Mouth & Shell Rot

Mouth rot can occur in all kinds of reptiles, snakes, turtles, tortoises, lizards, and geckos.

Shell rot only happens in turtles and tortoises for obvious reasons. (Can you imagine a snake with a shell?)

Both can be painful, in extreme cases they can cause death. Deep rot can easily become dirty and infected. Rot also weakens the immune system making them more susceptible to disease. Even mild rot can cause severe pain, to the point they won't eat, drink, or really move. I've witnessed this with my own turtle.

2 1/2 years ago I took my turtle to the vet because she had some mild mouth rot. They gave her a shot underneath her arm and I bought some medicine for $16 and I still have some left. Her mouth rot came from always being wet (when she eats her food goes everywhere except inside her mouth and she also spends 95% of her time in her water, even in winter.) when I notice her mouth getting a little dry I put medicine on it. I also recently bought VitaShell for turtles or what I call turtle moisturizer. It's made to help dry skin and shell. Every month or so I put it on her shell to help prevent dry rot and I've even used it on her mouth rot, it only cost $5.99 and works extremely well.

Stress and vitamin C deficiency are 2 other common causes of mouth and shell rot. Signs of mouth rot in snakes and lizards include swelling of the mouth. In extreme cases gums will bleed and they can no longer close their mouths. Signs of mouth rot in turtles include a dry, cracked beak "Loss of appetite, Reddened oral tissues, Thick pus and/or dead tissue within the mouth
Drainage from the mouth and nose.

If left untreated, infection can spread from the mouth into the rest of the digestive tract or into the lungs, causing pneumonia."

"If your Turtle's shell is showing signs pitting, soft spots, fluid under the shell plates, discharge or foul smell, or shell plates falling off and exposing tissue, you've got rot" turtles shed their scutes (plates on the back) and only a few at a time. A flaky shell is not the same as shell rot. If a scute comes off and exposes tissue, that's when you have a serious problem.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/turtshellrot.htm
http://www.petmd.com/reptile/conditions/mouth/c_rp_infectious_stomatitis#.UN1JlXy9KK0




This mouth rot is more on the severe side.

Average Guinea Pig Cost

You will need around four feet of space for one guinea pig and about 2 feet for each guinea pig after that. Cages with a second level are great because it provides extra room. Cages can cost anywhere between $45 and a couple hundred dollars. Some people use rabbit hutches which can cost a bit more and others make their own cages. There are plenty of guides to make your own online but they are not recommend if you have cats or dogs.

Other items you NEED:
Hiding house $5 - $15
Toys, chewblocks $1-$10
Hay ball $10 - $15
Bedding
Hay
Food
Fresh fruits and veggies

And of course, the guinea pig!
There are short hair, long hair, and show guinea pigs.
Abyssinian - medium hair, sticks up in points
Coronet - long hair
Teddy - short curls
Peruvian - Extremely long hair
American - short hair
Texel - long curly hair
Silkie - long hair
White Crested - short hair
Skinny pig - Bald, no hair

Guinea pigs like the American, you will find in any pet store and can cost $10-$35
Rare and show guinea pigs like the Peruvian can cost $60+

I personally spent $80 for everything.


Peruvian and Skinny Pigs

Wheels and Balls are Deadly to Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs have a different anatomy then other rodents. Their legs are shorter and their back is longer. Their bodies are not built to curve like that of a mouse or hamster. Wheels and balls can cause all kinds of injuries. They can break their backs, become paralyzed, hurt their back, legs, and even their neck. Wheels and balls are UNSAFE.

Guinea pigs are also diurnal (out during the day) unlike other rodents. They get their exercise from running around their cage (which they do quite a lot). They also should be out at least 2 hours each day but, we all know that's not always possible.

Chinchilla Treats

Chinchillas can become fat or obese very easily. Don't give them more than one small treat per day, make sure they have access to a wheel and come out of their cage for exercise often. Food, hay, and clean water needs to be available at all times. There are many treats you can buy at pet stores and there are many you might already have in your home.

One of my chilla's FAVORITE treats is shredded wheat cereal (Not frosted). raisins, small pieces of carrot, dried fruit (especially pineapple and papaya) are all great treats. I also bought dandelion drops and yogurt covered hay from Petsmart. Yogurt covered blueberries are rare for him but he does love them. A lot of vegetables are good for chinchillas, especially greens.

(I do have a lot of treats for Otto but he doesn't get them all the time, I just have a good variety for him.)

Chinchillas are very smart and do learn where their treats are kept and MAN is it cute when they beg but too many treats can cause many health problems.

Different Lights for Different Types

There are three types of lightbulbs you can buy for reptiles.
Infrared/Red light - on during day and night
Night/blue light - on during day and night
And UVB/Day light - on during the day
DO NOT USE REGULAR LIGHT BULBS

Both the red and blue bulbs are used to heat the cage at night, they simulate night time light. The UVB bulb simulates day time and sunlight. Depending on where you live and what you own you may need 2 different lights. Turtles and chameleons and some lizards must have a UVB bulb on during the day. This gives them crucial vitamins that they would get from the sun in their natural habitat. Most lizards only need one light and its up to you to decide.


UVB bulbs are also used to help reptiles determine when it's day and when it's night. If you have a house that let's in a lot of light it might not be necessary to use a UVB bulb. If your reptile has no way of telling what time of day it is, they won't know when to eat, sleep, or get up.

Red lights give off more heat and slightly more light than blue lights. These are mainly used to keep your pet warm during the night. If you live somewhere like Arizona you may never need one of these lights. If you live in a state that's warm for part of the year and cold for the rest you may only need a red or blue light during the cold times. If you live somewhere that is cold most or all of the time you will want to use one of these bulbs all year long.

Bulbs come in different wattage of course. Always check the maximum wattage your heat lamp allows before buying a bulb. Bulbs are usually sold in 50, 60, 70, 100, and 150 watts. The average temperature for all reptiles is between 75 and 90 degrees but always check that your cage is heated the right amount for the reptile you own.

Red and blue lights are usually on all day and night. Turn the UVB light on when you get up and off when you go to bed. You can also buy timers so that lights will turn on or off at a certain time every day.

Average Cost of Sugar Gliders

A single glider can cost anywhere between $100 - $500 and it's extremely important to have 2 more. Bird cages are the best cages to buy, sticks are better than shelves because in the wild Gliders glide tree to tree, sometimes they never even touch the ground. Cages need to be AT LEAST 36 inches tall (once you see a glider play you'll understand)

Petsmart sells glider pellets for around $12

Yogurt drops can be order online for just a few dollars. Yogurt is one of their favorite treats.

Bird toys are great for sugar gliders and can be anywhere from a couple dollars to $20 or $30

Gliders also need a water bottle, which more than likely won't come with a bird cage. They average $5 - $10

They also need a fleece bag to sleep in, one that resembles a pouch is best. I bought mine for $10.

They need a wheel which can vary in price from $8 - $20.

A bonding bag is optional but a great thing to have. Bonding bags allow you to take your gliders with you. I've taken my gliders to doctor appointments, restaurants, stores, you name it.

Gliders are very healthy, hearty animals. They don't need any shots like cats or dogs do and it's rare they ever need to see a vet.

I bought Luna, my first glider for $250 and got a few freebies with her, I bought a huge cage for $40, a water bottle ($8), a wheel ($10), bonding bag ($10), and a toy ($12). I got my second glider, Stella, a few weeks later for $200.

My total:
250+40+8+12+200= $530

While it is expensive to buy sugar gliders it is a one time only expense, they are cheap pets to keep and definitely worth the price.

My cage set up:

Feeding Reptiles

Most lizards and geckos eat only crickets and meal worms. Some larger lizards like bearded dragons, Chinese water dragons, and even some adult leopard geckos will eat pinkies and superworms. After having your reptile for a while, you'll find a feeding pattern. I buy 12 - 18 crickets every Wednesday and Thursday. Some reptiles will eat one thing and one thing only while others will eat a variety of foods. Reggie will only eat crickets, she wouldn't think about eating anything else while Wylie will eat anything I give her, she's even eaten the crickets' vegetables before. Turtles and snakes can be the same way. My turtle is supposed to be an omnivore but she won't even glance at the meat or worms I've tried to feed her. Some snakes will only eat rats and not mice while others will only eat frozen or live food.

Snakes poop 2-3 days after they eat and generally when they poop they are ready to eat again. Snakes can eat food the size of their girth so you don't want to feed a baby corn snake a fuzzie. Lizards can eat food the same size as their head.


A Guide To Mice and Rats (Smallest to Largest)
Pinkie - newborn with no fur and eyes still closed
Fuzzie - slightly larger than a pinkie, fur has just come in and eyes are open
Small mouse/rat - Self explanatory
Medium mouse/rat - Self explanatory
Large mouse/rat - Self explanatory