile) community.
"Just because you've been doing it for a long time doesn't mean you are an expert". I really need a t-shirt with it.
I should make it
@@WickensWickedReptiles yes
@@WickensWickedReptiles you should
@Wickens Wicked Reptiles you should, I would buy one and some for my friends.
@@mojothiele6436 same
I think what too many people think is that you're creating a house for your reptile. No, you're creating a neighborhood. It's just this neighborhood is only inhabited by 1 reptile. Give them options in where to go, hides to live in, places to explore. Because they don't just want to live in one hole, they need stimulation.
People definitely don’t think that way. One of the most useful tips I read was to have more than one hide. Especially ones that the reptile can walk all the way through. So even if it’s shy it can walk around the enclosure without feeling exposed.
Precisely. In the wild they have vast, seemingly endless space. How could you ever provide them too large a space or too many a hide? Makes no sense.
Also some people just put 2 hides and say it's good. They need stuff in-between to explore and hide behind.
Ahh that’s the best analogy ever
depends on the nature of the animal if they just sit and wait to ambush in the wild yes they do like one spot
The "enclosure cant be too big" thing is probably the one weird misinformation thing that cooks my noodle the most. These animals come from *outside.* You literally cannot get a larger enclosure than their natural habitat.
THANK YOU!!!
True, but at a certain point it becomes unimportant the animals have set ranges. Most of that range is for hunting and they have little interest in it beyond a possible food source. Bigger is better but a leopard gecko probably won't make use of a room like a Burmese python would. Not to mention heating and lighting expenses become astronomical over a certain size.
@@aliablackwell8311 well I mean yeah, there's clearly an upper limit in terms of practicality for an animal (and that might even be down to individual animals, too, since different critters can be more or less exploratory just based on temperment,) but the main objection most people have about larger enclsoures is the mistaken impression that an animal will feel exposed in a large space, even if given plenty of clutter and hiding opportunities.
I never understood why people go so minimal when decorating an animals enclosure why wouldn’t you want to have a small rainforest or a small desert or creek in ur room? Decorating my chameleons cage was so fun and looking at it in my room is great
Exactly. Having cool natural enclosures is a big reason why I have lizards.
@@thewinterwoods it might just be laziness?
In my case its definitely money I own a turtle that's of a decent size and in a 40 gallon and I really wish I could get a very nice filter and tank overall but I cant afford it.
@@Bread45 I think it's okay to just go little by little. Once every couple of weeks get a new little decoration for the tank.
@@Bread45 this is going to sound harsh but people who aren't financially stable probably shouldn't own a reptile in the first place...
4:54 this is the same with Betta fish .My mom really said I spoiled my fish because she neglected hers. Most people neglect there fish because there just cheap fish. Like yes they need more food than pellets. That’s like eating oatmeal for every day for your whole life.
brutal
My mom's the exact same. I have a hamster and a gecko, she's always telling me that they need small cages because they're small animals. She even said I should just keep my gecko in an ice cream tub 😐
@@subzero2488 Hamsters are a lot of work if done correctly. Vegetables and herbs and seed mix. A big enclosure with a lot of bedding and then a ton of things for them to do.Hamsters are really fun to watch though. I just watch videos on them though I want one a lot😂
Agree with you 100% Of all fish the betta's are the most abused. People keep them virtually in tea cups. I always kept mine in a minimum of a 5 gallon tank. People would then just be stunned as mine would out live theirs. I used to tell them, "You could live in a 5' x5' box, but would you want to?" Varied diet helps too.
@ElizabethKeen I agree they're fun to watch, though mine usually comes out late evening to run around while we're trying to sleep 😂 it's noisy but I mean at least he's having fun. He's also a picky eater so I've got two different food mixes and a bunch of fresh things in the fridge just for him. They're so cute and loveable, it sucks that I see so many people that don't take proper care of them :(
As soon as you said BPs, every Facebook group on the just raised their pitchforks
oh yes, I feel the hate already
I love this joke
Any time I tell people I put my BPs in 4x2x2 I get drilled by the old timers with “how many snakes do you have and for how long!?!” I dunno buddy but they all eat religiously and have over 9 hides in their enclosures and shed perfectly. 👍🏻
I see facebook idiots recommend 10 gallons for female ball pythons and I cringe every time.
@@ronan5823 That is insane how people recommend that, my crested gecko is in an enclosure 3 times that size
I have all this same rants about keeping pretty much every rodent as pets. Rats in 10 gallon tanks, hamsters in those redic plastic tube things.. it’s a weird human thing to intentionally seek out pets as companions but then not bothering to care or research what’s going to keep them ideally so they can be well adjusted and psychologically soundly.
Keep it up!
Right on!
Yeah hamsters and their awful care break my heart they get treated like crap, and I’m guilty as anyone. I had no clue how to properly keep my hamsters until recently
I think the common theme here is that animals that are big and animals that are cheap tend to get bad luck because people don't really think they need to pay way more for the enclosure than the animal.
basically yes!
@@WickensWickedReptiles I wonder if you go to australia if you'd find a bunch more people keeping blue tongues in bad conditions? Because I think they tend to win out here in that they're expensive enough that you have to really specifically want a blue tongue, and that probably means you've learned what a blue tongue needs for real.
that's crazy to me. I spent 3x the price of my corn snake on his enclosure. you can find pets for free! it's keeping them that gets expensive lmao
okay edit bc technically I spent less than 1/6 of his price on his enclosure, he's a baby and I got his temporary cage off Craigslist lol. but the supplies that go into his setup were 3x as much as him, including shipping.
"top 5 reptiles youre not keeping right"
jokes on you, I dont have 5 reptiles to keep incorrectly
hahaha
You’ll get there. 🙃
@@jakethesnakestoner Lmao exactly 💀 It's addicting 💀
@@tofinilith_ facts! So much for i just want "A" snake. Now i have 4 n 4 different species.
@@foxylilmimi Weow. On the 24th of December, I got my baby beardie and as soon as I got him, I was looking into/at other reptiles
I completely agree. My bearded dragon is in a 40 gallon right now but I am working on making a custom enclosure that is around 160 gallons because I want him to have the best life possible in my care
Great idea! Mines in an 80 right now and its definitely adequate but I want to upgrade to 160 because he doesn't have a ton of space to run around
I love how you educate people in a kind way! You seem like such a great guy, love your vids!
I appreciate that! thank you
Great topic, people need to be held accountable to provide the best for their pets! If the truth hurts then fix the problem.
And the reality is if anything he said offended u more than likely it's because I know what ur doing is not you giving everything I can to these animals my baby's eat better than my wife and kid! Lol
I love how you talked about the glass enclosures and how to do it properly, I personally have my BP in one and have most of the screen covered and three sides spray painted black. He was perfect sheds and no stress
glad to hear, it's such a simple thing too
@@WickensWickedReptiles exactly
"Just because you've been doing it for a long time, doesn't make you an expert." This line alone made this video worth watching.
That line applies to EEEEEVERYTHING! Why do so few people understand this???!
Thank you!
it's frowned upon to say but so true
THANK YOU SO MUCH. Every. Single. Time. I say “hey maybe you shouldn’t keep a snake in an enclosure it can’t stretch out in” I get told OVER AND OVER “SnAkeS GeT stReSsEd iN a bIg EnCLoSuRe” it makes me so frustrated.
Happy to help!
The fact that you include your own past inadequate husbandry and staying humble, makes you one of my favorite reptile youtubers. Sharing your past mistakes and providing accurate information for rookies like myself helps us keep from making those same mistakes. Keep up the great work!
I really appreciate this!
My friend said she wanted a beardie and that she has a red heat bulb and a teeny tiny 10 or 20 gallon terrarium. I was like "oh noooo youre gonna need a lot more than that..." she wasn't against providing proper care, she just didnt know what all went into it. Its a good thing she told me so i could steer her in the proper direction.
awesome!
I got my beardie as an adult rehome and her previous set-up was pretty much exactly what you described. She was kept in a 40 gallon with a bad UVB bulb and was fed wild-caught insects. Now she's in a 4x2x2 (about 120 gal) and had been treated for intestinal parasites and is doing well.
Kudos to you
I'm in the same boat with my boy. But no UVB in a 20 gallon at a year old :/ they fed him wild insects and pellets, kept him on sand with a red night light. I'm honestly surprised the only thing wrong was parasites. But he is loving his 120 and is so much healthier!
@@genshark8790 you as well
Well done
This kind of thing needs to be said. I've been keeping reptiles for 30 plus years and I learn new things all of the time.
"Should be able to can"
Translation:
"If you're going to do it at all, do it right."
I built my bearded dragon a 140 gallon tank and I've had her for about 6 months she's so spoiled but I love her to death!!
nice!
AWESOME!!!!
I'm so happy I found channels like this one when I first started keeping a ball python. I had that poor boy in a 5 gallon. Idk how the heck he didn't get an RI but poor Pavlov is now in a large bioactive 3 foot long enclosure and will soon be upgraded to a better PVC 3 foot long fully bioactive enclosure with lots of enrichment and clutter. And a 5 foot long when he's fully grown. I love my little dudes and designing their enclosures is so fun
Hell yeah! Good for you!
Pet store employee here. Beardies are definitely the most mistreated. Last week someone told me they're only feeding their baby 10 crickets a day. 9/10 people have no uvb, and most people don't feed veg. I always ask a lot of questions when I'm getting crickets for people and do my best to educate.
Thank you for doing your best!
More of this please. Help bring reptile husbandry into this decade. Too many new keepers are watching 50 year old guys run puppy-mill style breeding facilities (with husbandry practices from the 1990’s) and thinking they should replicate that at home. Good grief.
Let’s have more conversations about what it means to provide: proper infrared heat sources, UVB for boosting vitamin D levels in snakes and reducing bacteria in enclosures, the five types of enrichment each animal needs, how to structure an enclosure to make a reptile feel secure, how to target train your reptiles, how to switch to consent-based/cooperative care, what a humane amount of space looks like, how to add nutritional variety, how to feed based on behavior instead of a schedule to prevent over feeding, etc.... so many opportunities here to use data and research from recent years instead of outdated folklore!
Sulcata tortoises will now and forever be “Boulder Dogs” to me. Thank you.
"Should be able to can" i love that lol
I am a poet haha
ONE THE MAJOR STATEMENTS OF THE ENTIRE VIDEO!!! 💯💯💯🎯
TOTALLY SHOULD BE ABLE TO CAN! 🥴🤣🤣🤣
I got my first Children's Python not too long ago and put her into a custom enclosure with a lot more verticality than what most 'care guides' suggested (one guide I read suggested "a shallow tub" for this semi-arboreal snake). She climbs all over the place at night and seems to enjoy exploring through all of the clutter and such. I also looked at and compared the temperatures suggested in these care guides to their natural environment and found that the care guides generally put the cool side temps around 10 degrees higher than they would be in nature. They also didn't account for the natural dry seasons that they get in nature but that's a bit more understandable for shedding purposes. After reading three different guides that gave three completely different feeding schedules for juveniles, as well as other things, I really started to wonder who was writing these things and how long ago.
Anyhow, my point is that the top results that pop up on Google aren't always the best results. Do more research on the animal, their natural environment, and find and follow keepers that have proven success. And if you don't want to do the work and the research then don't own the animal.
I love your channel. I don't have many people in my social groups who are passionate about reptiles so seeing and hearing your stories really helps keep my passion for them healthy. I always feel encouraged to do better for my babies. We need people to bluntly point out flaws sometimes.
I'm glad it helps!
I have a female BCI that is only 9 months old, she has a lot of options to climb everywhere in the enclosure. And I will do the same with her final enclosure once she gets to her full size, she LOVES to climb.
That’s awesome. I hate seeing boas not being given climbing opportunities. They are semi arboreal ffs
@@juliac3933 Yeah I did lots and lots of research before getting my girl and I read a lot about them being in the trees, also about them being good swimmers, so she has a big water area. I replicate everything she has in the wild, if she decides not to use it then too bad but at least I gave her the option to. :)
Well it's always nice to see Wicken start speaking staright facs,cause Wicken is just so smort.
Wickens with the facs dawg
One of the reasons I’m having a hard time researching reptile husbandry in preparation to get my first snake is that I don’t know what sources to trust. I read a lot of “care sheets” online and a lot of them have wrong information, like keeping a corn snake in a 20-40 gallon enclosure. The books I purchased are also out of date. Right now I’m in the process of watching every single video by you, Clint, and Snake Discovery because I feel like that’s who has the best information, plus I can see the condition of the animals you all are keeping. One video idea might be going through what you think are the best sources for research, not just ranking other vloggers. Just an idea. I’m very much enjoying your work, though. 👍🏻👍🏻
You probably have one now but the best places to go are your local reputable petshop or rehomeing center
I feel so bad. I've been keeping my ball python in a 20 gal for a few years because breeder groups say they'll get stressed out in something bigger.
I just bought a 4x2 pvc enclosure for him. Huge upgrade!
that's amazing!
Never too late!
I've had my oldest ball python 13 years. He had an extremely empty setup for years (I was about 9 when I got him), was a horrible eater, constant problems shedding. 1 log hide, a heat rock, water dish, some aspen.
Over the years (as I've learned more, resources became more advanced, and I could afford more) he has better substrate, plants and clutter and multiple hides and even climbing opportunities with UVB lighting. He never misses a meal anymore, sheds like a champ, and is always out on his branch basking. It's amazing to see the change in him as his setup has improved- I even got him to switch from live mice to f/t rats easily after years of accepting just live
So I agree. Yoy can't go too big, just too empty, there's no walls in the wild. And personally, I think it's more interesting to observe an animal In a well decked out enclosure than in something with nothing to look at.
I have 3 other ball pythons and a carpet python now and following that same thing with giving them enriching enclosures, I haven't had issues with any of them from the start
Snakes can have preferences when it comes to hides, my corn prefer long logs with holes instead of caves, my king prefer hiding behind caves or plants so i give more cover instead of hides, my male bp prefer artificial rock caves and would never use the plastic one, and my female bp is the least picky. People who give the same 1-2 hide their entire life would never know this.
This is very true! My milksnake likes to burrow and doesn’t use his hides at all, but the corn I work with absolutely loves his little caves but won’t use his branches. One of the rat snakes absolutely loves tubes and branches but refuses to use his cave, and the bp just likes to ignore all of her stuff and lie down on top of her substrate. It all depends on the individual snake!
I didn’t even have to watch this video to know I’d love it. I’m sick sorry and tired of people saying .... ‘Iv been keeping for 40 years and this has always worked fine’
Surviving and thriving are NOT the same thing!!
We should always be trying to improve our keeping skills!
I was really scared to click on this because it breaks my heart to think i might be doing something wrong and hurting my animals but it's really important to stay informed, thanks for always informing everyone on important topics!❤️
Got 3 red eared sliders a few months back. They are 3 old ladies. All well over 30 years old. But they were kept in a tiny plastic tub. Now, they have a massive aquarium with everything a turtle could ever want or need. And now i let them live and hope they will stay with me for another 20 to 30 years :) great video, cheers from Belgium.
So glad I became a patron. Fantastic stuff
One thing that might be good to go along with the more serious stuff is also stuff like how to set up various animals well but cheaply, and emphasizing that that kind of thing is the minimum you should do. I really liked the video where you go into the stuff that you can use to decorate an enclosure from the dollar store for example.
I've done a few of those, i could do another :)
I liked those videos also. My animals can't tell a $1 plant from the similar one at $8 at a chain petstore. I'm on a tight budget and little money saving tips like this are allowing me to upgrade/purchase larger enclosures than I would have been able to afford.
Amazing vid, I really agree with you here. Not a reptile, but I also see a lot of frogs not kept properly either, especially on Instagram/tiktok since people think they're "cute," and use them for views. Can't wait to see what you make next though as always!
This was amazing stuff. I feel even though most of us are doing everything correctly, we still are doing research and learning to make things better. I have 2 Leopard Tortoises that have a huge outside enclosure during the warmer months, but I live in Rhode Island, so we do have about 7 - 8 months of cold weather. During those months they have an insulated room in my garage that has the correct heating / lighting requirements. They are both healthy at 20 & 21 years old.
I ABSOLUTELY do not think it’s “most of us”. I actually think the opposite and 75-90% of reptiles sold are neglected and people don’t care enough to even look at a forum to TRY and give them good care.
@@jakethesnakestoner I should have been more clear in my statement. Most of us that own reptiles, frogs, or any animals that actually follow forums.
@@caseysilva6919 omg. When u donated $200 in that last stream was crazy. U are so generous and so selfless. Have a great day!
@@eliarellano4972 thank you so much for the kind words. I think it is important to do what you can in the things you believe in. My pets from my dog to my frogs and everything in between are my world.
@@caseysilva6919 of course😁😁
Here in Germany i hear often, that an encloser needs to be so big that the snake can lay in a straight line, as a point of reference. i think it is a very good tip to find the right enclosure for your snake.
Do 'Top 5 mistakes keepers make that lead to health problems in their animals"
#1 feeding them too much.
This sounds like a great video!
yes please it would be so helpful
YES PLEASE
I had a ball python breeder say that the most you should give a male ball python is a 20Long. And yup, because stress, they claim. And she also said people shouldn't give ball pythons opportunities to climb because they are terrestrial and they'll just hurt themselves. And she had people agreeing with her.
Hearing you say the truth is refreshing.
that breeder is a silly goose
my 8 moth old lives in a 20 gallon and is somewhat close to being upgraded
This is why I watch 100 videos and read so many articles before I consider getting an animal within the next few years... and I will still spend those few years learning still before and after I get them...
Bearded dragons were also number one on my list. I was planning on making this video if someone else didn't soon, in fact. I'm so tired of seeing neglected beardies and leos!!!
When I was stationed in Korea 10 years agoI inherited 2 tiny Chinese gold thread turtles, they had been housed in what couldn't have been more than a 4 gallon tank that had no filtration and was filthy. For the year I was stationed there I cared for them best I could, being in military dorms. But when it came time to leave after my 1 year tour I knew they would never be provided the proper care...so I sorta smuggled them home with me. I got them a 120 gallon and set it up very nicely, and they absolutely thrived. I kept them for another 5 years then gave them to a friend as a classroom display. They are still doing well to this day.
Decorating the enclosure is my favorite part
agreed
My 3x had his boa in a converted china cabinet and full of levels and branches. His girl was never in a hide or just listless on the bottom. She was active and radient.
I also can't stand it when I hear that corn snakes can be kept in a 20 gallon. Crazy.
I’ve seen so many outdated care guides for a lot of animals, last week I ran into an article from 2009. Like what. Do your research and do it RIGHT
So true Adam! Great video! I believe it's all our duty to the reptiles to call out others on what they may be doing wrong... Doesn't mean we have to be jerks about it (You were NOT in the video), but we can all learn from each other... That's what this community is about!
Boom, well said!
Aaah, yes my favorite; "But' I've been doing this/Keeping them like this for X amount of years and they are fine!"
With my Bearded Dragon, I got one thing I was currently working on wrong but again, I'm working on it even before the video.
nice!
So glad to see these being made on educating people, I made the mistake of asking for turtles when i was 9, did very basic research with my parents and within a year it had died. 2 years after that bought a beardie (after extensive research personally) which I've had now for 9 years, and a blue tongue which I've had for 2 years, both completely healthy and i hope that more parents get to see these kind of videos, every animal's happy life needs to come first before a child's want
Can you do reptiles that don’t need a lot of humidity. I live in a place that’s dry and humidity control is a pain
Look for desert-loving species. I actually have to work to keep my Rosy boa's humidity low enough.
"Boas are freaking awesome." Truer words, rarely spoken. Grew up with boas so they'll always be my favorites. Used to rescue then and burms from people who didn't realize what they were getting into back in the mid to late 90's
Hit the nail on the head with this Thank you, If people want exotics then it's their duty to do what's right for that animal
thanks for the positive feedback
Not a problem at all, I've rescued 4 snakes over the last year and the condition of them and the tanks they came in where just absolutely horrendous. I feel really strongly about people learning about exotics and their husbandry. It blows my mind that they can't even do that correctly. Thank-you for doing what you do in teaching people how to properly look after exotic pets.
And while watching this video my ball python sit my neck, and we are completely agree with you. My snake love he’s enclosure (100x50x50)and like climbing too despite being large.
agreed
Amazing topic! In a lot of FB groups i see lots of dying chameleons and leopard geckos. Top 5 Skinks would be an amazing video! (Better add Peter's Banded Skink)!
thanks :)
I unfortunately do not have 5 to keep incorrectly but i have a box turtle that lives in front yard and 2 western hognose snakes that you have helped me to take care of and love with plants hides big terrariums and i hope a great home for them. Thank you Wickens
Great job with this video, I definitely agree that these animals are pretty neglected, and I understand most people are taught the wrong thing, but that just makes the reptile community look bad, and this can definitely be fixed, but will take time
I hope so too!
House geckos are also neglected. I bought one at a reptile convention today for 6 bucks and the guy said that they don't need lighting or heating or any special care. He said that the size of the cage didn't matter and you could put them on any bedding.
Dude. They need a baking spot and high level of humidity and the gallon size should be at LEAST 5 gallons. It made me sad. I took him home and I'm gonna be giving him proper husbandry. Poor baby.
Top 5 or top 10 plants for reptile and amphibian enclosures? Basically terrarium/vivarium plants!
Definitely a great video, I agree with your top five however I think something that needs to be brought up is the pet stores / chain stores that sell items like bearded dragon ball pythons and larger snakes like BCIs or even Burmese pythons or retics but don't properly educate the people that are buying them and so they get stuck in the wrong enclosure for their life and unfortunately sometimes people just aren't smart enough to do research on their own or they believe everything that they were told by the pet store which often times is incorrect.
good call!
I think we can all agree that fish are the most neglected pets in the world.
100%
You give such great info. I loved your comment “there are Monitor people and people who keep Monitors” so very true. Seriously thank you though for this video, I’ve been working with all sorts of different animals for years and instead of getting better even with all the info available it seems we as a society are not improving and possibly even regressing. The easier it is to get these animals the worse the care gets.
How can you say in the same thought that a 40 gallon aquarium isn’t big enough for a ball python while also saying that you’re not hating on rack systems which barely give them enough room to move
@Xpgamer Jr what rack system had racks the size of 40 gallon breeders?
You are correct. The people that don't take care of their animals won't do the re search and usually won't listen. ☹
You have to keep Tarantulas in an smaller enclosure, because they can get stressed out in an enclosure too big for Them. But DO NOT PROJECT THAT THINKING OVER TO REPTILES. Thank you.
When I first got my ball a bit over a decade ago, people used to say a 20 gallon long was good. The hobby has progressed significantly and I’m glad for it.
Adopted a rescue bearded dragon in September, he was living in a 40 gallon with a years old UVB and a mealworm only diet. I knew nothing about BD's but I had to try. After hours of research and talking to my local exotic vet, I have his setup about perfect. 4'x2'x2' Zen Habitat, about 125 gallons, cool side 75 warm side 85, basking 95. Watching this video made me so proud of myself and super happy to hear actual quality advice on beardie keeping. Thanks so much!
At this rate you will be at 100k in no time!
I sure hope so :)
@@WickensWickedReptiles likewise
Love the videos man! You should do a top 5 large lizards that make good pets. So many people seem to get nile monitors and the like bc they’re cheap but they’re just not reasonable. I guess a top 5 reptiles with misleading prices would be good too.
Poor spikey bois being under-cared for😢
My beardie LOVED climbing and jumping all over their tree and hammock when they were small, but have now outgrown the little tree and 20 gallon baby enclosure. I am THRILLED that the 120 gallon is almost here and my baby will be climbing and jumping around by this time next week
that is so awesome!
Love this. Thank you 🖤
You're so welcome!
I absolutely agree with all the points you made! I feel like there all different kinds of ways to do things, but people really need to be aware of providing animals with the proper basics and enrichment! I see so many people bashing tubs, but then keeping their animals in a tank with no enrichment and completely wrong humidity and temperature. I love what you've been doing for animals, by the way, it's nice to see someone with great information presenting it in such an entertaining way!
third comment lol but thank you for making this video! there definitely needs to be more videos about bad husbandry and i appreciate your controversial videos. love your channel loads, honestly you deserve a million. would totally subscribe to patreon if i wasn't broke
For my ball python, she’s only a few months old so she has a 40 gallon tank, hot side and cold side, fake plants and fake sticks and a few sanitized real sticks. We have a cart set up for her to get more enrichment and soon a bigger enclosure.
i myself have a bearded dragon and a blue tongue skink, both in 120 gallons and what kim kardashian posted made me sick to my stomach. i went on a rampage
I am not perfect but my Hermanns eats mostly safe fresh weeds from my yard ( which isn’t treated). I found a really good positive group (like a FB group) helps so much in learning the proper care and great techniques and methods. But I did tons of research before and still do. Always be open to learn and stay informed! Thanks for this video.
I was gonna say first but then realized all of patreon saw it early
hahaha yea
Brill video, I know it's not recent so you probably won't see this but Leopard Geckos should be on the list too. So many people use tiny enclosures and just one moist hide, it breaks my heart. My Leo's are in 3ft vivs with climbing opportunities, specialist substrates with UVB. I'm saving up to move them onto a deep heat projector. I also keep rats and they have a cage full of enrichment and have their own room to free range 3+ hours a day. Makes me so mad when people think cheap = neglect is OK.
I agree!
everyone can do better, there's always new stuff to learn! but yeah some people should never keep reptiles
100%
"Which you should be able to can if you buy something" is the absolute best phrase for a concept I've held since I was a kid, thank you!
Thanks for making this video - I’ve been guilty of this when buying an animal from a pet store (reptile shop) and setting the tank / crappy enclosure based on poor recommendations
Glad that was decades and decades ago and glad that the hobby continues to be elevated by people that foster evidence based husbandry and keeping practices
Pet stores and breeders need to take WAY MORE responsibility for being proactive about preventing neglect and ensuring proper set up/care BEFORE PURCHASE of ANY animal.
Before I got my snake, and was looking online at what sized vivs to get, I kept seeing stuff saying that too big of a vivarium can stress them out which really confused me. Im glad i came across this video because I genuinely had no clue whether this was true or not and every time i'd look online about it it would say that too big causes stress. So glad i found this video before my snake got too big for her viv.
Love the vids keeo em coming
Before I got my bearded dragon I did sooo much research to make sure I'm got it all right. 120 gallon enclosure, basking light, uvb, climbing spots. From what I can tell he loves it.
I custum made enclosure for my ball pythion and i made it as large as my room/furniture setup would allow. Most of the time she spends her time in hide, but every now and than like 2-3 days before feeding time she likes to go out and explore, climb and all that stuff so its really worth it to see her have fun instead of push on a plastic lid.
wicked!
Yes!! Nothing irks me more than when someone wants a pet and then either refuses to do further research or ignores the research and takes care of them in the way they've only seen from other people or on TV. When i got my leopard gecko as a baby, i immediately got him a 25 gallon terrarium, and after seeing him grow up and explore his environment more I am looking into 40 gallons now just because I can tell he loves exploring the space!
Amazing topic! I’m so frustrated when people get animals and don’t care for them as they’re supposed to. No matter if they’re reptiles, rodents, fish or whatever. If you want an animal, research, research, research.
100%
I have 2 dwarf clawed frogs and a savanna monitor lizard and i take great care of them and i did lots of research on how to take care of them.
I love this freaking channel 😍
Love this type of video. Hope you can do part 2 to this 😊🦎
Definitely!!
I have a desert spiny lizard (Sceloporus magister) and I have seen more than a few people telling me that keeping multiple in a 20 gallon is ok and it baffles me, she's a semi arboreal, extremely active, and highly territorial species so I have her alone in a 120 gallon and she loves to skitter around and uses 100% of her space.
This was a great video! I have 3 northern bluetongues and I have constant upgradeitis. Very serious condition. Always want them to have more space because they use it all. Next house they are getting 3'x 8' enclosures. I can't imagine not wanting to spoil your pets it's kinda all I dream about.
we "adopted: a RES that the previous owners of my house abandoned when he was the size of a quarter. 10 years and 2 enclosures later, he's about to move into his new 100 gallon with an fx4. You're not lying. Proper care for these little buggers takes work and money. It pays off in fun, though.