The last one . You'll always want more. I retired last year. and finally took up this hobby of reptiles. My first were Leopard geckos, too easy. then I got a Bearded Dragon, and a friend gave me another. then I saw an Iguana that had been at the pet store for too long. So I got Her too. Then 2 Crested geckos rescued. My Dragon Breeder/pet shop offered a 3 leg'd runt, red bearded Dragon, pet only. So I have a family of reptiles in less than a year. Tell, you What? I'm Really happy with them all. I grow my own veggies and have a colony of dubia roaches. I own my home so I can build a room for them. All is well.
That is going to be one of the first things I do when I can get my own house. I started with a toad in elementary school that was hit by a lawn mower, they died 3 years later, I got an unexpected baby turtle for my birthday the next year, and had been also trying to get a bearded dragon at that time, which I got a few months later. Almost a year later I rescued another injured toad, who was missing a foot (probably from the lawnmower again). Now I have my eyes on a leopard gecko, and have a list of other pets I want to get in the future. All of this is happening while I try to figure out how I am going to stuff a 120 gallon beardie terrarium, 50 gallon leo terrarium, 55 gallon turtle aquarium, and 20 gallon toad aquarium in a collage dorm.
Been dying to get another iguana. Had one as a kid and they're my all time favorite lizards regardless of what most people say about them. They can make wonderful pets when you actually take care of them and socialize them. Most people just brought them home and neglected them causing everybody to have some sort of negative interaction and keep spreading nonsense about the whole species
Another great idea for the realists among us "scariest real life reptiles" lmao. Sometimes the most unknown little alien reptiles are scarier than anything mythological 😋 .... but not always lmao
I spent a lot of money on beautiful water bowls. My ball pythons hate them, they prefer drinking from porcelain bowls. Now I have nothing to eat cereals out of.🥺
I always scoffed at reptile addiction. I thought I’d be fine with my ball python. But now I’m obsessively looking at hognoses even though I don’t have room for another tank unless it sits in the middle of my floor 😅
This might be specific to the country (Germany) but I noticed that decorative items and caves for aquariums are a lot cheaper than those with the "reptile" stickers. The caves aren't relevant for grown snakes but I found many cheap options that still look decorative that were perfect for my baby corn snakes. Playgrounds for hamsters make great climbing fixtures for agile snakes, look fun, and offer nice textures (just make sure no nails stick out, that they used 100% resin-free wood for them, and that your scaley idiot roommate can't get stuck anywhere). And those things are cheap. As for decorative flowers, plants, leaves - dollar items are great but you can also get some really pretty pieces from more expensive stores if you pay attention to the seasonal changes in their shops. Prices can drop from ten or more Euro to just 1-3,- when they need to get rid of their summer collection at the begin of fall, for example. It's always better two know 2-3 food sources before you need them. I thought I was good with the one the breeder of snake #1 recommended. They are good but often don't have the sizes I need and once they had it per se, they were out of stock. Consider overnight shipping and dry ice in your calculations. The feeding costs for one snake are still a lot lower per month than those for a cat or dog but express shipping + ice easily triple the price per meal (that's okay, just mentioning it for people who operate on a tighter budget). Starterkits are meh. I considered getting the ones for corn snakes but they were too big for what snake #1's breeder recommended for babies and too small for a grown one. DIY is an option for crafty people who love a project, or who have good, reliable friends who love a crafty project. Tanks here are ridiculously expensive. I got one that's just 90x45x45cm on a bargain for my growth-stunted corn that will probably never even reach 80cm so that's fine for him. The 2nd adult tank is 1mx1mx60cm, mostly DIY (an "Ikea"-esque set if you will), and with lamps and the necessities to sculpture the back wall, the total is around 250,- Euro. A glass or plastic tank in that size would be around 500,- Euro without shipping and without lamps. I like being the snake woman. I'm not ashamed to say that I fully take advantage of the sob-story of my first snake - he escaped when just a few months old, in winter, was found over a month later and was in a very poor condition, recovered beautifully but is stunted in his growth. It's a great icebreaker and gets the interest and empathy of people who love animals in general but are wary of snakes. But letting people watch your snake doing its snake things (or showing pictures/videos) and then casually mention "Did you know that snakes have two dicks?" is also always a great icebreaker. What I want to say it, if you like being that snake person and want to make use of it by educating people a little in a fun way, the way to go are empathy-inducing stories if you have experienced one, dicks, or aggravating poop stories. The addiction - I think it's important to take a moment or ten and think hard what you want out of that hobby. Collection, breeding, learning, taking care of them, rescuing/fostering neglected animals, interacting... I focus a lot in interaction and observing my snakes' behaviour, partly to see how far their intelligence and learning ability can go (mixed and amusing results so far). This takes up at least two hours, usually longer, each day they are not out of commission and in the mood for interacting. And that's just two snakes. As much as I'd love to adopt a third one, it'd be difficult to make "snake interactor and belly scratcher" a full-time job. Someone who plans to breed sets different priorities. It's a good idea to think about what you really want to get out of the hobby before you have ten reptiles and realize you were much happier with half as many or when it was just you and your first reptile buddy.
Man this stuff is so true. Around me, expos are the cheapest place to get frozen feeders and all the serious keepers get there early for that reason. At this point it's once in a blue moon that I buy something for my reptiles at an actual pet store: usually its walmart or lowes. I cringe when I look at some of the marketed "starter kits". I've been the "critter guy" since i was in kindergarten. I've put the breaks on adding to my collection, but I've got 6 acres and I'd love to turn it into my own Kamp Kenan....I never stop wanting more
I used to be afraid of reptiles. We adopt 3 boys that wanted them. Talked me into them. Fell in love. We now have 50 species of reptiles, tortoises, turtles and so on.
When I worked at a pet store my most despised started kit is for aquatic turtles, because I fear 90% of ppl won't upgrade when they need to. I would basically refuse to sell RES if they were going to buy it.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, and GOSH YES. I am now making sure that everyone I know who is planning on getting a reptile watches this. And yes, addiction is real. Luckily (or unluckily) I have only so much space, so I really CAN'T get another reptile (she says, glancing at the new 4x2x2 hab for the bearded dragon, and wondering if she can just stick a leopard gecko tank on top of it...)
I have loved reptiles my whole life...however as a grandma I just got to the point of being able to get them. I have become so addicted...I started with a ball python, than after about 20 I have now 2 boas, oh and now I want a pair of dumerils, and I just traded a couple baby corns for a jungle carpet. Now I want more of those as well.
Nothing wrong with keeping plenty of them as long as you don't get to a point where you're sacrificing their quality of life for quantity. It's also nice to have a good nest egg left over for emergencies and vet care. :)
Keisha, I am also a grandma and I got my first ball python in January. I love her so much. I finally just said I am doing this. This is for me and no one else, sorry if it upsets anyone.
Lol that last one is so true, I came up on nearly all of my reptiles because I was the "reptile" kid. It was great in some ways because I basically never paid a big retail price for any of those animals (probably why I'm so stingey about animal costs), but the dark side of the coin was getting really sick animals that I was not qualified to rehabilitate, and basically just watching them check out and burying them for their original owners.
I got my first reptiles today! Did my research for a couple of months. Happy and proud owner of a premium red bearded dragon, halmahera blue tongue skink, and a Dumeril's Boa. I'm so friggin stoked! So much anxiety unboxing these beauties. 😁
The “reptile guy” thing expands beyond that. I got a kitten in middle school. She’s always been a family pet. I never owned a cat outside my one family cat that I haven’t lived with since high school. Still get messages anytime a friend needs help rehoming kittens/cats 🙄
Finally someone who mentions the heat bulbs. Pet store heat bulbs are a rip off. I stopped after all the ones I got barely lasted a week. Iv'e since bought my bulbs from the hardware store in bulk for way less. I'm surprised other pet youtubers fall for this trap as well.
As a Petco employee, the Petco I work at cares more about animals than the money. Can't say anything about the business overall, but mine is pretty solid. We know what to and what not to recommend, and we take good care of all of the animals in our care. We'll even take rehomed animals in. We do sell some lower quality stuff, but we will NEVER recommend it!
This list made me really thankful for the fact that I have an actual reptile shop in my town. Getting reptiles is very addicting. I planned on having 2 reptiles, a crested gecko and a leo or a bearded dragon. Got a leo. Now I have two crested geckos, two leos, two pacman frogs and a chinese cave gecko. On feeders in a month a probably spend $20. I bought months of crested gecko food before I got them. I am getting a fire skink today because they are something I wanted but thought I wouldn't see, that happened with my cave gecko. I do plan on, over the next few years, getting one of all the New Caledonian geckos. No more after this fire skink even though they have 4 lizards I would love to own.
Great video for new and seasoned keepers alike. I can relate to number 2 for sure. My local pet shop had my phone number on file and would call me for advice to give to new pet owners because they knew i kept different species and my info was correct and up to date. No lie
I freaked out about that before I got to see and hold my baby snake, he wasn’t in the slightest interested nor would have ever fit through it. But it is a thing that more people should talk about. In my case I would have known it wasn’t necessary to worry about it if someone had told me baby royal pythons don’t fit through tiny holes. In a worse case, someones baby snake might (maybe like op’s) not have escaped and possibly disappeared/died.
Holy shit. I had a small exo terra for my 4 hissing cockroaches and had that little hole (for a wire?) open. Guess what happened once I had more than 4... I was finding baby roaches in my room for months. Now they're in a ten gallon with a screen lid.
I got my Cresty 6 years ago from PetSmart when my wife worked there. Then we just got a Leachianus from a casual breeder in my area and a friend in my neighborhood breeds ball pythons so we got one of those too. So I think we're good for a bit lol. But I just learned the clay pottery for dishes 2 weeks ago when I went to the garden store to set up my Leachys enclosure. 1.50 each! Great video!
If your good with building stuff or have a friend who’s good at carpentry,make your own melamine enclosure :) hardware stores have everything you need for building enclosures including ceramic fittings for heat bulbs. Get into a herpetological society, find good exotic vets. I’m a vet nurse and I’d still go to a exotic specialist as we may only see a reptile once every 2 weeks 🤷🏼♀️ If you think your reptile is unwell,don’t dr google or ask Facebook pages !
Yeah, I definitely fell for that #1. I got my first snake (a hognose) in August. Then less than two weeks later, I bought a Brooks Kingsnake because I fell in love with it when I went in to get food for my hognose. Now I want more hognoses. BUT I know that the way my reptile building is set up at the moment, I don't have space for more reptiles. I need to figure out some sort of shelving or stackable enclosures for when these guys become adults, and then I can get another baby or two and they can use my baby enclosures from these two. So... I have to wait at least a year before I get another reptile. I still want a bearded dragon, but I'm not sure I have the time to properly care for a beardie.
😂 this is such a true video. I’m the reptile person. I was literally given two reptiles this year. Which is awesome they are amazing but also ooops I didn’t plan on having this many. And I think I’ve hit the place where I’m comfortable with.
I know what you mean i live in Nebraska middle of nowhere and everyone thinks I'm weird but I always have people asking if they can come see them especially the durmeril boa she has changed alot of peoples minds about snake shes so nice
I understand all about wanting to get more animals, and if they are offered to you, they can be hard to resist. It's always interesting to learn first hand why each one is different from species to species, or even what makes one of the same species different from another.
you are so right on your number one, i am new to the reptile world i have always been an animal lover, i have dogs, cats,fish, bearded dragon, crested gecko, and a pink toe tarantula. if i had all the money in the world i would have a pet rescue
"you become the rescue" So true. I only have 3 reptiles and all three are from people who needed to rehome them. All people I know personally too. Also, the other day out of the blue someone offered me a budgie out of the blue yesterday.
One question, or maybe a topic for a video. How do we affect nocturnal reptiles (ball pythons in my case) when we handle them during the day? I know most people say, handle them in the evening or night, but realistically, we'll handle them during the day. Especially if you use them for educational purposes.
I have a plan already- getting a leopard gecko to get experience and see if I am good enough to raise reptiles other than red eared sliders (those things are METAL). After that, if I do take good care of my gecko, I am getting a snake.
One of my beardie's favorite hide is a cardboard photo box that I cut a hole in and lined with soft fabric. Also look for local enclosure builders. I was able to buy a custom build enclosure from a local guy for not much more than a mass produced one.
I got my first reptile (as an adult) 2 weeks ago, went to NARBC over the weekend and brought home a new one... BUT I literally have done research on all the reptiles I want (so far) for the last 3 months straight, so luckily I was prepared. Taking a small step back though until I get them used to being here and eating and all that.
Your code for cages isn’t taking us to their website. Just letting you know. Loved today’s video! I just got back into reptiles, so I’m close to falling down all those wells! Lol 😝
Really awesome video!! Especially liked the topic: You're gonna become the reptile guy. Most my family and friends that know that I really love reptiles know that they can come to me with questions about them. One time my Uncle called me and was asking me what to do with a young boa or python that had evidently gotten loose from its owner. It was also injured pretty badly by his description, which was all I had to go on because he didn't show me a pic of it. I just suggested that he take it to a vet who is familiar with snakes and ofcourse he asks me if I would like to have it and do that. I was just honest with him that I don't really have any experience in caring for boas or pythons and I don't have room for it. I don't know what really happened to the snake, he just told me that he found someone to take care of it. Those were some really good topics to go over 🙂. Y'all take care and will see ya in the next video 🙂.
The last like three hit hard bc people always ask me questions and if I’ll take their animals that have problems and of course I will but I always make sure to research before taking them in but I’m definitely the reptile guy in my family, work place, and just everywhere and I love it tbh wouldn’t trade it for there world i love all my animals and plan on starting my own pet store type of business in the future. I have debated about actually starting a RUclips channel about everything but am just very awkward around the camera.
LOVE your videos! I live in Canada so your prices are very similar so I don’t have to look up the actual price :) Your vidéos really help me as a beginner reptile owner thank you!
So, I'm currently on my second reptile (a currently 8 month old beardie) and I used to have a leo but he passed away sadly. I love the video but I have to say, I kept staring at your beardie cuz he looked so comfy on your shoulder. So, now I'm gonna subscribe mainly for the beardie.
Here’s a video suggestion: X things every reptile keeper needs to check/do before taking a weekend vacation. Love your stuff man it just came to me. Not even planning a trip.
I spent 30USD on a reptile white basking lamp from another country because online people were calling me an abuser for not using those (the only heat lamps sold in pet stores here are red), and I could have bought an halogen one some blocks away...
I became the rescue reptile girl, before having my first reptile. I really wanted a Cornsnake as my first reptile, but would have to wait till i can move into my own place. I still went on a few expos, just to talk to different breeders and get more info on, what would they do/wish they'd done differently with their first corny and so on. (all additional to my main research) So i took my sis and her boyfriend with me once for fun and look at that, he got himself 5 Leopardgeckos just 2 weeks later. It took not even half a year till i had to talk my parents into letting me build a terrarium for 3 of them (my sisters work friend took the other 2 in) I told her boyfriend so many times that he should do more research and start small, but no. Now they were "too much work and boring". Thank god i was kind of prepared for this situation and read a few books and watched a bunch of different careguides beforehand. No i have 3 girls and i love them to bits.
Another thing is you can always make stuff! I copied this super cute four poster bed I saw on Etsy and it looks so cool in my beardie’s tank and she actually lays in it
I have always loved reptiles but never thought I'd want more than 1. I have a little musk turtle and he is so cool that recently, and especially since watching videos like yours and Clint's Reptiles, I have this itch to get another type of reptile. Specifically a leopard gecko or a crested gecko (and of course my brain says one day I can have both!). And then come the twitches for ball pythons and bearded dragons and B&W tegus when I'm more experienced 😅 it's definitely addictive, you're right about that! I'm trying so hard just to stick with Mr. T. He's all I need! And yet... 🤣
as far as enclosures, the pvc ones are rather expensive i would love 1 and unlike the vision cages that are 1 solid cast cage , the kagez ones seem to be well in parts so easy to bring into the house or go up staur, i would love to get like a 6x6x2 ffor my tiger ratsnake female or similar size cage.
Yes... you very quickly learn a snake is not just a snake. Every one has their neat quirks. And you need them. Because they are beautiful and charming.
I've a 20 gallon ZooMed starter kit for my corn snake at the moment, more so I didn't have to remove anything from the 120 gallon enclosure he'll be going into once he's shed a few more times though. Was mainly because a local chain pet store near me happened to incorrectly price it though, so was as close to shoplifting as you can get without breaking the law, that I bought it and a 10 gallon leopard gecko setup kit. Agree with you on the addiction though, I've only got the single corn snake at present (plus loads of tarantulas, but that's a different topic completely), but do have a wish list containing a few I'd like to get, along with a couple I must own! (leopard gecko & hognose being those couple!)
I just set up my baby tegu, using a livestock water tank for an enclosure and livestock feed bowls for water and one flipped over for a hide. Yard pavers stacked securely to give a basking spot.
I live in California, and it's not any cheaper lol and a really good substitute for a hide, I take flowerpots, dremmel out a hole that looks like a crack, then paint it however I want. Really cheap way to have tons of hides
My partner and I have five snakes. We have only planned on and bought two of them. The other three are rescues. Your right once your the reptile person everyone comes to you with their reptile that their having an issue with. Don't get me wrong I adore all of our snakes but it does make it harder to get the reptiles that are on my dream list.
Number one so much yes. I just wanted to fulfill my 20 years old dream of owning a snake. Four years later I have 10 reptiles(newest arrived last weekend), breeding three kind of bugs and am preparing for the first ball python breeding. Nobody warned me about of any possible addictions. :'D
OMG yes... I bought my foster girl a snake... because she wanted one. Now my kid wants one too. He's getting it for Christmas (don't tell!) And I have had my eye on a particular breed for awhile, now building it's enclosure. How am I ever going to stop?
I got my first snake in 2020, a pastel bamboo ball python, and just a month ago i got a Dumerils boa. And my close friend has two male ball pythons I'm going to breed my big girl to hers later this year after i make an incubator... Which i totally dont have everything already in my amazon cart ready to ship..
The new(ISH) reptile shop near where i live sells reptile kits. I just got a 3 by 2 by 2 foot vivarium kit set for my new female fat tailed gecko for £300, it includes natural substrate, hides, plants ect which is an amazing deal. I'm going to be getting one for my male as soon as he puts weight back on. With kits I think it depends on where you buy them from on if they're good or not, though this shop is also big on naturalistic and advancing husbandry standards, amazing people.
I'm also set on breeding my own insect feeders. Right now I have locust (that won't breed due to the UK climate so I'm going to swap to brown crickets), wax worms which I have about ten pupa and morio worms. Im hoping to get a Dubai colleny going later this week if the local shop CA get them in.
I absolutely want more. I’ve been wanting more for years! But I’m trying to wait until I fall for one species for at least a year. We just don’t have the space for a huge collection.
haha, number 4: most of the stuff in my enclosures aren't 'for reptiles'. my hammocks are seagrass doormats, the water bowls are dog bowls I got on sale, hides are upside-down terracotta pots that I put a hole in (and I love because they can help with humidity).
@@waverindarkness3385 soak it over night, then lightly and gently use an awl or a big nail + mallet to lightly tap indents about 1cm apart making the shape of the hole. Then fill in outline with light indents and keep going until you can punch the hole out. OR use a Dremel after soaking the pot over night to cut out the hole, bird I've found this takes longer
I definitely want more reptiles, but I'm still living at home. Maybe like, further in the future I'll have a reptile room I'm thinking. It's nice to have a future goal.
I’m building a vivarium for a green iguana. He’s about a year old and I want to give him a nice big space for him to climb. It’s going to be bio active with some tropical plants and other things. I was wondering if you thought it would be okay to put some smaller reptiles in with him, such as small geckos or frogs or something small to make it more interesting and jungle like
I'm pretty new to reptiles. I recently (3 months ago) got a ball python as it makes great beginner snake (named Lucy), and my husband loves her so much he already decided that we are gonna get hognose snake next year. So we are in the middle of hardcore research right now :D There is one thing I'm sure about - I don't want a giant snake, even though they are cool ass hell, but I'm intimidated by them and I worry I wont be able to handle them without being super nervous.
Absolutely man i have a couple snakes and a skink recently, just obsessed now youre right about that too! But totally, im the "reptile guy" now to everyone 😂
Got my first reptile ( bearded dragon) 2 weeks ago. I plan on just having 3. My 2nd will be a ball python next week. Haven’t decided on my 3rd but I want something docile and playful/active Ps - I don’t like geckos because they’re too easy and I want a challenge but I don’t have room for something crazy either
Bro I feel the reptile person one, I don’t have abt reptiles yet, but I do have lots of invertebrates. People always see me as the person to identify inverts, and ask me lots of questions about them. I do get some comments about how it’s stupid to keep inverts bc they can’t understand or bond with you, and stuff like that, but I’m not complaining or anything, I just understand your point.
I got one leopard gecko when I was 10 and in just under 4 years I have 2 leopard geckos, 2 cresties, a cuban knight anole, bahaman anole, green tree frog,stinkpot musk turtle, and 2 sliders. I also have 2 sliders, 2 painted turtles, and a musk turtle that I’m selling. Also 2 frogs and a skink I’m selling. I also have skink eggs and turtle eggs
The reptile addiction is real. I used to think Leos were kinda overrated and were near the bottom of my potential-pets list. Now I have a young Mourning Gecko colony and I really, really want to have Leos. Still a definitive no more reptiles and it’ll continue to be a no for the next couple years at least, but my goodness, the temptation is strong. Geckos are incredible.
I love how you mentioned that in US it's cheaper than in Canada. I'm in Mexico and everything here is expensive when it is an American product. I wanted a banana ball python that I saw selling at a vet's and it was $7,000 for it. I love reptiles but that is too much.
The last one . You'll always want more. I retired last year. and finally took up this hobby of reptiles. My first were Leopard geckos, too easy. then I got a Bearded Dragon, and a friend gave me another. then I saw an Iguana that had been at the pet store for too long. So I got Her too. Then 2 Crested geckos rescued. My Dragon Breeder/pet shop offered a 3 leg'd runt, red bearded Dragon, pet only. So I have a family of reptiles in less than a year. Tell, you What? I'm Really happy with them all. I grow my own veggies and have a colony of dubia roaches.
I own my home so I can build a room for them. All is well.
That’s amazing bro your living the dream
That is going to be one of the first things I do when I can get my own house. I started with a toad in elementary school that was hit by a lawn mower, they died 3 years later, I got an unexpected baby turtle for my birthday the next year, and had been also trying to get a bearded dragon at that time, which I got a few months later. Almost a year later I rescued another injured toad, who was missing a foot (probably from the lawnmower again). Now I have my eyes on a leopard gecko, and have a list of other pets I want to get in the future. All of this is happening while I try to figure out how I am going to stuff a 120 gallon beardie terrarium, 50 gallon leo terrarium, 55 gallon turtle aquarium, and 20 gallon toad aquarium in a collage dorm.
Been dying to get another iguana. Had one as a kid and they're my all time favorite lizards regardless of what most people say about them. They can make wonderful pets when you actually take care of them and socialize them. Most people just brought them home and neglected them causing everybody to have some sort of negative interaction and keep spreading nonsense about the whole species
“I got a guy... who delivers to my house”
*winks*
@@WickensWickedReptiles LOL
Lol!
“Who’s your worm guy?”
Spoiled. I have to go to the pet store every other week
Got an idea for a Halloween video. Top 5 Mythological Reptiles!!!
great idea
must include Nessie
Another great idea for the realists among us "scariest real life reptiles" lmao. Sometimes the most unknown little alien reptiles are scarier than anything mythological 😋 .... but not always lmao
@@WickensWickedReptiles and real-life reptiles that are pretty similar like(basilisk and legless lizard)
I enjoy the rambling lol... the key is your rambling is entertaining and informative 👍👍
Awesome, thank you!
I spent a lot of money on beautiful water bowls.
My ball pythons hate them, they prefer drinking from porcelain bowls.
Now I have nothing to eat cereals out of.🥺
What do you mean?
..
You have beautiful water bowls to eat cereals out of ;)
Mtijger 😂
@@Mtijger 😂
Mtijger I’m dead!!! 😂😂😂
Same with my snake. I bought amazing brand hides... and she only sleeps in upside down Tupperware container.
I always scoffed at reptile addiction. I thought I’d be fine with my ball python. But now I’m obsessively looking at hognoses even though I don’t have room for another tank unless it sits in the middle of my floor 😅
right!?
Better than a coffee table….
This might be specific to the country (Germany) but I noticed that decorative items and caves for aquariums are a lot cheaper than those with the "reptile" stickers. The caves aren't relevant for grown snakes but I found many cheap options that still look decorative that were perfect for my baby corn snakes. Playgrounds for hamsters make great climbing fixtures for agile snakes, look fun, and offer nice textures (just make sure no nails stick out, that they used 100% resin-free wood for them, and that your scaley idiot roommate can't get stuck anywhere). And those things are cheap. As for decorative flowers, plants, leaves - dollar items are great but you can also get some really pretty pieces from more expensive stores if you pay attention to the seasonal changes in their shops. Prices can drop from ten or more Euro to just 1-3,- when they need to get rid of their summer collection at the begin of fall, for example.
It's always better two know 2-3 food sources before you need them. I thought I was good with the one the breeder of snake #1 recommended. They are good but often don't have the sizes I need and once they had it per se, they were out of stock. Consider overnight shipping and dry ice in your calculations. The feeding costs for one snake are still a lot lower per month than those for a cat or dog but express shipping + ice easily triple the price per meal (that's okay, just mentioning it for people who operate on a tighter budget).
Starterkits are meh. I considered getting the ones for corn snakes but they were too big for what snake #1's breeder recommended for babies and too small for a grown one. DIY is an option for crafty people who love a project, or who have good, reliable friends who love a crafty project. Tanks here are ridiculously expensive. I got one that's just 90x45x45cm on a bargain for my growth-stunted corn that will probably never even reach 80cm so that's fine for him. The 2nd adult tank is 1mx1mx60cm, mostly DIY (an "Ikea"-esque set if you will), and with lamps and the necessities to sculpture the back wall, the total is around 250,- Euro. A glass or plastic tank in that size would be around 500,- Euro without shipping and without lamps.
I like being the snake woman. I'm not ashamed to say that I fully take advantage of the sob-story of my first snake - he escaped when just a few months old, in winter, was found over a month later and was in a very poor condition, recovered beautifully but is stunted in his growth. It's a great icebreaker and gets the interest and empathy of people who love animals in general but are wary of snakes. But letting people watch your snake doing its snake things (or showing pictures/videos) and then casually mention "Did you know that snakes have two dicks?" is also always a great icebreaker. What I want to say it, if you like being that snake person and want to make use of it by educating people a little in a fun way, the way to go are empathy-inducing stories if you have experienced one, dicks, or aggravating poop stories.
The addiction - I think it's important to take a moment or ten and think hard what you want out of that hobby. Collection, breeding, learning, taking care of them, rescuing/fostering neglected animals, interacting... I focus a lot in interaction and observing my snakes' behaviour, partly to see how far their intelligence and learning ability can go (mixed and amusing results so far). This takes up at least two hours, usually longer, each day they are not out of commission and in the mood for interacting. And that's just two snakes. As much as I'd love to adopt a third one, it'd be difficult to make "snake interactor and belly scratcher" a full-time job. Someone who plans to breed sets different priorities. It's a good idea to think about what you really want to get out of the hobby before you have ten reptiles and realize you were much happier with half as many or when it was just you and your first reptile buddy.
good point!
Man, do you breed your own insects? If you do so, could you make a video showing your breeding systems
Man this stuff is so true. Around me, expos are the cheapest place to get frozen feeders and all the serious keepers get there early for that reason. At this point it's once in a blue moon that I buy something for my reptiles at an actual pet store: usually its walmart or lowes. I cringe when I look at some of the marketed "starter kits". I've been the "critter guy" since i was in kindergarten. I've put the breaks on adding to my collection, but I've got 6 acres and I'd love to turn it into my own Kamp Kenan....I never stop wanting more
I used to be afraid of reptiles. We adopt 3 boys that wanted them. Talked me into them. Fell in love. We now have 50 species of reptiles, tortoises, turtles and so on.
When I worked at a pet store my most despised started kit is for aquatic turtles, because I fear 90% of ppl won't upgrade when they need to. I would basically refuse to sell RES if they were going to buy it.
good on you!
Growing my own meal worms has saved me so much money with even just my 2 leopard geckos :)
Yes, yes, yes, yes, and GOSH YES. I am now making sure that everyone I know who is planning on getting a reptile watches this. And yes, addiction is real. Luckily (or unluckily) I have only so much space, so I really CAN'T get another reptile (she says, glancing at the new 4x2x2 hab for the bearded dragon, and wondering if she can just stick a leopard gecko tank on top of it...)
nice!
lol
I have only ONE corn snake, and for some reason my entire extended family knows me as "the snake kid".... and it's only one snake. Craziness lol.
Here's another similar video topic idea:
Top 5 go-to sources for "doing your research"
I have loved reptiles my whole life...however as a grandma I just got to the point of being able to get them. I have become so addicted...I started with a ball python, than after about 20 I have now 2 boas, oh and now I want a pair of dumerils, and I just traded a couple baby corns for a jungle carpet. Now I want more of those as well.
Nothing wrong with keeping plenty of them as long as you don't get to a point where you're sacrificing their quality of life for quantity. It's also nice to have a good nest egg left over for emergencies and vet care. :)
Keisha, I am also a grandma and I got my first ball python in January. I love her so much. I finally just said I am doing this. This is for me and no one else, sorry if it upsets anyone.
@@janicemorelock5791 yes, I get that..I was told no way too much in the past. Now,,,the only thing that will stop me is finances
@@janicemorelock5791 You sound like a kind soul Janice. Good luck to you and your ball python. I'm sure she's in good hands. ♡
I am the cool grandma that has lots of reptiles to play with.
I miss expos too. My roommate, husband, and I were so excited about an expo near us in Pennsylvania 11/28, then realized we all work that day.
Lol that last one is so true, I came up on nearly all of my reptiles because I was the "reptile" kid. It was great in some ways because I basically never paid a big retail price for any of those animals (probably why I'm so stingey about animal costs), but the dark side of the coin was getting really sick animals that I was not qualified to rehabilitate, and basically just watching them check out and burying them for their original owners.
Your videos are great. Your channel is the first channel I have become obsessed with in a long time! It is awesome! Thank you.
Wow, thank you!
I got my first reptiles today! Did my research for a couple of months. Happy and proud owner of a premium red bearded dragon, halmahera blue tongue skink, and a Dumeril's Boa. I'm so friggin stoked! So much anxiety unboxing these beauties. 😁
WAIT I did not know I can buy a regular bulb for the heat... You have given me so much information!
The “reptile guy” thing expands beyond that. I got a kitten in middle school. She’s always been a family pet. I never owned a cat outside my one family cat that I haven’t lived with since high school. Still get messages anytime a friend needs help rehoming kittens/cats 🙄
On the reptile/tattoo analogy...
You'll never have only one. Once you've got one you'll get between 1 and 200 more.
Finally someone who mentions the heat bulbs. Pet store heat bulbs are a rip off. I stopped after all the ones I got barely lasted a week. Iv'e since bought my bulbs from the hardware store in bulk for way less. I'm surprised other pet youtubers fall for this trap as well.
Doing good man! Up for 3 minutes and already soo many likes 😂
thanks :)
As a Petco employee, the Petco I work at cares more about animals than the money. Can't say anything about the business overall, but mine is pretty solid. We know what to and what not to recommend, and we take good care of all of the animals in our care. We'll even take rehomed animals in. We do sell some lower quality stuff, but we will NEVER recommend it!
This list made me really thankful for the fact that I have an actual reptile shop in my town. Getting reptiles is very addicting. I planned on having 2 reptiles, a crested gecko and a leo or a bearded dragon. Got a leo. Now I have two crested geckos, two leos, two pacman frogs and a chinese cave gecko. On feeders in a month a probably spend $20. I bought months of crested gecko food before I got them. I am getting a fire skink today because they are something I wanted but thought I wouldn't see, that happened with my cave gecko. I do plan on, over the next few years, getting one of all the New Caledonian geckos. No more after this fire skink even though they have 4 lizards I would love to own.
Great video for new and seasoned keepers alike. I can relate to number 2 for sure. My local pet shop had my phone number on file and would call me for advice to give to new pet owners because they knew i kept different species and my info was correct and up to date. No lie
Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you for sharing. Love your videos and information you share. Can't wait for more content
You are so welcome! thank you!!!!!
I got a starter kit for my bearded dragon she grew out of it in less then 3 months she’s not has a 150 gallon and I have a Leo in her old tank
Mark where did you find such a big tank?
I can never find any that big even on second hand websites
Sofiaguzycovers Ik a good website
Spencer Rasmussen can you give me the website
Sofiaguzycovers it’s more of a play thing type of thing
Can relate to the reptile guy cause I work on a duck farm people always have questions and from that day on I’m the duck guy 😂😂
As I'm getting a gargoyle gecko in a few weeks, this will be helpful!
Edit: Well, my five years of research sadly taught me all of this...
I wish I knew that the little tiny holes in some enclosures are big enough for baby snakes to slither out of...
Thats a great tip, most people don't realize that.
I freaked out about that before I got to see and hold my baby snake, he wasn’t in the slightest interested nor would have ever fit through it. But it is a thing that more people should talk about. In my case I would have known it wasn’t necessary to worry about it if someone had told me baby royal pythons don’t fit through tiny holes. In a worse case, someones baby snake might (maybe like op’s) not have escaped and possibly disappeared/died.
Holy shit. I had a small exo terra for my 4 hissing cockroaches and had that little hole (for a wire?) open. Guess what happened once I had more than 4...
I was finding baby roaches in my room for months. Now they're in a ten gallon with a screen lid.
I got my Cresty 6 years ago from PetSmart when my wife worked there. Then we just got a Leachianus from a casual breeder in my area and a friend in my neighborhood breeds ball pythons so we got one of those too. So I think we're good for a bit lol. But I just learned the clay pottery for dishes 2 weeks ago when I went to the garden store to set up my Leachys enclosure. 1.50 each! Great video!
If your good with building stuff or have a friend who’s good at carpentry,make your own melamine enclosure :) hardware stores have everything you need for building enclosures including ceramic fittings for heat bulbs.
Get into a herpetological society,
find good exotic vets. I’m a vet nurse and I’d still go to a exotic specialist as we may only see a reptile once every 2 weeks 🤷🏼♀️
If you think your reptile is unwell,don’t dr google or ask Facebook pages !
Adam: "Reptiles are addictive. You're going to want more."
Me: >___________> ________>
Yes....
ohhhh yes!
Yeah, I definitely fell for that #1. I got my first snake (a hognose) in August. Then less than two weeks later, I bought a Brooks Kingsnake because I fell in love with it when I went in to get food for my hognose. Now I want more hognoses. BUT I know that the way my reptile building is set up at the moment, I don't have space for more reptiles. I need to figure out some sort of shelving or stackable enclosures for when these guys become adults, and then I can get another baby or two and they can use my baby enclosures from these two. So... I have to wait at least a year before I get another reptile. I still want a bearded dragon, but I'm not sure I have the time to properly care for a beardie.
😂 this is such a true video. I’m the reptile person. I was literally given two reptiles this year. Which is awesome they are amazing but also ooops I didn’t plan on having this many. And I think I’ve hit the place where I’m comfortable with.
That is awesome!
Finally got here first! keep up the great content man
thanks for watching so early :)
I had somebody tell me to make sure i don't put my snake next to me...i couldn't stop laughing lol
I know what you mean i live in Nebraska middle of nowhere and everyone thinks I'm weird but I always have people asking if they can come see them especially the durmeril boa she has changed alot of peoples minds about snake shes so nice
I understand all about wanting to get more animals, and if they are offered to you, they can be hard to resist. It's always interesting to learn first hand why each one is different from species to species, or even what makes one of the same species different from another.
All of these are absolutely true. I applaud your honesty.
thank you :)
Yes. Always want more reptiles... And tattoos.
same
you are so right on your number one, i am new to the reptile world i have always been an animal lover, i have dogs, cats,fish, bearded dragon, crested gecko, and a pink toe tarantula. if i had all the money in the world i would have a pet rescue
i’d really appreciate a video on special care you take for your amphibians versus your reptiles
I could do that
"you become the rescue"
So true. I only have 3 reptiles and all three are from people who needed to rehome them. All people I know personally too. Also, the other day out of the blue someone offered me a budgie out of the blue yesterday.
so true right
One question, or maybe a topic for a video. How do we affect nocturnal reptiles (ball pythons in my case) when we handle them during the day? I know most people say, handle them in the evening or night, but realistically, we'll handle them during the day. Especially if you use them for educational purposes.
I have a plan already- getting a leopard gecko to get experience and see if I am good enough to raise reptiles other than red eared sliders (those things are METAL). After that, if I do take good care of my gecko, I am getting a snake.
nice!
One of my beardie's favorite hide is a cardboard photo box that I cut a hole in and lined with soft fabric. Also look for local enclosure builders. I was able to buy a custom build enclosure from a local guy for not much more than a mass produced one.
cool!!
Well done brother dead on good job the best video by far keep up the good work and glad we are on. The same team keep it up brother
thanks man
Oh cool! I love these kinds of videos. Dbcb exotics did the same video a few days ago :)
I got my first reptile (as an adult) 2 weeks ago, went to NARBC over the weekend and brought home a new one... BUT I literally have done research on all the reptiles I want (so far) for the last 3 months straight, so luckily I was prepared. Taking a small step back though until I get them used to being here and eating and all that.
Your code for cages isn’t taking us to their website. Just letting you know. Loved today’s video! I just got back into reptiles, so I’m close to falling down all those wells! Lol 😝
fixed :)
Yes, to number two! You tell ppl 'i got three snakes' everyone goes: ewwwwww! 🙄
Really awesome video!! Especially liked the topic: You're gonna become the reptile guy. Most my family and friends that know that I really love reptiles know that they can come to me with questions about them. One time my Uncle called me and was asking me what to do with a young boa or python that had evidently gotten loose from its owner. It was also injured pretty badly by his description, which was all I had to go on because he didn't show me a pic of it. I just suggested that he take it to a vet who is familiar with snakes and ofcourse he asks me if I would like to have it and do that. I was just honest with him that I don't really have any experience in caring for boas or pythons and I don't have room for it. I don't know what really happened to the snake, he just told me that he found someone to take care of it. Those were some really good topics to go over 🙂. Y'all take care and will see ya in the next video 🙂.
The last like three hit hard bc people always ask me questions and if I’ll take their animals that have problems and of course I will but I always make sure to research before taking them in but I’m definitely the reptile guy in my family, work place, and just everywhere and I love it tbh wouldn’t trade it for there world i love all my animals and plan on starting my own pet store type of business in the future. I have debated about actually starting a RUclips channel about everything but am just very awkward around the camera.
LOVE your videos! I live in Canada so your prices are very similar so I don’t have to look up the actual price :) Your vidéos really help me as a beginner reptile owner thank you!
Awesome! Thank you!
Fake aquarium plants are sometimes also cheaper. I also have a pet store that make sells things near me which is amazing!
So, I'm currently on my second reptile (a currently 8 month old beardie) and I used to have a leo but he passed away sadly. I love the video but I have to say, I kept staring at your beardie cuz he looked so comfy on your shoulder. So, now I'm gonna subscribe mainly for the beardie.
Here’s a video suggestion: X things every reptile keeper needs to check/do before taking a weekend vacation. Love your stuff man it just came to me. Not even planning a trip.
Thanks for the idea!
I spent 30USD on a reptile white basking lamp from another country because online people were calling me an abuser for not using those (the only heat lamps sold in pet stores here are red), and I could have bought an halogen one some blocks away...
I became the rescue reptile girl, before having my first reptile.
I really wanted a Cornsnake as my first reptile, but would have to wait till i can move into my own place.
I still went on a few expos, just to talk to different breeders and get more info on, what would they do/wish they'd done differently with their first corny and so on. (all additional to my main research)
So i took my sis and her boyfriend with me once for fun and look at that, he got himself 5 Leopardgeckos just 2 weeks later.
It took not even half a year till i had to talk my parents into letting me build a terrarium for 3 of them (my sisters work friend took the other 2 in)
I told her boyfriend so many times that he should do more research and start small, but no.
Now they were "too much work and boring".
Thank god i was kind of prepared for this situation and read a few books and watched a bunch of different careguides beforehand.
No i have 3 girls and i love them to bits.
Another thing is you can always make stuff! I copied this super cute four poster bed I saw on Etsy and it looks so cool in my beardie’s tank and she actually lays in it
very cool
I have always loved reptiles but never thought I'd want more than 1. I have a little musk turtle and he is so cool that recently, and especially since watching videos like yours and Clint's Reptiles, I have this itch to get another type of reptile. Specifically a leopard gecko or a crested gecko (and of course my brain says one day I can have both!). And then come the twitches for ball pythons and bearded dragons and B&W tegus when I'm more experienced 😅 it's definitely addictive, you're right about that! I'm trying so hard just to stick with Mr. T. He's all I need! And yet... 🤣
as far as enclosures, the pvc ones are rather expensive i would love 1 and unlike the vision cages that are 1 solid cast cage , the kagez ones seem to be well in parts so easy to bring into the house or go up staur, i would love to get like a 6x6x2 ffor my tiger ratsnake female or similar size cage.
yes the Kages ones are by far the easiest and best
Yes... you very quickly learn a snake is not just a snake. Every one has their neat quirks. And you need them. Because they are beautiful and charming.
I've a 20 gallon ZooMed starter kit for my corn snake at the moment, more so I didn't have to remove anything from the 120 gallon enclosure he'll be going into once he's shed a few more times though. Was mainly because a local chain pet store near me happened to incorrectly price it though, so was as close to shoplifting as you can get without breaking the law, that I bought it and a 10 gallon leopard gecko setup kit.
Agree with you on the addiction though, I've only got the single corn snake at present (plus loads of tarantulas, but that's a different topic completely), but do have a wish list containing a few I'd like to get, along with a couple I must own! (leopard gecko & hognose being those couple!)
is that an umbrella tree behind you? looks absolutely magnificent
sure is
Love your channel and I’m obsessed with your content!
Thank you so much!! I really appreciate it
Wickens Wicked Reptiles of course! Cant wait to see what other content you come up with in the future!
I just set up my baby tegu, using a livestock water tank for an enclosure and livestock feed bowls for water and one flipped over for a hide. Yard pavers stacked securely to give a basking spot.
Tegu probably loves it too
@@WickensWickedReptiles yep, shes just a baby but is digging and splashing happily, the bowl gives her a nice dark place to hide
I live in California, and it's not any cheaper lol and a really good substitute for a hide, I take flowerpots, dremmel out a hole that looks like a crack, then paint it however I want. Really cheap way to have tons of hides
My partner and I have five snakes. We have only planned on and bought two of them. The other three are rescues. Your right once your the reptile person everyone comes to you with their reptile that their having an issue with. Don't get me wrong I adore all of our snakes but it does make it harder to get the reptiles that are on my dream list.
exactly
Love the tips!
Glad you like them!
Number one so much yes. I just wanted to fulfill my 20 years old dream of owning a snake. Four years later I have 10 reptiles(newest arrived last weekend), breeding three kind of bugs and am preparing for the first ball python breeding. Nobody warned me about of any possible addictions. :'D
That is awesome!
Number 1 is so true 😂 but honestly research is so important
I use a paint roller handle for my snake hook. Works perfectly and is very strong
works great!
OMG yes... I bought my foster girl a snake... because she wanted one. Now my kid wants one too. He's getting it for Christmas (don't tell!) And I have had my eye on a particular breed for awhile, now building it's enclosure. How am I ever going to stop?
I got my first snake in 2020, a pastel bamboo ball python, and just a month ago i got a Dumerils boa. And my close friend has two male ball pythons I'm going to breed my big girl to hers later this year after i make an incubator... Which i totally dont have everything already in my amazon cart ready to ship..
The new(ISH) reptile shop near where i live sells reptile kits. I just got a 3 by 2 by 2 foot vivarium kit set for my new female fat tailed gecko for £300, it includes natural substrate, hides, plants ect which is an amazing deal.
I'm going to be getting one for my male as soon as he puts weight back on.
With kits I think it depends on where you buy them from on if they're good or not, though this shop is also big on naturalistic and advancing husbandry standards, amazing people.
I'm also set on breeding my own insect feeders.
Right now I have locust (that won't breed due to the UK climate so I'm going to swap to brown crickets), wax worms which I have about ten pupa and morio worms. Im hoping to get a Dubai colleny going later this week if the local shop CA get them in.
you can get good uvb in a plant light, cheaper by a bit then the reptile branded
I absolutely want more. I’ve been wanting more for years! But I’m trying to wait until I fall for one species for at least a year. We just don’t have the space for a huge collection.
Adam, I’ve always wanted to ask you what you do for a living? Do you breed full-time, or do you have another occupation, as well?
haha, number 4: most of the stuff in my enclosures aren't 'for reptiles'. my hammocks are seagrass doormats, the water bowls are dog bowls I got on sale, hides are upside-down terracotta pots that I put a hole in (and I love because they can help with humidity).
How did you put a hole in it?
@@waverindarkness3385 soak it over night, then lightly and gently use an awl or a big nail + mallet to lightly tap indents about 1cm apart making the shape of the hole. Then fill in outline with light indents and keep going until you can punch the hole out. OR use a Dremel after soaking the pot over night to cut out the hole, bird I've found this takes longer
@@waverindarkness3385 I'm thinking of making a video showing how to do it
They are soooo addictive!!! But I love it.
I totally agree!
I definitely want more reptiles, but I'm still living at home. Maybe like, further in the future I'll have a reptile room I'm thinking. It's nice to have a future goal.
I’m building a vivarium for a green iguana. He’s about a year old and I want to give him a nice big space for him to climb. It’s going to be bio active with some tropical plants and other things. I was wondering if you thought it would be okay to put some smaller reptiles in with him, such as small geckos or frogs or something small to make it more interesting and jungle like
I'm pretty new to reptiles. I recently (3 months ago) got a ball python as it makes great beginner snake (named Lucy), and my husband loves her so much he already decided that we are gonna get hognose snake next year. So we are in the middle of hardcore research right now :D There is one thing I'm sure about - I don't want a giant snake, even though they are cool ass hell, but I'm intimidated by them and I worry I wont be able to handle them without being super nervous.
Absolutely man i have a couple snakes and a skink recently, just obsessed now youre right about that too! But totally, im the "reptile guy" now to everyone 😂
see what I mean! haha
The whole, "you will be the reptile guy or the reptile girl" is so true lol. Im "snake mother" in my work group chat 🤣
Got my first reptile ( bearded dragon) 2 weeks ago. I plan on just having 3. My 2nd will be a ball python next week. Haven’t decided on my 3rd but I want something docile and playful/active
Ps - I don’t like geckos because they’re too easy and I want a challenge but I don’t have room for something crazy either
Bro I feel the reptile person one, I don’t have abt reptiles yet, but I do have lots of invertebrates. People always see me as the person to identify inverts, and ask me lots of questions about them. I do get some comments about how it’s stupid to keep inverts bc they can’t understand or bond with you, and stuff like that, but I’m not complaining or anything, I just understand your point.
for sure!
I got one leopard gecko when I was 10 and in just under 4 years I have 2 leopard geckos, 2 cresties, a cuban knight anole, bahaman anole, green tree frog,stinkpot musk turtle, and 2 sliders. I also have 2 sliders, 2 painted turtles, and a musk turtle that I’m selling. Also 2 frogs and a skink I’m selling. I also have skink eggs and turtle eggs
The reptile addiction is real. I used to think Leos were kinda overrated and were near the bottom of my potential-pets list. Now I have a young Mourning Gecko colony and I really, really want to have Leos. Still a definitive no more reptiles and it’ll continue to be a no for the next couple years at least, but my goodness, the temptation is strong. Geckos are incredible.
Small paint roller is sturdy and works great for a snake hook. $7.
agreed
Brilliant video as normal
thank you so much
Love this content
thank you!!!
What I wish before I got my lizard......... how sassy they get! Lol 😂
thank you man i just found a good breeder on morph market and i am gonna get my ball python soon im so happy
I love how you mentioned that in US it's cheaper than in Canada. I'm in Mexico and everything here is expensive when it is an American product.
I wanted a banana ball python that I saw selling at a vet's and it was $7,000 for it. I love reptiles but that is too much.
holy cow!