Taking Your Reptile Outdoors

alessia55 · 03-26-12, 09:28 AM

Now that the weather is getting warmer, many of us like to take our reptiles outside for a bit, get some nice photos, and enjoy the warmth.

Out of curiosity...

Duration: How long do you spend outside with your reptile? Is it just 5mins? Enough to get a good photo? 15mins to crawl around? 30mins?

Quantity: Do you take one reptile out at a time? Do you sometimes take out more than one at a time? Is there a maximum to how many you take?

Species: Do you take just one type of reptile out at a time? Would you take two difference species? Would you take a terrestrial and an arboreal out at the same time?

Surface: Do you always look for grass? wooden planks? trees? anything in particular?

Precautions: Do you check your reptile for mites and/or ticks when you go back inside? Do you have a routine of some sort? What precautions do you take?

With the warmer weather, I thought it would be good discussion to talking about this. Who knows, maybe it'll get a Sticky for future reference!

Will0W783 · 03-26-12, 09:37 AM

I only bring one snake out at a time...it's imperative to be able to give a snake outside your undivided attention, so only one!
I will usually spend about 20-30 minutes at a time outside, but have had Trogdor out for an hour one particularly nice day.
I only take out the larger snakes in my collection, that I know are relaxed and not prone to trying to bolt away. Small snakes are, IMO, too easy to lose track of.
I usually go for grass. I'm reluctant to take arboreals outside, as they could shimmy up a branch and out of reach.
Finally, upon bringing them back inside, I give the snake a nice soak in lukewarm water- this will remove any ticks and mites. I generally don't worry too much about snake mites. We dont' have any wild snake colonies in my neighborhood (I've searched for them) so there shouldnt' be any snake mites. Snake mites will only be where snakes are.

Bradyloach · 03-26-12, 09:40 AM

I just bring my bearded dragon outside on me for like15 mins to get some more UVB. She loves it

Lankyrob · 03-26-12, 10:18 AM

One at a time most definitely, we dont put ours down, just go outside for some good lighting for pictures. Our garden is not conducive to having snakes down on the floor (as well as not being able to bend to pick them up again in a hurry

)

alessia55 · 03-26-12, 10:25 AM

I'll answer my own questions

I take mine out one at a time, usually for about 15-20mins. If it's warm enough this weekend, I'm thinking my boyfriend will be with me and I'll take both Kaybe & Pika out at the same time to get some photos of them together. One day last summer it was particularly warm out, so I took Kaybe out for a longer time in a shaded area while I read. Usually I take them out just long enough for a few good photos, let them crawl around, and soak up the sun. I look for a nice grassy area, or a picnic table of some sort. Coming back inside, I check them over thoroughly for any mites, ticks, dirt, whatever, and give them a warm soak if necessary.

BarelyBreathing · 03-26-12, 12:06 PM

It depends on the animal. I will only hold one reptile at a time outside, but that doesn't mean my hubby doesn't have one, too, or my son.

-Depends on the animal. My tegus, skink, and some monitors love to spend hours outside. If it's warm enough, I'll let them. Usually I only take snakes outside for pictures, although we do some events outside that requires them to be out for longer. I always have a tub set up for them if the weather gets uncomfortable (but don't take them out if I know it's going to be too warm or too cool).

-Again, one per person at a time.

-My skink likes grass, my monitors like dirt, and my tegus don't care.

-I always check them over for any ticks, mites, nicks, bumps, etc when I bring them in.

CDN_Blood · 03-26-12, 01:48 PM

Duration: Species dependant. Some like to bask in the sun, some don't. I just feel it-out with each individual. My oldest Blood loves to soak-up the rays, but my female Diamond Jungle Jag hates being outside, just to show one from each end of the scale.

Quantity: Only ever 1 at a time. More than 1 at a time can be a good way to make the evening news if a body is prone to distraction by shiny bobbles, leaves rustling in the wind, hot air balloons, etc.

Species: I only have boids, so that answers that. If I had any colubrids, I doubt I'd let them crawl on their own - they'd have to stay on me.

Surface: I tend to start them on something they can crawl onto, such as a patio chair, deck railing or picnic table. From there if they want to hit the lawn or go for a romp in the garden they're free to do so under very close supervision.

Precautions: I usually have them crawl through some damp paper towel as they go back in their tubs so that I can see any little hitch-hikers they may have picked-up, as well as clean any dirt that might irritate their skin.

exwizard · 03-26-12, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alessia55

Now that the weather is getting warmer, many of us like to take our reptiles outside for a bit, get some nice photos, and enjoy the warmth.

Out of curiosity...

Duration: How long do you spend outside with your reptile? Is it just 5mins? Enough to get a good photo? 15mins to crawl around? 30mins?

Usually long enough to take a few pics

Quantity: Do you take one reptile out at a time? Do you sometimes take out more than one at a time? Is there a maximum to how many you take?

ONLY one at a time

Species: Do you take just one type of reptile out at a time? Would you take two difference species? Would you take a terrestrial and an arboreal out at the same time?

Any of the 5 species of snakes I have

Surface: Do you always look for grass? wooden planks? trees? anything in particular?

Anything that looks like a good background for a pic

Precautions: Do you check your reptile for mites and/or ticks when you go back inside? Do you have a routine of some sort? What precautions do you take?

We never have pest problems like that here but I do look them over if I place them down somewhere

With the warmer weather, I thought it would be good discussion to talking about this. Who knows, maybe it'll get a Sticky for future reference!

With the warmer weather coming, there will be plenty of photo ops in the near future plus I get to take some of these snakes to a local farm and feed supply store and show them off.

Skumbo · 03-26-12, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will0W783

I will usually spend about 20-30 minutes at a time outside, but have had Trogdor out for an hour one particularly nice day.

Well they do need ample time to spend burninating the countryside.

Squirtle · 03-26-12, 02:40 PM

Good thread, I'm planning on taking my Burmese Python outside to the park over the summer, might take my retic out also if he gets bigger than 4 feet.

marvelfreak · 03-26-12, 02:43 PM

Duration: Any where between 5 to 25 minutes. My Bloods and Yellow Anaconda for never more than 10 minutes. As they get stressed easier. My Carpets would stay out all day if i let them.

Quantity: One at a time. If i do take more than one out i have one person for each snake. I have taking my Borneo, Bredli, and Diamond x Jungle all at once for a photo shoot together.

Species : I take all of my snakes outside.

Surface: Grass, trampoline, Chase's swing set,a old bird house and branches. I have a couple of dead branches set up against my fence right in front of my hedges. I will let them climb on the branches and the hedges give the perfected back drop.

Precautions: I mist each of my snakes down really good then take paper towels and dry them off. Then a really close inspection to be safe.