Hi guys! I'm working on a setup for my future ball python right now and am at my wit's end trying to find a 26" guard for the UVB bulb. I know actual Arcadia guards are impossible to find due to tarriffs. I purchased my previous one from BlackBox, but didn't realize they went out of business this year, so now I'm kind of lost.

The tank is a 4x2x2 PVC enclosure, so it has to be mounted inside the tank. How necessary is the cage guard or the UVB light altogether? Are there any options to DIY a guard, or alternative UVB options? Thank you guys.

Looking for a breeder in the United States. I am worried of getting a genetic issue after my last beardie and want to lower my chances if possible. I don't want the heart ache.

The first photo is when I first bought the locust tub (9/10/26), the second and third are from today. This is the only one that is all black from the tub, and only one I’ve ever seen!

I went outside to take out my garbage and found this lizard belly up in a deep, cold puddle in my yard. I got him out and he started moving, so I put him in this container and brought him inside to warm up. I panicked and now I don't know if I did something to hurt him. It's about 68F degrees in my house. I hope I didn't shock him, but hes moving around well. I did a little research and from what I found, I shouldn't let him out until the temperature rises tomorrow. I'm in South, GA, USA if that helps. Sorry if this seems rushed or for any typos, im just really worried.

Hello,

I picked this little guy up at a local fish store that I will never visit again. He was trying to tell me you could just toss it in your aquarium and call it good. I have never owned a turtle but I know enough about them to know that's insanely wrong. I just could not leave it there knowing it would probably end up with some idiot who doesn't even want to learn how to take care of it. He also did not know what kind of turtle it is and I'm hoping someone can help me identify it. I think it's a red-eared slider but I can't be sure. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi everyone. I recently lost my 4-year-old female leopard gecko, Blu, on October 14, and I've been struggling to understand what happened to her.

She was under the care of an exotic veterinarian, but even her vet wasn't sure exactly what caused her decline. I'm hoping someone here, especially anyone with veterinary experience or who has gone through something similar, might have some ideas about what underlying illness could explain her symptoms.

Here's the timeline:

- Late August: Blu began having significant eye problems, including retained shed, irritation/dryness, and difficulty opening her eyes. She was also treated for mouth rot. Her vet prescribed eye medications and antibiotics.

- September: Her eyes remained closed much of the time, although her vet noted some improvement in the infection. She was becoming less active, but I attributed a lot of that to her being unable to see and the stress of treatment.

- September 4–October 13: Blu lost approximately 12 grams. Her vet said she had only lost a small amount between August 25 and September 4, so most of her weight loss happened during this later period.

- Early October: She was increasingly lethargic and spent much of her time basking. Looking back, I suspect she was eating significantly less than I realized.

- October 11: I noticed she was struggling to walk properly and began to search for emergency care (it was Thanksgiving weekend and emergency vets only offered euthanasia for reptiles). I attempted to offer her a mealworm with tongs. She lifted her head toward it but wouldn't eat.

- October 13: She was extremely weak and severely dehydrated. She was having difficulty moving normally and was dragging her belly. Her vet administered fluids, her prognosis was guarded. She also had a partial tail drop during the car ride home, after her serious decline had already begun. At home after tail drop, her energy went up and she was moving around her tank. Not fully normal but more than the 2 days prior.

- October 14: I found her deceased overnight.

Additional medical information:

- Her X-rays reportedly showed no abnormalities.

- Her veterinarian suspected there might have been an underlying illness in addition to her eye and mouth problems.

- Her eye infection had apparently improved with treatment, but her overall condition started to deteriorate what seems to be in October.

- I am requesting her complete veterinary records, including X-rays, to better understand everything.

Something I'm particularly worried about:

I kept mealworms in her feeding bowl and replaced them periodically, but I wasn't closely tracking how many she actually ate. Looking back, I realize she may have been eating very little for several weeks. I would dust them with calcium w d3 and a multivitamin. She also had UVB up until May. My other Leopard Gecko is on the same feeding schedule.

Her water bowl was also positioned on top of a hide that required climbing. With her eyes closed and her increasing weakness, I'm worried she may have struggled to access it. I did keep water available and misted her enclosure, but I didn't realize how dehydrated she had become until her final veterinary visit.

I understand that inadequate food and water intake could have contributed to her deterioration. What I'm struggling to understand is whether those were consequences of another illness or potentially the primary cause of her decline.

My main questions are:

1. What underlying conditions could cause retained shed on eyes, mouth rot, appetite loss, significant weight loss, dehydration, and progressive weakness in a leopard gecko?

2. Could something like kidney disease, liver disease, or a systemic infection cause this progression without obvious abnormalities on an X-ray?

3. Does this sound more consistent with an underlying disease causing her to stop eating and drinking, or could prolonged inadequate intake alone explain what happened?

4. Has anyone experienced something similar with their gecko?

I understand nobody can diagnose her from a Reddit post, especially without bloodwork or a necropsy. I'm just hoping to learn what possibilities might be worth discussing with her veterinarian once I have her records.

Blu meant the absolute world to me. I had her for four years, and losing her has been devastating. I'm trying to understand what happened, both for some closure and to help me care for my other reptiles.

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read this. ❤️

Here's some pics of my baby (sunset, adult Leapord gecko, 52g, 8in) Most recent one is the belly picture. The other two are older pictures of him. He's really shy right now and isn't basking like he used to. His tank has been redone- his old tank was the one with no clutter, new one is the one with clutter. He's shy and has low appetite right now. It's getting close to brumation season- so that could be it, but it could also be stress from the remodel. His temps are- 94F on hot side, 76F on cold side- he has 3 hides and I have switched the rock formation to become a hide and a rock formation. He's still eating and passing normal stool, just not as much. Any advice?

I know bearded dragons and turtles are on their own, but it seams alligators need their parents when they are born, and the mother helps them.

Edited this in: My theory is that most animals know adult crocodiles are dangerous and they hunt their children to keep them out of the river.

Hi all! I’m one year into owning reptiles and have four so far with plans for 2-4 more (DINK status lol). We’ve had them scattered around the house but we’re converting the spare room into a reptile room now to have more space and give them a quiet place separate from company/dogs and cats.

For those who have a designated reptile room, what are some must haves that I shouldn’t ignore while building this up? Obviously I have enclosures and storage under control, so I’m thinking more rare things I haven’t thought about, anything from making care easier to decor and aesthetics is open to suggestions!

Picture of my first reptile, Pixel, for tax!

HIII it is my first year in a new house and yesterday was my first cold night the house gets so much colder then i anticipated even with a space heater i need tips on keeping my guys warm when it freezes over i have pac man frogs, a skink, 2 dragons, and a skink. I have heat bulbs but I have fears that they wont keep up with the dropping temperatures.

+Pic for Gecko Tax

I've recently bought a bit over 200$+ plants to add to my terrariums, however I want to keep the plants alive and healthy. I've been keeping them in their pots as a trial run but wanted to make sure I wouldn't accidentally kill my geckos with fertilizer. For context, I've got Crested Geckos, Leopard Geckos and African Fat-Tailed Geckos.

Love my little guys but I was always hesitant to add real plants to my terrariums because when I was a bit younger I was notoriously good at killing cacti and bamboo plants. But it's been 2 or 3 months and none of my plants have died so far!

I've got some Snake Plants, Pothos, Bird of Paradise, Lemon Lime, Calatheas and Rubber Plants. I got a few Succulents but I'm not putting them into the terrariums for a while since they're still so tiny.

Any advice is appreciated!

Such an amazing animal

Hey gang!

Figured I’d post here as I’m often lurking in this sub anyway, haha. It’s been a minute since I’ve had a reptile, & after a big break I was looking to get back into the hobby again. My experience mainly lies in beardies, gargs, & cresties, & while I do think those fellas are cool in their own right, I am looking to experience something new if possible.
Also, just in case anyone is worried about impulse buys, I’ll be giving myself at minimum a year to deep dive into any suggested species & my current candidates before seeking anything out. More than likely, it’ll be two to three before I actually make a choice.

There are a few criteria that I do have to follow, however, so I’ll put them here as well.
- Absolutely no snakes. Big bummer for me, as I’ve always wanted to have a BP, but my dad is terrified of them & I’d rather not subject him to that stress.
- Another big no is to any species requiring an aquatic setup, as my housing has a clause explicitly stating no aquariums or pets that require large amounts of water.
- Active during the day, or at least the afternoon! I work mostly the opening shift, so I’d prefer to have a friend that I can visit once I get off.
- Insectivores are a-okay!
- Tegus, Iguanas, etc., are off the table, as I don’t have the space to properly enrich them, & the last thing I want to do is force an animal into a home with improper care.
- Preferably a species that tolerates some handling! My crestie & garg were ‘look but don’t touch’ fellas, & while I don’t mind that, I definitely like being able to at least chill with my reptiles for a little.
- Also preferably something terrestrial?? I love arboreals, but I would like to take a small break from them, haha.

The current candidates so far are:
- Leopard Geckos: Only big downside is that they are crepuscular/cathemeral, but that’s about it. I love these little guys a lot!
- Zebra Skinks/Gidgee Skinks: While the two have very different levels of care, I’m grouping them together as a sort of alternative to the Blue Tongue! Small & diurnal, with varied diets, but the availability is where these guys lose some points (although not a lot).
- Blue Tongue Skinks: While a little on the large side, they are diurnal & generally seem to tolerate a little handling if acclimated from a young age! They also have a pretty fun diet, which I think is neat. Care seems similar to a beardie if I went with the arid subspecies, which is also a big bonus!
- Some kind of small tortoise: Never had a tortoise before, but my HS science class used to have one that I would often help care for before/after school! The herbivorous diet is a big plus. Obviously will be doing lots of research, but any notable species recommendations are welcome!
- Bearded/Rankin’s Dragon: While I definitely want something new, I wouldn’t mind having another beardie or a similar species to them! Pretty much the same notes as BTS; a little bit big, but I have experience & they are fairly personable if handled young.

Yes I know my shirt is inside out lol but I was wondering if you guys have multiple nick names for your reptile?
My black roughneck is named daffy but I call him either
Laughy daffy, my daffodil, my daffina, or daffinator depending on the day