Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Not that I currently own any collareds, but out of curiosity I picked up one of PetSmart's brochures. They specify a basking spot of "10-120 deg F" which is obviously a typo since they also give 43-49 C in parentheses. But that's not what I'm questioning.

Here are the two things which caught my interest:

1. Bedding: Line the terrarium floor with 2-3" of calcium sand. Clean out waste weekly and change bedding at least once a month. Is calcium sand still in vogue, other than at places that sell it?

2. Nutrition: Fruits and vegetables. Kale, collard and mustard greens, zucchini and shredded carrots should be 25% of a juvenile's diet; 50% for adults. Add a small amounts of fruits like berries, banana or melon. I haven't kept a collared in probably 20 years, and I never even TRIED feeding mine these things, let alone as half their diet. Is this the consensus these days?
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

Most breeders and anyone who has been involved with reptiles for any period of time will tell you to THROW AWAY calci sand, that's where it belongs in the trash can. it has been known to cause impaction. They tell you they can eat it, that is is safe. Throw it away, then it will be safe.

Bugs and even small lizards are the MAIN diet of collareds in nature. No where does it tell you that fruits or vegtables/ greens make up any part of their diet. I do however offer greens such as collards and kale and dandelines/ shredded carrot especially, / shredded sweet potato, to my youngsters and they continue to eat them as adults. But they eat a small amount as a treat, and some collareds will not touch them at all.

So they are wayyyyyyyyyyy off base and totally wrong with their information on diet. Sounds like they are feeding a bearded dragon.
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PHEve / Eve

Rofl, well they push the CalciSand because they sell it there and yes their general lizard knowledge is P-poor.

Example, a couple purchased a baby bearded dragon and the cart full of crapola the lizard "expert" was getting them was astounding. I quietly took them aside as he was running around and told them what was needed for a baby bearded, what to use and what not to use.

Petsmart as a whole really doesn't have a clue as to what they sell or their needs.

y'all couldn't be more accurate........hell, those kids at petsmart or petco don't have a clue what a collared or any other lizard is much less how to take care of them. the only thing they know is what a bearded dragon looks like and what a gecko looks like. then, if it's a gecko it better be a tokay or a leopard. honestly, i have found a few vets who claim to be a herp vet but THEY don't know what a collared lizard is. they have to ask.
i take my info from reads, from this forum and outstanding individuals like will, eve, boost, mike f., etc.........
most of these so-called experts are so anal about everything and i take their info with a grain of salt.
funny you mentioned that petsmart flier.......i laughed also.
greens???????? hell my clan of collareds won't even eat wax and meal worms much less veges...........
enjoyed the gentleman's comments......good point.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I said earlier their care sheet is quite poor, but I do offer all my youngsters greens/ shredded carrots and such and they love them through their adult years as well. But these are a treat twice a week.
Their main diet are insects, if they were in the wild they would also get small lizards..... but not in my house, lol

Heres some youngsters enjoying some salad

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PHEve / Eve

Lol, but Eve you are the Lizard Whisperer, you could get your boys n girls to eat caviar if you so chose to, hehe.

I put some greens into the cages and they look at me, well it isn't moving and we don't sense a heartbeat so we aren't touching it and there's nothing you can do about. Ooh a stray cricket get over in my tummy, yummmmers.

That's how my crew deal with greens, hehe.

Boost

i have found a few vets who claim to be a herp vet but THEY don't know what a collared lizard is. they have to ask.

We all know that in general pet-store "herp specialists" couldn't be more inaccurately labeled, but the flier is from their corporate offices and is "vet approved." That's what's scary about it.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

Pretty bad to say the least. That care sheet should be tossed in the TRASH IMMEDIATELY.....

Maybe to keep peace and most importantly help people to care for collareds properly we should make one up complied form all of us... and copies, and offer them to the stores to hand out with each collared lizard purchase.
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PHEve / Eve

That was compiled from, not complied form DUH !
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PHEve / Eve

I remember reading this and was thinking how the hell they could print that? PATHETIC. I think we should all complain or something. They are putting out false information that could harm the animal, there must be some legal basis for them having to redo this.

The reality is that our collared friends need informed exposure other than a 5 minute bit piece on Jeff Corwin's show. The information provided by Petco is completely wrong and even AnimalPlanet.com has wrong information on it. I have yet to see a "Collared Lizard of the World" book out, we need that type of exposure to get more responsible information out to the general public.

thread on to a mutual acquaintance of ours who is a supplier to PetSmart. He spoke directly to their new reptile vet about it, and the upshot is that the next press run of care sheets will be corrected! So it pays to complain!
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Brad Chambers

The Avalanche has already started-it is too late for the pebbles to vote....

That is great! I will be looking out for this.