Lizards vs frogs vs turtles

[the.badger]

Hey all, I'm sure there are about a million threads like this but for some reason I can't find any, if you can point me in the right direction it would be much appreciated.

Just wanting to hear from some people who keep lizards, frogs or turtles, as I'm wondering which would make better pets for us (I suspect the answer is lizards but I'd like to hear from you guys). We have snakes atm but the boss wants to 'diversify' and I was thinking of indulging him for Xmas.

He really wants a Bells Phase Lace Monitor (is that right?) but from what I understand they grow pretty huge and need a massive enclosure, which we don't have the room for. We're not able to have outdoor enclosures/pits either as our block is on a massive slope.

So I think he wants something fairly interactive, which is why I was thinking a lizard would be better? Correct me if I'm wrong.

Just wondering what lizards, frogs and turtles are like to keep, a very very basic idea on their husbadry requirements (ie: frogs are harder to keep than turtles because you need to clean their cage more often, or whatever), and breeds I should be looking at.

Thanks in advance.

 

[shane14]

You cant go wrong with a beardie!

 

[the.badger]

Hehe, cool. What about some other breeds of lizards? Are there any small monitors that could be kept in Vic, since he loves the laceys so much?

 

[Serpentes_15]

Get ridge tailed monitors. They are still a type of goanna but don't grow any bigger than a beardie. They have them at melbourne zoo and healsville sanctuary if you wanted to have a good look at some nice ones. I reckon their great.

 

[Veredus]

If he likes Lace Monitors perhaps have a look into one of the smaller monitor species like Gillens, Ackies and Tristis. Type any of the three into the search bar at the top of the page and you should get a fair bit of info.

 

[the.badger]

Cheers peeps. I will search for some of those breeds.

Are they all available to be kept on license in VIC? And what are the price ranges?

 

[shane14]

Ridge tails are awesome monitors, very cute but watch out for bites LOL ask Niall about that LOL

 

[the.badger]

Erm, this may be a bit of a random Q, but do lizards smell a lot more than snakes? I don't know if it was just poor living conditions or whatever, but I did notice at one reptile shop that there was a definate stink coming from the lizard section...

 

[Kitah]

I have a turtle (Kreffts) He's a great boy, hapilly swims over to you, never tried to bite etc. Turtles are very messy, need very large tanks or even better an outdoor enclosure, very powerful (and expensive) filters, UVB lighting, basking area etc. Theyre rather expensive and high maintenence pets, and you can't interact with them much, generally, as they're quite often shy/timid If you have any specific q's, feel free to ask

 

[horsesrule]

Yes lizards do smell more than snakes.

Regardless of how well you clean them, snakes only take a crap once a week or so, lizards are more frequent than this.

My suggestion is get a turtle they are great pets more intelligent than lizards or snakes they usually know when its feed time and will come up to you or out the tank. They are hardy and they live longer than snakes and lizards and there also fairly cheap.

 

[the.badger]

Thanks guys.

As a very general rule, what size tank would you need for a turtle?

And does anyone know if the smaller monitors handle well? Or is it just the dragons that tolerate handling?

 

[meshe1969]

Frogs are very easy if you get the right set up but they are not interactive. They mainly sleep all day.

I love my frogs (I have eighteen) and they are less work than lizards.

 

[the.badger]

Thanks everyone for your insight. From what everyone has said I think lizards will be the way to go, as they're active (unlike frogs), don't require massive enclosures (unlike turtles), and some can be handled.

So I'll probably be looking into dragons, as I'm told monitors are not great handlers.

No doubt you'll all hear a bunch more lizard questions from me in the very near future.

Thanks for your patience, ladies and gents.

 

[daniel1234]

Ah I will reply even though it is 3am, my eyes are blurry and brain fried.
I so want a beardie as I hear they make great pets with K9 like personalities. I remember replying to a thread where this was so true, and it was a bit of a "runt of the litter/parents said don't get that one" story where lizard has turned out looking really nice with heaps of personality."

However, they are omnivours and I just see $$$$ when it comes to feeding them, but I am breeding rats now so why not woodies/crix etc as well:?. I know your into vegies so that wouldn't be a problem, you could sit it on the table and feed it offcuts from your own meal preparation.

From what I've heard, monitors eat the same as your snake, and I have often wondered if anyone lets their's roam the house, (I'd call mine Rover) think I saw pics of this on an olive thread. I am sort of getting back to really wanting one of those and my boy always wants one when we talk about lizards. Heath's monitors can have nice colours and don't grow to big.

The turtle tank question, my kids teacher has one who's shell is proberbly about 20cm in diameter, she keeps it in a 2ft tank but I really think it could do with a 30inch or 3ft. Sounds like you really need a lizard though.

I'm rambling now,
Goodnight
zzzzzzz

 

[the.badger]

Yeah it's now nearly 4am and I'm still on this stinking website...

Thanks daniel1234, lizards do sound like a lot more work and $$$ than snakes, but hey, why not give it a go? We don't have heaps of time, but we don't have kids either, so I don't think a few more higher maintenance pets will break us. I must say, the more I read about them, the more they appeal to me. Lizards, that is, not kids....

The partner does love the monitors but handling is a bit of a big deal for him I think, and a lot of people have said that they're not great handlers, so I'm leaning more towards dragons at this stage. Still don't know what type of dragon, but at least I'm kinda making a teensy bit of headway.

 

[daniel1234]

That's what the kids are for, my daughter feeds most of our furry animals and my boy helps out with the herps.
They tell me central's are the go. Larger, nice colours, that K9 personality. Aww damn, now I want a lizard again:evil: Quick, some one post a bredli or jungle thread.....

 

[gonff]

''pygmy mulga monitor'' all the way!!!!!!!!! varanus gilleni

they can be kept on a basic liscence, and are one of the smallest monitors in australia

they dont need U.V like most lizards and dont grow over 40cm soo they can be kept in a tank as small as like.........3 ft by 3 ft by 2 ft. they are kindov arborial....

 

[gonff]

reptiles australia volume 3 no.1 has a writup on both the pygmy mulga monitor and the ridge tailed monitor! u can get it off the website if u want

 

[Ristof]

I have 4 murray shortnecks and they are not that messy
I have the 2 small ones in a 3ftx2ftx2ft aqua one turtle tank which has the ledge in the centre back but doesn't go to the front
You would be able to keep one, maybe two of these guys in a six foot tank. THey do grow to 30cm - 35cm but very easy to care for. I pick mine up and they are fine
Here's a pic of my big guy scratchy

They recommend you run a filter that is about 4 times the litres of the tank
I am running a 1200l/ph filter on the 3ft tank and it keeps it clean
Let me know if you need anymore info

 

[book]

My water skinks are a watching lizard but I love my Ridge-tailed Monitors ( Ackies ) for the interaction.
They are never going to sit on your shoulder and watch you type as they just want to keep moving till the cool down and then you put them back in their enclosure.
Mine aren't full grown yet and I have them out for some handling time almost every day. They want to run up your arm so you put one hand in front of the other as the run up and have them run a tread mill over your arms. They have only tried to bite fingers if you look like you should be offering them food.
They love roaches which are just too easy to breed and full size they will take mice, pinky rats or young quails.