tell me If I'm right

[Them and Us]

i went to petco today for a thermometer i know i know dont go to petco but i needed a cheap, it'll do for now , thermometer. so i perused through the reptile section. well a woman and her two children were looking for a lizard that stays small and is easy to care for.so the lady first recommends a green iguana. If I'm not mistaken can't theyr each in excess of 5 feet in length. She also sid or a chameleon. I am no expert but i was under he impression that a veiled chameleon is rather difficult to care for. o you must be quite meticulous anyway. that is my understanding. tell me If I'm wrong. i know nothing really of lizards. yet. I'm slowly moving towars the decision to purchase a lizard or two. whats a good starter. I hear Crested are good to begin with. but I am not sure. thanks all.

[Jacenta]

:eek: Wow, that lady at petco really doesn't know what she's talking about. I know nothing about chameleons but I know they're not the BEST starter lizard for a couple of small children. And yes, iguanas do grow to excess of 5 feet, even 6 or 7 I've heard. I just feel bad for the poor lizard they decide to buy, because it'll probably be something that they were completely misled about and it may end up being given up because of their wronged information, especially when it outgrows the children! That's a "pet" peeve I have... people shouldn't work at a pet store unless they REALLY know what they're talking about. pfft.

As for what kind of gecko is great for a starter... I'm glad you mentioned crested geckos :) I have four myself... just recently obtained in the last month or so. They're super easy to take care of, at least I find, and if you get CB, then they're usually pretty easy to handle too. Good option!

[HeatherRose]

If I had listened to the crazy lady at the petstore I'd have one fried gecko on my hands.....:mad:

I agree with the fabulous Jacenta! Cresties are the best :D They're great starters, even for a total blonde like me :P...They eat babyfood too, which is a bonus. Good luck :)

Heather :D

[Them and Us]

cool thanks . Cresteds i guess it shall be,after i research a bit. i did not chime in at petco about the lizards as I'm not knowledgeable. not enough. i didn't think so anyway. i did comment on the terrible condition of the two BCI's there. both were extremely underweight and dehydrated. how hard would it be to stick a margarine bowl with water in it in the enclosure? not hard at all. pisses me off.

[HeatherRose]

Great! have fun and send us pictures when you when you get them! or else...*shakes fist* lol j/k, only if you decide on them anyway.....I love mine!

Yah sometimes things suck. I try to speak up If I think I'm in the right. :D

Heather

[Katatonic]

*shudders*
Yes... "Petco" sounds like a reputable place to gather information and counsel on herps. Green iguana's are not an easy to care for, or a small species in any respect. A veiled chameleon... Next thing you know, the mother will be instructed that they do well in an arid set up with plenty of darkness and rocky outcroppings. Neither species are "good" beginner animals... Both take plenty of attention to detail and dedication in general. *shakes head*. No, no, no. But hey, the green iguana and veiled chameleon where probably the only thing left out there on the floor to sell... Gotta get that comission to surpass lousy minimum wage!! I certainly hope for the best in regards to whatever that mother winds up taking home.
On the topic of your beginner lizard, I would recommend investigating other species of lizard as well, don't limit yourself to the crested gecko *And I know all the cresty enthusiasts are cursing me right now*. There are numerous, numerous great acquisitions out there. Perhaps you would want to look into, one of the conventional, but ever so diverse selection of, leopard gecko. There's always the cute, placid, voraciously feeding CB African Fat-tail gecko. You can't forget the oh so inquisitive and lively Bearded Dragon, or why not try... Ahh crap, I'm out of ideas. Sure, Cresteds are fantastic for a number of reasons, but that's not the only simple to care for species out there. Look around. Please ask yourself "What do I want to take away from this experience??" Bonne chance.
LATER.

[katev17]

Yea the woman at Petsmart over here told me that I shouldn't get a chameleon "because they're dumb" and I should get a bearded dragon, like hers, cuz she has one that is over 5 feet............... UMMMm... riiight.... Not only is that a lie, it's also not a very good selling tactic... I wasn't even going to buy anything there, I was just looking at the fluo lights! The chams there are housed in 10 gallon long aquariums, with rocky structures and a water bowl in which a tube is coming out of to keep the water airated... like the chameleon would drink from that anyway... The poor chams are always hanging on to the tubes because it's the only thing to climb in their cage. Argh!

:medopen: So annoying.

& one mistake made by people when considering an "easy to care for" species is you have to take into consideration who's going to be taking care of it. If you're dedicated and serious about the animals you're keeping, then you don't necesarily have to find the easiest animal to care for... Find one that appeals to you and ask questions.. but by ALL means, if the crested gecko does appeal to you then go ahead! You don't have to look for another species just because it's a regularly easy to care for gecko.

Let us know your choice and everyone'll be able to answer your questions!

Kate:D

[Rebecca]

Do they have petco's in Canada?? I was thinking that if they did I'll try to get a job there to better the conditions those herps live in, and to also so at least one petco would have a knowable person working there.

[HeatherRose]

On the topic of your beginner lizard, I would recommend investigating other species of lizard as well, don't limit yourself to the crested gecko *And I know all the cresty enthusiasts are cursing me right now*.

*curse, curse*

LOL j/k....yep, bearded dragons are great, I want one someday!

I don't *believe*they have petcos....but I could be mistaken....:P

Heather

[Jacenta]

Oh I completely agree about the other lizard species and that there's other great kinds of them. I just can't comment on the other kinds because I am very unknowledged about them, so I don't want to be like petstore salespeople (majority of them) and tell you a bunch of bull****. I'll leave the professional advice to the professionals to give.;)

[snakemann87]

dang, thats why i dont go and support them. both of what you said is true about the two lizards. A good starter is a bearded dragon, leopard gecko, crested gecko, and the mali uromastyx are all great first choices:)

[Jazzey]

I want a CRESTIE!!!!!!!
I found some breeders here on the island but it's hard to find one that's reputable (being I don't know them from a hole in the gorund). One day though I hope by spring I will have at least four little guys of my own:D
So I put this question out 2 all of you crested lovers ... do you know any breeders that are not asking for an arm or 2 for them?
hmmm...maybe I should have started another thred? Sorry.
Oh, Beth...do you ship 2 Victoria and what's your price list...
o.k that's it.
Kyle...do you know if your friend has any babies yet?
I guess this is what happens when you are hit over the head with the Crested bug...lol. :p
Thanks all,
Jazzey

[HeatherRose]

Jazzey, go to crestedgecko.com....I did this when I was looking for mine...While THEIR shipping is an arm AND two legs (it's from the US) they gave me a list of some BC breeders....I got mine at Tarzet though, but they'd be shipping from Ontario...The prices are relatively the same (I find, anyway) it's the shipping that will get you.

Heather

[katev17]

On the contrary to what some people think, I do t hink that we have PetCo's in Canada... I'm pretty sure I've seen one. Well maybe I'm dumb, but oh well. At least I'm happy

Kate

[lynsey_togofire]

now hey yall...don't go dissing "Petsmart"....i happen to work there as the reptile specialist...so...some of us DO know what we are talking about! LOL! in fact i am one of 3 specialists in my department...who not only knows about reptiles/amphibians but also raises them! i am not a biased person by far....but i do have to say that i've heard some horror stories about "Petco" but that one surpasses any i've heard so far! :( first, i had a green iguana and i have to say, even for a specialist like myself, those are some hard reptiles to own. mine, Chico, was a free roaming, potty trained, good little girl!:D but her calcium levels were constantly having to be watched because they are NOT the hardiest of lizards! and yes! they can excess 5 ft! she would have been at LEAST 6 ft...by the time she was full grown. and chameleons for a starter! HAHA! that woman is gonna rue the day she gets one of those for her kids! they are wonderful little lizards, don't get me wrong, but OMG they require more then iguanas do! where was this Petco again? i would like to call and complain! you seriously should consider calling in the authorities...i would...they should NOT be dealing animals like that without proper knowledge...poor babies! i hope that lady seriously rethinks getting her two kids a lizard!

[HeatherRose]

lol you're probably the ONLY one at *that place* that knows what they're doing.....and you're not at the one I go to, so *pooF* you don't count.....LOL j/k....

Heathe

[Youkai]

You might want to try blue tounged skinks. Awsome critters...