Livefood deliveries during the autumn/winter

Our Angell Pets FREE local livefood deliveries in Gloucester, Cheltenham and Painswick are very popular. During the warmer months we are happy to leave the deliveries in a secure location, by prior arrangement, if the customer is out.

livefood

However as the nights draw in and during the colder months this is not possible as the insects would likely die before being brought in by the customer. So with this in mind and wishing all our orders to remain in tip top condition, could all customers ordering livefood for FREE local delivery please ensure they request delivery for an evening they know they will be in to receive it.

From now until the mid spring we cannot leave any livefood deliveries in outside locations (recycling bins, outside storage cupboards etc.) if a customer is out. We will still attempt to redeliver the order during the next delivery slot for that area, as per our delivery policy but we cannot just leave the orders outside to spoil.

Obviously this only affects livefood (and already is the case for frozen food orders). Packaged pet foods and non perishable goods can still be left in a secure location by prior arrangement.

Thank you for your understanding.

The Angell Pets Team

Rankins Dragon Care Sheet

The Rankins dragon is the smaller cousin of the bearded dragon. For those who want to own a beardie but don’t have the space requirements, the Rankins dragon could be the one for you.

rankins

Generally a Rankins dragon requires a smaller vivarium than a bearded dragon as an adult. I would recommend 30” as around the size for one adult although 36” would be better for more dragons. A very young Rankins dragon can at least look a bit lost in a large viv. though and some do seem (at least at first) to get a bit nervous in a large viv. (they will hide away a lot, sometimes to the point of not getting enough UV light) so starting off in a smaller viv is definitely OK, although by no means essential.

If you wish to keep more than a single Rankins dragon (and they seem to be more sociable than beardies) then ensure you only have one male, with a couple of females. Obviously you  will need a bigger enclosure. If you wish to have more than one male Rankins dragon a much larger space is required and it is not recommended.

Rankins dragon heating

A Rankins dragon requires a good temperature gradient (a “hot end “and a “cold end”) to enable them to regulate their body temperature with the hot spot at the hot end at 35-40 C and the cool end around 25 C (so you are going to need two thermometers). There are a lot of opinions out there on heating a Rankins dragon viv. and I’ll not get into it all here. I use a heat mat combined with a basking lamp (sized to the viv.) to create a hot spot. I have mounted mats on the side and on the bottom of the viv. with equal success. I have seen comments saying never use a heat mat and cannot agree. I have never had a problem, ever and this is over a number of years with a large number of animals. That said, there are alternatives and they are fine too (with the exception of “heat rocks” – they really are a bad idea, if you bought a Rankins dragon starter set up from a certain well known pet supermarket you will have one of these, please throw it away to avoid any risk).

A thermostat will help avoid over temperature. A Rankins dragon can tolerate lower temperatures (i.e. if your spot lamp blows) for quite some time but will suffer quite quickly from over temperature. Even with a thermostat you should always check your thermometers at least daily – thermostats can fail.

Rankins dragon lighting

A Rankins dragon needs relatively high levels of UVB light to manufacture vitamin D3, enabling them to assimilate calcium. You will need a 10-12% UVB lamp on 12 – 14 hours a day. Remember UV light does not travel too far from these lamps so make sure they are not too far from where your dragon likes to bask. I don’t use hides with dragons, sometimes they can spend too much time under it and not get enough UV – not common but best avoided.

A basking lamp will give a bright “hot spot” for a Rankins dragon to bask in when it wants to heat up. Obviously the lamp needs to be a proper basking spot, energy efficient lamps are efficient because they do not give out wasted energy as heat, which is what you want.

Rankins dragon substrates.

Substrate (what your Rankins dragon lives on) is probably the most controversial subject in the hobby. I am not going to tell you what not to use, there is not a substrate currently in use that can’t cause problems. I use beech wood chips (the coarser variety so it cannot fit in the Rankins dragon mouth when small) or desert bedding in the main, although I have used others. I have never had any issues with impaction with a Rankins dragon so I can’t comment on what is worst for this. However I avoid calci sand, as calcium is an essential nutrient for a Rankins dragon, so they will eat as if they feel they need it – why tempt fate? Also, most of my vivs. are front opening,  with sliding glass and the sound of sand in the runners makes me cringe!

rankins dragon

Rankins dragon decor

A Rankins dragon does require a water bowl, although they are rarely seen to drink (I know some individuals seem to love getting in their water bowl see the little Rankins dragon above). Do change the water regularly and keep the bowl clean. It is hot in a Rankins dragon viv. and bacteria will grow very quickly around the rim of the water. A feed dish is a good idea for the veggie component of a Rankins dragon diet, to help avoid the risk of impaction by picking up bits of substrate.

Your Rankins dragon will  love something to climb on, branches, rocks etc. Avoid anything sharp, they may suddenly jump down and you don’t want them to get injured. Anything else in there is up to you. Some people like to put in things to encourage activity and don’t mind what it looks like, so use anything they can find. Others like it to look as natural as possible. It’s really up to you but I would suggest you read a good book for the more advanced aspects of setting up a vivarium both for further advice and for ideas if, like me, you’re not that creative yourself.

Rankins dragon feeding

Your Rankins dragon is an omnivore. They eat a wide range of foods including crickets, locusts, cockroaches and various lavae, vegetables and fruit etc. In captivity they also need vitamin and calcium supplements to ensure continued good health. I feed mine to a regular regime. It is necessary for the health of the Rankins dragon and with the amount of animals I have to feed it is more convenient to stick to a plan and this gives us confidence our animals have received a varied and balanced diet. You will find your own regime that suits you. I will give you mine just to illustrate what a balanced Rankins dragon diet looks like, not to suggest this is superior to any other feeding plan for a Rankins dragon.

Day one – cricket or locusts dusted with Nutrobal vitamin supplement.

Day 2 – salad vegetables.

Day three – crickets or locusts dusted with calcium powder.

Day four – salad vegetables.

Day five – crickets or locusts dusted with calcium powder.

Day six – fruit or veg.

Day seven – crickets or locusts without any supplement.

I vary this further by changing the crickets and locusts for calci worms from time to time and very occasionally wax worms. I don’t use meal worms myself for a Rankins dragon due to the higher level of chitin in the jaws and the consequent increased risk of impaction but occasional meal worms would be OK. I must confess the type of veg I use depends very much on what is on offer at the local supermarket or my garden but favourites of my Rankins dragon are rocket salad or herb salad, grated carrot, romaine lettuce, curly kale and cucumber.  I haven’t had a lot of success with fruit with a Rankins dragon but common ones used are strawberry, mango and banana.

One way of getting veg. into a more obstinate Rankins dragon is to feed the veg. to the insects. Whatever they eat, your Rankins dragon is eating. I do this sometimes but usually I have gut loaded them on a gut load formula any way.  For a very young Rankins dragon I dust every feed to ensure the rapidly growing youngsters are getting enough calcium but I only ever use vitamin powder once a week. The risk of over dosing the Rankins dragon far outweighing the risk of under dosing when using such a balanced diet.

It is important to consider the size of the insect food. It is a bad idea to give anything longer than the distance between the eyes of your Rankins dragon. Too many over large insects will not be properly digested and you will see the half digested remains in the Rankins dragon poop, possibly along with some blood! Alternatively your Rankins dragon may regurgitate the meal, again with the risk of damage to the Rankins dragon digestive tract from the sharp bits of exoskeleton.

rankins-dragon

Things to avoid feeding a Rankins dragon are obviously anything toxic. This sounds really obvious but people have been caught out with plants. The Rankins dragon may not eat the plant but the insects probably will. The Rankins dragon will then eat the now toxic insect.The use of live plants with a Rankins dragon and with bearded dragons is becoming more popular do make sure you know what plant you have and that it is safe. Also I avoid broccoli and cabbage leaves with a Rankins dragon as these contain oxylates that can prevent calcium being available to the metabolism.

Common problems with Rankins dragon feeding include the notorius addiction to wax worms. I have seen a bearded dragon fed these exclusively. Not only is this a bad idea from a nutritional point of view but you often end up with a Rankins dragon that will only eat this one source of food and frequently only when fed by hand! However I have not yet seen the Rankins dragon that cannot be weaned back onto a balanced diet with a little perseverance.

That said, a Rankins dragon can be fussy as they get older. The basic message is that as they are omnivores, it probably doesn’t matter as long as they get a balanced diet.

A reminder about Rankins dragon UVB

UVB lamps are essential to the well being of the Rankins dragon. Unfortunately as soon as you switch one on, the level of UVB output starts to deteriorate. Over time this will drop to zero, so although the lamp is lit, it is providing no benefit at all to the Rankins dragon. The lamps should be replaced between 6 months to 1 year (depending on type and manufacturer). We always replace all our UV lamps every 9 months WITHOUT FAIL. The consequences to a Rankins dragon of not replacing the UV lighting regularly are loss of appetite and metabolic bone disease.

Kept correctly a Rankins dragon should live over 8 years and prove to be a very inquisitive, interactive and easy to handle little lizard.

The Angell Pets Team

Reptile Boarding

Our Reptile Boarding facility here at Angell Pets has grown rapidly in popularity since being launched a couple of years ago.

reptile boarding

Most of our customers, lucky enough to go on holiday each year, are returning to book their animals in each time and new people are hearing about our reptile boarding service and using us for the first time. Peak times are now booked up months in advance. For example Easter and August this year were both virtually fully booked two months in advance.

small animal boarding

We have some space this summer left in July and September with a few odd days only in August for reptile boarding. We do have a little space left for birds and small animals but not much.

reptile boarding

Hermann’s tortoise

If you wish to take advantage of our excellent reptile boarding rates and have your animals looked after by top qualified staff please do book now to avoid disappointment.

Contact us on 01452 501882 to reserve space.

The Angell Pets Team

Yemen Chameleons Now In Stock

Yemen Chameleons, one of the most popular species of chameleon, are now back in stock.

yemen chameleon

We have limited stocks of these UK bred Yemen chameleons. All the ones we have left are male. The males are larger and more brightly coloured than the female and of course won’t be prone to egg binding.

Our Yemen chameleon care sheet will tell you everything you need to know before considering one of these stunning animals. Of course if you require more information you can always email us or call on 01452 501882.

Don’t forget we do complete set up deals with everything you need to keep your Yemen chameleon in tip top condition.

The Angell Pets Team

Exo Terra Approved Supplier

Exo Terra, along with all the other Hagen brands such as Fluval, Marina, Glo, VivExotic etc. was starting to suffer from poor after sales support from some of the on line sellers of their products. The brand recently took the decision to regain control over who could sell their products to ensure buyers could be confident the seller knew what they were selling, could give advice where needed and provided after sales support and of course, actually held their products in stock.

Angell Pets have been through Hagen’s (Exo Terra parent brand) rigorous approval process and have obtained approved supplier status. This is because we stock the products, have access through a number of routes to replacement stock, have qualified staff that are able to give advice both on the products and the animals associated with them and are able (and willing!) to give after sales support to customers that use our on line web store and our “real” shop in Gloucester.

You can tell if a supplier is approved and therefore able to sell and support Exo Terra products because they will display the logo. If this logo is not displayed, don’t buy from that “supplier” as the products have not come through the official channels.

exo terra

The Exo Terra range is a well known and respected brand within the hobby and is constantly being reviewed, updated and improved. This is why we are proud to be listed as approved Exo Terra (and other Hagen brands) stockists.

Exo Terra

If you wish to buy an Exo Terra product you can go on line to our web store and order that way, call us on 01452 501882 or drop by the shop in Gloucester. If you have any questions regarding Exo Terra products or keeping any animal do feel free to contact us by any of the above means or using the contact form on this site.

exo terra

 

The Exo Terra range is quite large (the full Hagen brands range absolutely huge!) and we do not claim to have every product in stock at all times. Those we do not currently have are only a few days away at most however so if you need an Exo Terra product that you cannot see on our web site just call us and we will order it in for you.

 

Don’t forget, local Exo Terra customers also benefit from Angell Pets’ FREE LOCAL DELIVERY service on all purchases.

The Angell Pets Team

 

Up to date livestock list

Our extensive list of livestock changes daily so I don’t usually have time to post up to date lists. However once in a while I do post what we currently have in stock by way of a marker. Here is our current list. However by tomorrow this could well have changed. See our website for some of what we stock and contact me to find out if we have what you are looking for. Please note we have access to far more than we have on our website or on this current list and that ALL our animals are captive bred – no wild caught.

Birds

  • Cockatiels (coloured and grey)
  • Rainbow Budgies (coming Thursday)
  • Zebra Finch
  • Java Sparrow
  • Blue Canary
  • Yellow Canary
  • Red Canary (coming Thursday)
  • Chinese Painted Quail
  • Conure

Small Mammals

  • Syrian Hamster
  • Fancy Mice (female – coming Thursday)
  • Dumbo Rats
  • Rabbits
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Ferret (last one this year)

Amphibians

  • Axolotl
  • Gold Tree Frog
  • Horned Frog

Reptiles

  • Crevice Spiny Lizard
  • Emerald Swift
  • Bosc Monitor
  • Red Iguana
  • Uromastyx
  • Crested Gecko
  • Flame Crested Gecko
  • Leopard Gecko
  • Chinese Cave Gecko
  • Tokay Gecko
  • Bearded Dragon
  • Panther Chameleon
  • Hermanns Tortoise
  • Common Musk Turtle
  • Corn Snake (hypo masque, anery, amel, ghost, sunglow)
  • Milksnake
  • Common Boa
  • Kenyan Sand Boa
  • Spotted Python
  • Royal Pythons
  • Carpet Python
  • Hog Nosed Snake

Invertebrates

  • Assassin Bug
  • Ghost Mantis
  • Miomantis
  • Hercules Beetle Larvae
  • Carpenter Ant Queen
  • Deaths Head Cockroach
  • Madagascan Giant Hissing Cockroach
  • Indian Stick Insect
  • Giant Spiny Stick Insect
  • Giant Prickly Stick Insect
  • Wood Nymph
  • Asian Jungle Scorpion
  • Flat Rock Scorpion
  • Brazilian Red Rump Tarantula juvenile
  • Brazilian Black Tarantula juvenile
  • Giant White Knee Tarantula spiderling (large)
  • Mexican Red Leg Tarantula spiderling
  • Mexican Red Knee Tarantula spiderling
  • Giant Orange Knee Tarantula spiderling (large)
  • Curly Haired spiderling and juvenile
  • Metallic Pink Toe Tarantula spiderling
  • Costa Rican Tiger Rump Taratula adult (M&F)
  • Santa Catalina Big B… Tarantula juvenile
  • Chang Mai Earth Tiger spiderling
  • Malaysian Earth Tiger juvenile
  • Chile Rose Tarantula spiderling, juvenile, sub adult and adult (M)
  • Northern Gold Tarantula sub adult
  • Indian Violet Earth Tiger spiderling (large)
  • Vietnamese Blue Earth Tiger spiderling (large)
  • Sulewesi Black Earth Tiger spiderling (large)
  • Hati Hati Purple Earth Tiger juvenile
  • Red Slate Ornamental juvenile
  • Indian Ornamental adult (F)
  • Venezuelan Suntiger spiderling
  • Bahia Scarlet Birdeater spiderling
  • Columbian Giant Birdeater juvenile
  • Togo Starburst Baboon Spider juvenile
  • Usumbara Red Baboon Spider juvenile
  • Stout Legged Baboon Spider spiderling (large)
  • King Baboon Spider spiderling
  • Feather Legged Baboon Spider spiderling
  • Blue Footed Baboon Spider spiderling (large)

Fish

  • Calico Oranda
  • American Flag Fish
  • Paradise Fish
  • Albino Paradise Fish
  • Leopard Danio
  • Clown Loach
  • Platy
  • Molly
  • Siamese Fighting Fish
  • Guppy (F)
  • Corydoras
  • Flame Tetra
  • Lemon Tetra
  • Cherry Spot Rasbora
  • Norman Lamp Eye
  • Golden Panchax
  • Black Widow Tetra
  • Blind Cave Fish
  • Columbian Tetra
  • Dwarf Blue Coral Gourami

Molluscs

  • Red Onion Snail (aquatic)
  • Yellow Rabbit Snail (aquatic)
  • Giant African Land Snail (terrestrial)

 The Angell Pets Team

Livefood down in price at Angell Pets

Livefood prices are following the general trend of negative inflation that we have seen over the past few weeks. We have negotiated a better deal with our suppliers and are passing on the savings to our customers.

livefood

Our livefood prices have not increased in the past five years. This is the first price change we have had on this essential item and we are pleased to say it is down.

The new livefood price list is as follows:-

Crickets now £1.99 (REDUCED from £2.75)

Locusts now £1.99 (REDUCED from £2.75)

Waxworms now £1.99 (REDUCED from £2.75)

Mini Mealworms Now £1.99 (REDUCED from £2.75)

Mealworms now £1.99 (REDUCED from £2.75)

Morio worms now £1.99 (REDUCED from £2.75)

Calci worms now £2.99 (REDUCED from £3.07)

Bean Weevils now £2.99 (REDUCED from £3.83)

Fruit Fly cultures now £2.99 (REDUCED from £3.83)

Tropical Woodlice now £2.99 (REDUCED from £3.83)

Whiteworm culture now £2.99 (REDUCED from £3.83)

Springtails NEW £2.49

Pachnoda (fruit beetle lavae) now 2.99 (REDUCED from £4.24)

With the recent 40% price reduction of the price of jelly pots, this makes buying and keeping your livefood a whole lot cheaper.

Don’t forget all livefood can still be delivered locally FREE OF CHARGE as well and we are renouwned for the quality of our livefood. We feed the livefood boxes three times a week to keep them in tip top condition. None of this will change, it’s just the price that has come down.

The Angell Pets Team

 

Uromastyx Care Sheet

Uromastyx lizards make great reptiles to keep, especially for those who do not want to feed livefood. These, often colourful, lizards are in a way the vegetarian equivalent of a bearded dragon (they belong to the same family), a similar size (some are smaller and one is larger) with similar heat and light requirements (a bit hotter though) and are almost as interactive (although some individuals can be a little shy).

There are a number of different species (out of 18 in total plus sub species) of Uromastyx generally available. These all have similar environmental (check for your species on specific measurements) and food requirements.

uromastyx

North African Uromastyx (Uromastyx acanthinura nigriventris)

The natural range of the various species of uromastyx is north of the equator from north Africa round into the Indian sub continent. With the variety of sizes there is also a variety of maxium ages, with the Egyptian uromastyx generaly being the largest and longest lived. 15 years is a good average age for any uromastyx although 30 years has been reported for a captive specimen.

Housing

Uromastyx need it hot and dry. Due to the high basking heat levels you will need a larger vivarium that for similar sized bearded dragon. This is not because the uromastyx needs more space as such (although I am sure it will appreciate it) but due to the need to maintain a sufficient temperature gradient for you uromastyx to effectivley thermo regulate. In a small viv. with such a high temperature basking area you will inevitably be raising the temperature across the whole viv. and your “cool end” will not be cool enough. We would recommend from 3′ to 6′, depending on species and size of the uromastyx. Personally I would recommend a wooden viv. that will keep the heat in, with a good quality thermostat to prevent overheating. Trying to keep the temperature up in a glass viv. that looses heat readilly could cost a bit in electric and the life cost of any pet should always be taken into consideration before getting one to avoid having to pass it onto a “resue center” when it becomes too expensive to maintain.

Heating

High daytime temperatures are very important to a uromastyx. They are a diurnal lizard (active during the day) and spend nightimes in a burrow away from predators. Night time temperatures can fall quite low, 18C (in a normal house you could switch all heating off at night or have a small heat mat if your house is consistently cold at night). Day time temperatures are kept high. Ambient temperature needs to be around 38C at the hot end and around 26C at the cool end with a basking spot temperature of 48 to 60C. In trying to keep a temperature this high it is essential to have correctly sized heat equipement and a good quality thermostat to prevent overheating your uromastyx. With all uromastyx the brightness of the lighting is also important so using bright incandescent or halogen lamps for the basking area heat is best.

Lighting

As said, bright daytime lighting is essential for a uromastyx. Not only does it stimulate feeding behaviour is also brings out the best colours. Generally the uromastyx colours only really show when they have heated up in bright light. UVB is also critical to the continued good health of the uromastyx. WIthout adequate levels of UVB they cannot absorb calcium from their diet and will get seriously ill. In fact on a really hot day (30C plus) a uromastyx will love basking in a secure area outside. You cannot get a better UV source than the sun! In the vivarium use either a minimum of a 10% UVB fluorescent tube (which will need to be changed at least every 9 months) or a combined heat and UVB mercury vapour or metal hallide basking lamp (these cannot be regulated by a thermostat so size correctly).

Decor

It is a good idea to ensure there are multiple levels (use rocks or ledges) so not only can the uromastyx find a wider variation in temperatures but also so it can bask nearer to the UVB source (not too close if using a combined heat and UV source, it must not be able to touch it). UV light does not travel very far from the light source and the strength of the UVB rays deteriorates rapidly with distance. A deep substrate will provide burrowing media but hides placed around the viv. are a good supplement/alternative. Make sure any rocks cannot fall and crush your uromastyx and that hides are placed throughout the enclosure so the uromastyx can lay up at night and get out of the high temperatures during the day in a temperature needed at that point.

Substrate

A deep substrate that can hold itself together and provide a burrowing medium is a good idea. We tend to use Lucky Reptile desert bedding as it can hold a bit of humidity at lower levels, so best replicates the wild environment. It also looks the part! I would avoid pure silica sand (play sand) as there is a higher risk of impaction and I don’t like calci sand myself for the same reason. Others do use these substrates and claim to have had no problems but I would rather avoid the risk. You can also use more utilitarian substrates but they do not have the structure to form burrows or localised humidity.

Feeding

In the wild, Uromastyx eat vegetable matter. In extremis they will eat insects but this is only done when vegetable matter is unavailable (drought conditions) and no alternative is available. The animal protein is thought to cause harm to the internal organs (especially the kidneys). In captivity vegetable matter is obviously always available so insects should not be given. A variety is best for your uromastyx. Green leaves such as rocket, unsprayed dandelion etc. are good for uromastyx. Avoid brassicas – cabbages etc. as these contain oxylates that bind up dietary calcium, making it unavailable to the uromastyx metabolism. Squashes, carrots etc (finely chopped or grated) can also be given and proprietary brands of herbivore food (usually sold for iguanas, tortoises etc.) make a good store room standby. Dusting food with a little calcium powder daily is a good idea but restrict vitamin powders to weekly as it is possible to overdose vitamins. If you are giving plenty of variation of fresh foods to your uromastyx additional vitamins will not be necessary more that once a week. If feeding a balanced, fresh diet a uromastyx will rarely drink water (some highland and coastal species may). You may wish to present a water dish once a week but do not leave it in the vivarium for too long (an hour is adequate) as with the high heat levels it will quickly evaporate and raise the humidity. This is harmless in the short term but leaving a water bowl in the vivarium all the time can be detrimental to the health of the lizard (consistently high humidity will make it susceptible to respiratory infection). I don’t bother with a water bowl.

All the Uromastyx we have had have been docile. I have never been bitten or even tail whipped by one although anything with a jaw could bite I suppose. Consequently they make great “pets” although they should not be kept out of the vivarium for too long ( a couple of hours is fine) as they do need the high temperature and UV levels.

The Angell Pets Team

Ackie Monitors (Varanus acanthurus) Care Sheet

Ackie monitors (or spiny tailed monitors) make a good first monitor lizard or a step up from the more commonly kept agamid lizards such as bearded dragons.

Akie monitor (spiny tailed monitor) Varanus acanthurus

Like bearded dragons, Ackies are from the dryer regions of Australia and need similar (but not the same) conditions. They get a little larger (well longer at least) and so will need a large enclosure. They should also be quite active, making a larger enclosure essential.

Due to their relatively small size (for monitors) and generally good temperment, Ackies make a good starter monitor but are attractive enough to appeal to more experienced keepers too.

Enclosure

Akies get to around 2 feet in length (males slightly larger). They are a very active lizard and like to burrow in the substrate. This, coupled to the fact that they like it very hot in the basking area (50-60 degrees centigrade) means that they need a large vivarium. Large enough that a good temperature gradient can be maintained (50 degrees hot end 20-25 degrees “cold” end) and that the substrate can be deep enough to remain moist under the surface.

As large an enclosure as possible is desirable but a minimum of 4’x2’x2′. Some people recommend larger to ensure the correct depth of substrate but by using stones to form a retaining wall you can acheive the necessary depth in a vivarium of this size.

Make sure that when being assembled the edges of the vivarium are well sealed. The idea is to have moist soil in the viv and if care is not taken to seal all the edges and joins the vivarium will not last long. Better still use glass, although these are more expensive. Plastic will work well, I just don’t like them myself.

Ackies will make their own burrows but then they are not accessible. Providing a hide will encourage it to stay where you can find it. Providing plenty of hides throughout the enclosure will give the lizard a choice of where to hide when maintaing body temperature so the more the merrier.

A large water bowl is good idea.  Placed correctly, overfilling the bowl can help keep the lower levels of substrate moist and the Ackie will certainly relish going in the bowl. Ours burrow under the bowl, which is at the cooler end of the viv. I assume this creates a cooler hide and ours move between this and their “favourite” rock hide during the day

Heating

Ackies like it HOT. My preferred way to create a very hot basking area is with a combination of ceramic heat emmitter (on all the time) and basking lamp (on during the day). In very large vivs you can use a combined heat and UV lamp. These are not dimmable but if the viv is big enough and the lamp sized correctly, as they like it so hot, you can get away with it. You will still need another form of heat for overnight when the lamp is off. If in any doubt, go for a combinination of heat emmiter and basking lamp with a pulse proportional stat on the emmitter. This will give you control day and night.

Lighting

Ackies need high intensity UV. If you have a large viv. and have gone for a combined heat and UV basking lamp then job done. If not, you will need as large a wattage 10% or 12% UVB tube as you can fit in the viv. Fitting a reflector to the tube will greatly increase the amount of UV recieved by the lizard. UVB is essential for calcium metabolism (manufacture of vitamin D3 in the skin) so is not an “optional” requirement.

UVB tubes stop giving out noticeable levels of UV after around 9 months (the combined heat and UV lamps a little longer), so ensure you budget to replace these. Unless you have an expensive UV monitor you will not notice the difference but your lizard will and if the tube is not replaced will eventually get metabolic bone disease and probably die a painful death. If you cannot afford the replacement tubes, don’t get an Ackie.

Basking lamps and UVB lamps should be switched off overnight to give a good day/night cycle. Leaving lighting on all night can stress diurnal animals (and is a waste of electricity and will speed up the replacement of your UVB lamps!). Also, by having a dark rest period they tend to be more acitve during the limited (around 12 hours) daylight hours.

Substrate

Ackies like to dig. They will dig hunting for food, they will dig out burrows to rest in, they will dig to lay eggs, sometimes they will just dig! Therefor the substrate needs to be as deep as you can make it. As already alluded to, you can make a retaining wall with rocks to create an area with deeper substrate. In the wild they like to move around rocky outcrops and drop into gaps when threatened so putting in plenty of areas to climb and hide is a good idea. They will dig out a burrow to hide in and this needs to be at a higher humidity than the surrounding air. To maintain this, regular dampening or misting of the substrate is required to stop it drying out. If it is too shallow, not only will it not support a burrow, it will dry out too quickly. That said the word is damp, not wet!

A good soil, sand mix works well. I like to use desert bedding. It has a good structure that retains moisture at lower levels and can suport burrows without collapse. Other types of soil are also suitable. Mixing in some coir helps moisture retention but I don’t like Ackies on pure coir (has to be too wet to support a burrow)

Feeding

Like other monitors, Ackies are carnivores. The bulk of their diet should be insects but they will take pinkes and fuzzies etc. (although weaned rodents contain more calcium and less fat), as well as a little egg and turkey (I don’t bother with turkey myself) . Don’t use dog and cat food – some people do but it is never a good idea.  Ackies store fat in the base of their tails. Feeding to much meat (i.e. food they don’t have to actively hunt) can lead to obesity, although they are nowhere near as prone to this as say, a Bosc Monitor. Better to encourage them to run around hunting by feeding live insects. I use gut loaded cockroaches in the main but vary this as much as possible. We sell livefood so I always have a wide range avaiable so I am a bit spoilt for choice. Dust the food with calcium a few times a week(every day when young) and vitamin powder once a week. Gut loading the insects prior to feeding is the best way to ensure a balanced diet.

Breeding

I am not going to go into detail about breeding. Female Ackies are cyclical breeders. They build up fat stores in their tails and when a certain level is reached and conditions are right, they start to produce eggs. When ready they produce a pheramone that stimulates the male into mating behaviour. Fertilzed eggs are then laid in a burrow. As with most lizards, if the eggs are removed to an incubator for hatching they must not be turned and must be kept in their original orientation or the embryo will die.

Should I get one?

Ackies are great lizards to keep. Most will become quite tame (our male is very tame, the female less so, although she can be handled). They do need large enclosures and the right equipment, regularly maintained. They are probably not for someone who has never owned a reptile before but make a good step up from the usual beaded dragons and leopard geckos etc. Remember they are quite long lived, 15 – 20 years so if considering these fascinating little monitor lizards you need to understand the comittment you are undertaking before buying. They are quite hardy if kept under the right conditions but it is always wise to find out where your nearest specialist reptile vet is located before you need to use one. Normal vets will not have a clue with most reptiles.

The Angell Pets Team

Reptile boarding, small animal and bird boarding takes off at Angell Pets

Reptile boarding was one of the few services we were unable to provide our customers from our old Angell Pets shop in Abbeymead. There simply was not enough space in a secure part of the building to accomodate the necessary enclosures and equipment. One thing we are not lacking in our new premises is space. We now have an entire extra upstairs floor that has enabled us to increase stock holding (we never had any storage space before either) and install a range of vivaria, enclosures and bird cages to enable us to offer reptile boarding, small mammal boarding and bird boarding services to our customers.

 

reptile boarding

One Of Our Reptile Boarders Being Fed

We have built up a reputation as Gloucester’s premier pet shop and were constantly being asked by customers if we could provide reptile boarding for their animals as they trusted us with their beloved pets. Not only had they come to know us and recognise the years of experience we have with a wide range of animals, they also knew that our senior team is the most qualified around. All have completed, as a minimum, either an industry recognised apprenticeship or higher level City and Guilds animal management qualification. Two are also educated to honours degree level in biology and animal science.

We have now completed fitting out  a reptile boarding facility upstairs along with enclosures for other animals and birds and have already taken bookings. We have our first visitor with us at the moment. All reptile boarding facilities are secure and complete with temperature, humidty, lighting and control equipment relevant to the reptile requiring looking after. We are also equiped to take small mammals, inverts and birds. You can use our enclosures or bring your own to reduce the stress on more nervous animals (subject to disinfection upon arrival).

We take bio security very seriously and all enclosures in our reptile boarding facility are scrupulously clean and are disinfected (using F10 and anti mite treatment) between uses (and during longer stays) and staff are trained in ensuring no cross contamination occurs during feeding and cleaning times. No animals are admitted to the facility that show signs of disease or infestation.

All animals in our reptile boarding and other animal boarding facilities are checked at least twice a day and fed, watered or cleaned as appropriate. We have a high level of knowledge of most animals and have the back up of one of the best reptile vets in the county.

Reptile boarding or boarding of other animals is arranged by telephone or visiting the shop, although you can see prices etc. on our webstore

Reptile Boarding (single animal)

Reptile Boarding (multiple animals)

Small Mammal Boarding 

Rabbit, Guinea Pig and Ferret Boarding

Bird Boarding

So, if you are lucky enough to be going on holiday or if you need to have a stay in hospital or are going to be working away and you need a reptile boarding service or boarding for other animals please give us a call. You know your animal is going to be looked after by the best professionals around.

Angell Pets Reptile Boarding in particular is booking up fast so please don’t leave it too late. We do have some capacity to expand the service further but it takes time to get all the equipment in place.