Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My husband really loves reptiles, I don't. He talked me into getting several lizards. At first he took very good care of them. In the past couple months he has stopped caring for them. They often go dys w/out food. They often don't get the soakings they need. I don't know what to do. I did suggest selling them, but he got angry. I hate to see them being neglected. Any suggests about how to talk to him? I don't want to be a nag, but I also don't want to watch them die.

By you not stepping in and taking care of them and making sure they get food you are as guilty as he is. Maybe you should take on the care of the animals if not call the local humane society and turn them over.
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Heather, Vern, Andy, Router, April And OODLES of fish

I don't feel that I should have to take care of his pets. I didn't want them I told him before he got them I won't take care of them. I'm afraid of reptiles. Some people are afraid of small spaces, I'm afriad of them, my chest gets tight, my heart pounds I get dizzy, etc.

tell him they have to be taken care of every day or they have to go. call the spca or the nearest reptile rescue and have them come and take them when he's not home if you have to.
about being afriad of them. how close can you get? at the very least you could drop in a plate of food for them so they wont die.

I agree Uro. Even if it is closing your eyes and breathing and just dropping the food. If you cant get over your fear then they will starve to death. Can you handle knowing that you could have helpied them by conquoring your fear or giving them to someone but didnt and they starved to death a long painful death?
Where are you located? Maybe we can find someone that can care for them or for someone to come rescue them out of a situation that doesnt look good for them.
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Heather, Vern, Andy, Router, April And OODLES of fish

Just use some plastic gloves or welders gloves, I can gaurentee that you can feed them without getting bitten.

If they require crickets, take a tube from a roll of paper towels or toilet paper (the inside cardboard) and put it in the crickets cage. Withing 10 minutes there will be quite a few crickets in the tube, so just pick it up and shake a few out into the cage.

Eventually you will have to talk to him though.
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Currently have:
0.1 Antherystic Elaphe guttata - Corn Snake
1.0 Elaphe vulpina gloydi - Eastern Fox Snake
1.1 Morelia Spilota Cheyni - Jungle Carpet Python
0.1 Leucistic Elaphe obsoleta linheimeri - Texas Ratsnake

Saving for:
Agkistrodon Contortix mokasen - Northern Copperhead
Large Lizard (undecided)

Some need more care then others. Adult leos dont need to be fed on a daily basis so Im sure there are others that dont as well.If they are Bearded dragons then they need daily attention.Maybe you should ask him if he would rather have a cool snake instead of the lizards. Snakes can get by on feeding once a week and cleaning about the same as long as they have clean water. Anyway just a suggestion that might help him not to get so angry about getting rid of the lizards.
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.........
2.0 Ball Pythons
1.0 Western Hognose
0.1 Cornsnake
0.2 Bearded dragons
1.1 leos
2.0 dogs
1.0 cat
0.1 ferret
1.3.? rats

They are breaded dragons. It was one of the few things he could talk me into. I can't be around snakes, my heart starts pounding, & I get dizzy, I'm terrified of them. It's not quite so bad with the lizards I can look at them but the thought of touching them freaks me out.

Hun dont touch them. Beardies eat crickets I believe? Can you not take a net of crickets and drop them into the cages and change the waterbowls when they arent in that area of the cage?
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Heather, Vern, Andy, Router, April And OODLES of fish

they need greens everyday..This is so sad I am not sure what you can do.They have a beardie board here as well.I would let him know about this really cool site that has info on bearded dragons and maybe it will rekindle his enthusiasum and he will start caring for them again.If they are not fed right they will get very sick. If anything maybe you could find someone on the board that would take them. Otherwise you could at least buy some dragon pellets which can substitute for crickets and of course greens and dump those in..just make sure to soak the pellets if the breadies are young..Hope this helps
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.........
2.0 Ball Pythons
1.0 Western Hognose
0.1 Cornsnake
0.2 Bearded dragons
1.1 leos
2.0 dogs
1.0 cat
0.1 ferret
1.3.? rats

With beardies... if you can just crack the lid and toss a handful of fresh greens in there, that will go a long way. Most packaged 'spring mix' lettuce mixes are very good. This time of year you can also buy mealworms in bait stores and toss them in. You also can mist them with water without opening the cage. Being fed every few days won't kill an adult beardie, but it will wear them down in the long run and affect their quality of life. Besides, it might be a trend from a few days to once a week to never.
I think you really could learn to pet them, beardies are a trip to feel. The spines aren't sharp at all, it's almost like rubber. And they really won't bite you.
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Eryx - All the fun of a boa in a convenient pocket size!