What Reptiles You've Had, Have, And Want...

Tom

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@xphare started a thread about his snakes and cyclura and we started having a conversation about reptiles in general. I started thinking about animals I've had in the past, all the animals I have now, and species that I'd really like to work with in the future. The choices people make, and their reasons have always fascinated me. I've conversed with people for hours over this topic.

I'll start with my lists.

Had:
Box turtles
Chinese Big Headed turtle
Ctenosaura
Water monitors
Dumeril's monitor
Savanna monitors
Blackthroat monitors
Mangrove monitor
black and white Argentine tegus
red Argentine tegus
Green iguanas
bearded dragons
Meller's chameleon
calyptratus chameleon
mountain horned lizards
fat tailed gecko
skunk gecko
blue tongue skinks
prehensile tailed skink
Asian water dragon
Ornate uromastix
Hatian tree boas
scrub python
white lipped python
rosy boa
boa
Burmese python
various kingsnakes
various corn snakes
assorted tortoises of many species

Have:
Sulcatas
SA leopards
Burmese stars
Chersina (on loan)
radiata (on loan)
unicolor cribos
ackies
large assortment of tarantulas
3 roach species

Species I like and I'd like to work with if I had unlimited time and resources:
Egyptian tortoises (Getting some in spring when they hatch...)
Galapagos tortoises
hermanni (Eastern and Western)
elongated tortoises
Fortsen's tortoises
Indian spotted turtles
Chinese big headed turtles
more chersina
Rhino iguanas
Parson's chameleons
Meller's chameleons
Jackson's chameleon
water monitor
Dumeril's monitor
tegus
fire skinks
Schneider skinks
jeweled lacertas
leachianus geckos
collared lizards
uromastix
Mexican cribo
yellowtail cribo
rainbow boa
Eastern indigo
scrub python


I'm sure I've missed a few, but these are most of them. How about you guys? Conversation welcome. Feel free to talk about why you like one or another, or why you would or wouldn't want one or another of all these.
 

Yvonne G

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I'm real sorry I had to give up my aldabrans. I have to say for friendlyness box turtles take the prize.

Over the many years I did turtle rescue many species of chelonia came across my desk, but none that grabbed me like the box turtles do.

Radiata are pretty people friendly.
 

xphare

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Glad to see you made the thread!

Species I have had:
Bearded Dragon
Corn Snake
Coastal Carpet Python (M.s.mcdowelli)
Water Monitor
White Throat Monitor
Black roughneck monitor
Sulcata Tortoise
Burmese Python
Crested Gecko
Ball Python
Blood Python (P. Curtus Brongersmai)
Suriname BCC (Boa Constrictor Constricor)

Species I currently keep:

Tiger Mochino Reticulated Python
Mochino Reticulated Python
Cuban Rock Iguana (Cylura Nubila)
Rhinoceros Iguana (Cyclura Cornuta)
Leopard Gecko
Leopard Tortoise (P. babcocki)
Bredls Python (Morelia Bredli)
Olive Python (Liasis Olivaseus)
Concentric Northern Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)

Species I want to keep:

One more large tortoise so I am open to Aldabra Tortoises, Sudanese sulcata, SA Leopard, Radiated Tortoise or Galapagos Tortoises (which is a huge stretch)
Boelens Python (Simalia Boeleni)
Rough Scaled Python (Morelia Carinata)
Black-headed Python (Aspidites melanocephalus) - had to google that one
Crocodile Monitor
Grand Cayman Blue Iguana (Cyclura Lewisi)
Green Anaconda

Species I will never have but its cool to dream:

Komodo Dragon
Saltwater Crocodile
Tuatara
Scrub Python (S. Kinghorni)

After speaking with @Tom I have began to think about Drymarchon more seriously. Many of the species on my 'want' list are not hard to keep and are great captives with great demeanors but the price to get one is the major hurdle.

@Tom do your ackies eat non-stop?
 
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Tom

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@xphare
You reminded me:

I also had a V. rudicolus and ball pythons. I knew I'd forget some... And black headed pythons are one of my favorites! Two friends got them to breed one year and I told them I'd buy one the next year, and they never bred them again. Sorry I missed that opportunity. Komodo dragon has always been on my list, but I just don't see it happening any time soon.

I feed the ackies roaches everyday. I have a trio and I throw about 50 adult Blatta lateralis in every day. I also throw in the odd dubia or small hisser for variety. Once a week or so, I cut up some quail, sparrow, or mice for them. They were hardly growing at all, and they really began putting on size with the weekly meat meal.
 

Torta-geddon

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I've had iguanas, a chameleon, a box turtle, geckos, an elongated, a ball python, and a caiman.

I currently have 1 sulcata, 4 mississippi mud turtles, and 1 redfoot.

I would like to get a marginated, a burmese star, an asian box turtle, a russian, and maybe a leopard.

My wife says she doesn`t mind me getting as many turtles/tortoises as I want as long as I'm willing to take care of them all. I plan to see how many I can get away with before she changes her mind.
 

Tom

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I've had iguanas, a chameleon, a box turtle, geckos, an elongated, a ball python, and a caiman.

I currently have 1 sulcata, 4 mississippi mud turtles, and 1 redfoot.

I would like to get a marginated, a burmese star, an asian box turtle, a russian, and maybe a leopard.

My wife says she doesn`t mind me getting as many turtles/tortoises as I want as long as I'm willing to take care of them all. I plan to see how many I can get away with before she changes her mind.
Awesome strategy man. Let me know how far you get!

How did you like the elongata, and what chameleon species did you have?
 

Torta-geddon

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The elongata was a sweetheart, very friendly and calm. My son's chameleon was a jacksons, they are very fun to watch.
 

xphare

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I've had iguanas, a chameleon, a box turtle, geckos, an elongated, a ball python, and a caiman.

I currently have 1 sulcata, 4 mississippi mud turtles, and 1 redfoot.

I would like to get a marginated, a burmese star, an asian box turtle, a russian, and maybe a leopard.

My wife says she doesn`t mind me getting as many turtles/tortoises as I want as long as I'm willing to take care of them all. I plan to see how many I can get away with before she changes her mind.
I like that strategy alot actually haha. Marginated tortoises are awesome. I hope you get one soon!
 

Torta-geddon

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I like that strategy alot actually haha. Marginated tortoises are awesome. I hope you get one soon!
I was considering hatching one myself from tortstork. My birthday is soon so I may convince my kids to persuade my wife into getting me an egg.
 

xphare

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@xphare
You reminded me:

I also had a V. rudicolus and ball pythons. I knew I'd forget some... And black headed pythons are one of my favorites! Two friends got them to breed one year and I told them I'd buy one the next year, and they never bred them again. Sorry I missed that opportunity. Komodo dragon has always been on my list, but I just don't see it happening any time soon.

I feed the ackies roaches everyday. I have a trio and I throw about 50 adult Blatta lateralis in every day. I also throw in the odd dubia or small hisser for variety. Once a week or so, I cut up some quail, sparrow, or mice for them. They were hardly growing at all, and they really began putting on size with the weekly meat meal.
I think V. rudicolus is a very underrated species but they are also almost all wide caught so there's that. It's interesting you say that because I have heard people swear they are strictly insectivores but every time someone offers them substantial protein they grow like weeds. I assume that in Australia they take down anything they can over power.... Dang! Maybe one day the opportunity will present itself again. Black-heads are just so different but are they $1200-1500 different? Thats what I debate with myself. What species of tarantula do you have? I failed to mention I had a L. Parahybana and G. Pulchra for a brief stint. They were just getting out of the delicate sling stage and I had to re-home them due to moving but I never replaced them and I don't know why.
 

Torta-geddon

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Is tortstork where they deliver you an unhatched egg?
Yeah I was going to get a russian from there in november but ended up spending that money on toys for my daughter. I have to buy an incubator first but thats no big deal. I`ve been wanting one anyways.
 

Tim Carlisle

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Let's see:

Had:
Eastern Box Turtles
3-toed box turtle
Mud Turtles
Musk Turtles
Painted Turtles
Eastern Map turtles
Snapping turtles (common)
Anoles
Leopard Tortoise
Blue Tailed Skinks
Eastern Glass Lizard
Ring Neck snake
Garter Snakes
Milk Snake
Pigmy Rattlesnake (don't ask!)

Currently Have:
Sulcata Tortoise
Eastern Painted Turtle

Would Absolutely Love to Have:
Snake Neck Turtle
 

xphare

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Yeah I was going to get a russian from there in november but ended up spending that money on toys for my daughter. I have to buy an incubator first but thats no big deal. I`ve been wanting one anyways.
Ive never thought about getting a baby tort like that but I can definitely see the appeal. I would be too afraid I would do something wrong to hind the hatching process.
 

xphare

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Let's see:

Had:
Eastern Box Turtles
3-toed box turtle
Mud Turtles
Musk Turtles
Painted Turtles
Eastern Map turtles
Snapping turtles (common)
Anoles
Leopard Tortoise
Blue Tailed Skinks
Eastern Glass Lizard
Ring Neck snake
Garter Snakes
Milk Snake
Pigmy Rattlesnake (don't ask!)

Currently Have:
Sulcata Tortoise
Eastern Painted Turtle

Would Absolutely Love to Have:
Snake Neck Turtle
How big is your Sulcata?
 

Tim Carlisle

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That's exciting. I am debating on a sulcata or another species.
I debated getting a sulcata for quite a while. They are one of the less expensive tortoises you can purchase, but due to their size and often destructive nature, it can get a bit expensive to keep them. In the 2 years I've had mine, I've spent over $3K in housing, food, and vet services. I plan to sink another $1K expanding his outside enclosure, adding a cement pond, and installing a sprinkler system next Spring. But costs aside, he has the best personality of any reptile I've ever had. Wouldn't trade him for the world.
 

Toddrickfl1

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Is tortstork where they deliver you an unhatched egg?
Yes it is. I got a Cherry head egg from him that I hatched.

In the past I've had iguanas, mud turtles, red ear sliders, peninsula cooters, Softshells, a ball python, box turtles, a Redfoot, a Savannah monitor, and probably more I don't remember.

I currently have four sliders turtles, one painted, one Eastern River cooter, and two Redfoots.

Lately I've been kind of interested in chameleons. That might be my next reptile.
 

Torta-geddon

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Ive never thought about getting a baby tort like that but I can definitely see the appeal. I would be too afraid I would do something wrong to hind the hatching process.
I had the same thought when i saw the website but it seems pretty safe. There are a few people on here that have succesfully hatched tortoises from them.
 

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