November 15-16, 2008
Saturday: 10:00AM - 5:00PM
Sunday: 11:00AM - 4:00PM
Adults: $15.00
Children Under 13: $8.00
Under 5: Free!

Tickets are valid for both days.
NARBC Admission Coupon ($1 Discount) can be found here

This show is a must go for anyone within a few hour range. It features a large variety of breeders, from snakes, lizards, frogs, turtles, and all sorts of reptiles. There is a large selection, so you will likely find what you are looking for (unless of course you are looking for some ultra rare item, or a Komodo Dragon).

I attended this show in 2007 and was very impressed. Overall it’s an excellent show, put together very well. There are many seminars to go to during the event, none of which I personally attended, but from what I heard they were excellent.

Please let us know if you will be attending! We hope to see you there. You can spot us in our black or white t-shirts from “The Reptile File”:

If you see us, don’t hesistate to come say hi!

If you’d like to purchase your own “The Reptile File” T-shirt, please visit our store!

Are you wondering why these bulbs are bad? They have been known to produce a high output of UVB, causing what is known as photo-kerato-conjunctivitis. This is a serious matter, and one should not take it lightly.

How do you know your reptile has this? Well there are many symptoms, such as lethargy, unwilling to open eyes, no longer basking, swollen eyelids, and even more. If you are using one of these bulbs, stop now, and switch over to a standard florescent tube light, using one approriate for your animal.

What if I can’t get another light fixture? If you have 20-30 minutes of free time each day, take your reptile outside in the sun to bask. I generally use large plastic containers, and will sit my exotics outside with me. I stay with them the entire time, as other animals may eat them. I do not use any lids while doing this, and I monitor the temperatures inside their box as to prevent it from getting too hot. Make sure to offer a hide in the box as well, as to let the reptile escape from the sun if they’d like.

Please visit this link for more information:

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/phototherapyphosphor.htm

What to watch for:

• Twisted legs, sometimes broken bones
• Misshaped, arched spine
• Jaw softening, often swelling. This is referred to as “rubber jaw”
• Turtle’s will often have a softer shell
• Tremors or seizures
• Anorexia
• Lethargy
• Weakness, sometimes paralysis
• Rubbery Limbs
• Weight loss

How can you prevent MBD?

• Balance diet in calcium/phorsphorus
• Dust food with calcium supplements daily
• Offer Calcium with D3 at least twice a week
• Proper heat and lighting
• Provide UVB/UVA for those reptiles that are diurnal

Options for treatment?

The best option for treatment is going to the vet.  The vet will perform a physical exam, and if needed an ultrasound, or blood work. If MBD is determined, they will usually issue medications, one of which will be liquid calcium. Make sure to follow all directions given by the vet, as giving too much or too little can cause more harm.

Things you can do at home to help treatment

• Cage rest
• Separate from other geckos, make sure the cage is not too large
• Remove all surfaces for climbing
• Rarely handle the gecko, except for treatment
• Warm water soaks can often help if a limb has become broken during the process
• Follow all directions given by the vet

Hopefully your animal can bypass MBD if it has been diagnosed. If you have never had  problems with  MBD, make sure to follow the preventions in order to never have to deal with it. It is a nasty problem and should never be taken lightly.

This post has been made in honor of Awesome, a female leopard gecko who is currently suffering from MBD due to egg laying. Thankfully she was diagnosed early enough to be placed on medication and is in hopes for a full recovery.

There are a lot of bad breeders out there. What each person sees as a bad breeder is different, but in this case we will use ones that mistreat animals, sell cheap iguanas, and lie about their sales. I’ve seen and dealt with these dealers, and they give off a bad vibe. Iguanas grow extremely large, and a lot of people have no idea about this. That cute baby iguana that was purchased for $10 later becomes a 5 foot monster that no one knows what to do with. Breeders that sell these animals without prior warning are horrible. An iguana should have a higher price tag to ward off people who just want a cheap pet.

What do you look for in a good breeder? I recommend not only looking for reasonable prices, but healthy livestock and breeders who are willing to share their information.  When asking about an animal don’t be afraid to ask about the parents of the reptile, if it is WC (Wild Caught), CBB (Captive Bred and Born), CBR (Captive Born and Raised), Farmed/Ranched, or even LTC (Long term captive). A lot of breeders will not tell you about this, but instead will try to talk their way around it. You can ask about the lizard, the generations behind it that are CBB, and even the setup for the animals when not on a breeders table. Never be afraid to ask questions or demand answers. If a breeder won’t answer, they might not be worthy to deal with.

If you are looking to purchase a reptile from a breeder online then use forums to search for information and reviews. A lot of forums have review sections, which people will often post their experience in. Never purchase from someone on a forum without finding history on them. If there is none, then question why. There are a lot of good and bad breeders on forums, so finding information, even from other forums, should be done. There are some people who are banned from one forum for selling reasons that are selling on another. Don’t hesitate to ask a Mod/Admin if they were banned for something related to selling, and if so if they could explain to you what happened.  A lot of Mod’s/Admin’s won’t mind telling you about a problem seller as they prefer no one else has to deal with them either

There are several options for controllers, here are a few that we will speak about:
1. Herpstat
2. Helix
3. Rheostat
4. Ranco

Herpstat is manufactured by Spyder Robotics (http://spyderrobotics.com/). They offer 4 different products, Herpstat, Herpstat ND, Herpstat II, and Herpstat PRO. The common, and cheapest model, the original Herpstat, allows users to use a box with a small digital display to regulate the temperature. The ND model gives the option of Night Drop (temperature drop in the evening between x and x time). Herpstat II gives the option to have two outputs, while the Herpstat Pro has 4. Herpstats (original and HD) have a small extension cord with 3 plugs so you can plug in multiple devices to be controlled (usually heat tape).

Helix is manufactured by Helix Control Systems (http://helixcontrols.com/). They offer one model, the DBS-1000, which can be purchased with grounded power cord or without. The other selection for the model is if you want one with temperature control 40-100F, or 65-110F. The units all have 3 plug cords, so multiple devices can also be placed in.

Rheostats are manufactured by Zoo Med (http://www.zoomed.com). They have 3 different models, ReptiTemp 500R Therm/Rem Sensor UL List, ReptiTemp Deluxe 500, ReptiTemp Rheostat. The ReptiTemp 500R allows the user to control multiple devices from 70-110F, and gives a Night Drop feature as well. ReptiTemp Deluxe allows 2 devices to be plugged in (up to 500W), controlled with a slide bar from low to high. The ReptiTemp Rheostat also allows 2 devices (up to 150W), using a knob that turns from low to high. The problem with all three of these devices is that they are on/off thermostats.

Ranco controllers are also on/off thermostats. They are generally purchased without wiring, so that is a downside to people who are not tool savvy. A few companies sell the units wired, but they are a lot pricer. Personally I do not recommend using Ranco, so I’m not going to go into details on them. You might as well just buy a Herpstat for the money you will spend buying a wired Ranco.

Herpstat and Helix are both proportional thermostats, which means they adjust the power given to the unit, while Rheostats and the Ranco just turn the thermostat on and off. The on/off method does not always allow the unit to heat up enough. This is okay with incubators, but a pain when dealing with heat tape and heat mats.

Reptile shows are held all over the place, ranging from once a month to once a year. There are larger shows, such as the NARBC, and small local ones. There are a lot of ways to find reptile shows, such as searching on google using a city near by and the words ‘reptile show’. Kingsnake also offers a way to see reptiles shows, but I never figured out how, as the website is ridiculous and annoying. I’ve found this website and use it to find local reptile shows.

At a reptile show you have to be careful with the breeders. You should look all over the show before deciding on what to get. Once you find an animal you like, question the breeder, and look at their other stock. I often avoid a breeder that sells Wild Caught (WC), as I prefer Captive Bred/Born (CBB) species. This means avoiding a lot of breeders that sell small Iguana’s off to people. You will notice these breeders, and they often push sales more, and are generally the ones with lower prices. This is where parents go to buy their children’s reptiles. Stay away from them. There are a few in specific I’m not found of, but I will not name them here.

Generally you can question about what the animal is being fed, how it is being housed, and anything about temperature. You can ask all sorts of questions, and breeders will often explain to you the best care. It is best to look up this information before going to the show though, that way you know if they are giving you the correct advice. Don’t just go and buy because you like something, you may have no idea how to care for the animal. If you are really interested and have to have the reptile, find someone selling books and see if you can pick up a book on the reptile, this way you can look at it and compare it to what the breeder is telling you.

If you are going to go to a reptile show, make sure you bring cash. A lot of breeders don’t take credit cards, so you must have cash, or you can usually use the ATM provided at the show (which has a fee). Depending on what you plan to buy, you can bring $100 up to $500, and even more sometimes. Those with expensive reptiles often have credit card machines, as does Max Pet, who is one of the vendors at almost all shows I’ve been to. You also will want a cooler if you are planning on buying frozen rodents. I always bring more money than I need, and often bring a cooler and a few hand warmers in case I pick up a reptile and need to make a stop on the way home. This will keep the animal warm. This is also great for feeders such as superworms, that way they don’t freeze if it is cold out.

If you are looking for a captive bred Tokay Gecko, Cliff is a great person to buy from. I was impressed with his helpfulness during the entire process of looking for a Tokay. I personally have been searching for some time to find a Captive Bred (CBB) juvenile Tokay, under 6 months.

I contacted Cliff at the very end of December, asking if he had any juvenile CBB Tokays for sale. He responded, stating he had some juveniles, plus a few hatchlings. Over the next month we exchanged emails with updates on the hatchlings, some pictures, and general information. Over the month I decided to purchase 2 Tokay’s, one for another person, to save on shipping. He was able to get me both hatchlings, which was great.

I received noticed they could be shipped, and asked to have them shipped on Jan. 22nd, because someone would be home Wednesday to get them from the mail. This worked out great, the Tokay’s came around 12:00PM the next day in a nice box, with insulation and warmers inside. Both Tokay’s were in great condition, and adorable.

If you are looking for a great breeder, Cliff@Flock Reptiles is the way to go. I’m extremely impressed and happy with my purchase. If I ever have the need for another Tokay in the future I will be going back to Cliff. Shipping prices were also reasonable, only $25 to ship.

Thanks to Cliff I am finally able to own a CBB Tokay, and raise it myself.

Sunshine Mealworms is a company based out of Oregon. They offer mealworms, giant mealworms, superworms, crickets and waxworms. They have great prices on some items, but you have to email them for a quote on shipping. Shipping prices vary, but usually aren’t too expensive.

Ghann’s Crickets offers great prices, but shipping can be pricey. They are located in Georgia, so if you are in AL, GA, NC, SC, or TN, you can usually use ground shipping. In the summer time, VA is also considered. This is a great option for those that live in these states. The prices are usually pretty decent. During the summer time they offer “Crickets-In-A-Can”, which is 100 crickets that is delivered via USPS. This is a nice option for those with only a few reptiles and do not want to order 500-1000 crickets.

Worm Man’s Worm Farm is another east coast seller, in New Jersey. The prices seem a little steep, but they do include shipping. Personally, the prices would turn me away. I’d rather see a lower price first, then add shipping. Some of the prices are okay though, including mealworms.

reptilefood.com offers pretty decent shipping prices, plus great product prices. There sizing seems to be different from other sellers. Their 1/4″ cricket is equivalent to 1/8″ crickets are other places. Maybe it just depends on the order, I’m not sure.

How to:
Gutloading is simple and easy to do.

First you must create the housing environment for the feeders. This can be a rubbermaid container, 10 gallon aquarium, or other type of container/housing.

Second, a lid must be present. For rubbermaid containers, holes should be drilled into the top, or the top center can be cut away and replaced with screening. An aquarium should have a screen lid, which fits snuggly.

Third you want a base substance for the feeders (Worms in particular). This can be Oats, Bran, and other things. I use a mixture of oats and wheat bran with my feeders. I give them about 1-2″ of area to dig into.

Forth is a type of vegetable, multiple kinds if possible. You will want potatoes, carrots, kale, collard greens, basically anything listed in the iguana salad menu. This needs to be taken out after 24 hours to prevent any spoiling.

Finally you can add your feeders.

Always keep some sort of vegetable within the enclosure, whether it is a piece of potato, a carrot, or something else. This will allow the feeders to get water.