#she needs her UVB!!

[lynxgriffin]

Mr lynx

Can we see susie basking like a crocodile during the summer

Regardless of what kind of reptile Susie is (if she even is a reptile) I still hope that she does some reptile things like basking!

[kirstielol]

.

[ruffboijuliaburnsides]

I NEED TO BUY A REPTILE LAMP FOR MY WIFE.

okay like to clarify she has a vitamin D deficiency currently, and the cheapest UVB lamp is uuuuuh a reptile lamp. Like we have a light lamp, but we don't have a UVB lamp.

I'm gonna get a UVB lamp and clamp it up on our laundry rack behind her so she starts producing vitamin D.

[sweetlikehoneystingslikeabee]

Can we get Riddler's reaction to SO coming home with an injured animal, maybe with a side of 'no, we are not keeping it' but they end up keeping it anyway?

"We are not keeping the damn thing-" Riddler Party x S/O

Oh this is something I'm very familiar with LMAO. I tried to include a variety of animals here.

Not to be lame or a square or w/e but as a general reminder, if you ever find injured wildlife, please contact your local shelters or animal control. These are fantasy scenarios and in most cases- wildlife is either better left alone, you will need strict temporary guidance or they need to be taken care of by professionals. In many places, you need a license to care and keep undomesticated animals.

TW: animal harm and abuse, mentions of dog fighting, medical procedures

Gotham

It all happens so quickly one day when the pair are driving in Gotham. His S/O notices what looks like a small brown bundle in the middle of the road and panics for Edward to stop. Before he can really get an explanation, they're shouting over their shoulder about a turtle, taking off their jacket. Then he's the one panicking as he watches them stop traffic to scoop up the animal.

The painted turtle has a huge crack in it's shell and a hurt leg. Not knowing what to do, they take it to a vet to see if anything can be done. Surgery, a fiberglass covering... A free sexing to determine the turtle is otherwise a healthy girl. Edward is already devouring the informational packet given to him in the waiting room. A lot he already knew but, well, it pays to learn more!

He's probably one of the few riddlers that doesn't actually say "no we can't keep it." There might be a brief moment where he questions his S/O if they even want a turtle- for the most part it's kind of... fascinating? They keep visiting the turtle in the hospital before she's released and he asks so very many questions about care and what they've been doing for her-

Before it's even been officially decided she's coming home and not being released back out, he's getting a tank ready. Heat lamps, a UVA/UVB light, pond, a dock for basking. A very strange amount of decorations related to questions marks and his special interests that you might not expect decor for.

This turtle won the lottery. She gets a very fancy omnivore diet with vitamin and mineral supplements. He even ends up cultivating species appropriate plants in the tank for her to enjoy and snack on occasionally. She's never bothered much other than the routine tank cleanings. Edward just likes watching her and watching his S/O gush over how pretty she is.

If anyone asks to pick her up, he will give a speech on how actually, human contact stresses them out so if you could never ask again, he'd appreciate it. He intends on her making it many more decades despite not having any clue how old she is now.

Penguin is going to hear so many fun facts about turtles now. Oswald might consider trying to murder him... again.

60s

A baby bird that fell from it's nest. He watched as his S/O tried and failed to reintroduce the bird back to it's mother. He even helped them weave a fake nest and put it up in the tree to see if their parents would take the babe back. To no avail. He was prepared to comfort his love if the little thing passed on.

Yet he watched his S/O roll up their sleeves and start making a nest of their own. A heat lamp that was originally used for one of Edward's plots, now for the chick. He insisted they could probably find someone to take care of it. He's certain he could light a cigarette in a public place and get Batman's attention if they wanted a more heroic figure for the job. With a sidekick named Robin, surely he has a thing for lost little birds.

Birds aren't really his thing, you see. Not part of the gimmick. He has nothing against them, love, but... perhaps Penguin? Still no, huh? The determination of his S/O is rather inspiring, even if it goes against his own wishes. Feedings every few hours, changing papers and blankets. Checking the crop. He noticed the collection of bird care books from Gotham Library.

He starts feeling more affection for the thing once it grows fluff. As his S/O gently holds his hand out to teach the bird to step up. There's something endearing about all of it. How passionate they are. How could he truly say no? It's when the feathers appear and the soft cries begin that they confirm they have a little mourning dove.

In devotion to his partner and their new animal child, he sets up a bird cage and perches himself. Reads the same care books, albeit in half the time. Once the time is right, he even builds an outdoor cage to allow the bird fresh air and stimulation that is safe from predators.

While he doesn't appreciate the mess the bird leaves, he doesn't mind the shoulder buddy. It does, however, make him slightly less intimidating towards Batman, as if he needed anything to help with that.

Zero Year

His S/O had a habit of bringing home animals. They had some... special certification, he wasn't paying terribly much attention to what- What it meant was that after they moved in together, there would occasionally be a small furred or feathered creature in the spare room off his workshop that needed to be bottle fed. He wasn't sure how he felt about the habit. It was something he almost admired. Wanting to care for something small and weak. Yet it was a vulnerability he could see being taken advantage of.

Good thing he's such a pleasant and non-needy personality that doesn't need all his S/O's attention! He lived with it. Perhaps he was better for it. Personal growth... even if at moments he felt jealous and despised it. He supposed they needed a hobby of their own considering how his "hobby" was so all-consuming.

Then they brought home the red fox. A fur-farm rescue. Nowhere else to go, they said. Edward tried to put his foot down. How would they even care for it? A fox... Ridiculous! He also knows it can't be tossed back out into the wild. It would die. His stubbornness holds even as he watches his partner cut their hands open on wire fencing to make an enclosure.

It isn't until they ask him, truly ask him, if he hates that they save animals. Seeing the pain in their eyes and sensing the possibility that they might even leave- he makes a decision. No amount of avoiding annoyances is worth losing the one person he truly trusts in this life. He builds an outdoor enclosure with catch doors and even sits down with the thing.

Winning him over was as simple as the vixen stealing his screwdriver and laughing at him as she played keep away. He was irritated with her, at first, yet as he caught her and all she wanted was pets and affection... He supposed it was also cute the way she would hoard boiled eggs out of his hand. Alright, maybe, just maybe- Maybe she could stay. Only out of his good will.

He gets to a point where she'll sit in his lap while he trims her nails and brushes her fur. His S/O can do the yucky medical stuff she hates, this is his time.

BTAS

It was a kitten that set his life upside down. His partner, his darling beloved, found it abandoned and hypothermic in a box after a storm. No indication of mother or another human coming to find it. His eyes weren't even open. A little tuxedo that mewled for any kind of nourishment and warmth. Edward was ready to call Selina to come pick it up- until he remembered she was currently incarcerated by Batman for a diamond heist.

It wasn't his bathroom being overtaken as a quarantine zone that made him upset. It wasn't even the alarm that went off every two hours for feedings, even in the middle of the night. No, it was how exhausted and emotionally tired his S/O looked after two days of taking care of him. When he said they were not, could not keep the cat, his partner insisted on doing everything themselves.

He was regretting it, to say the least. At 3am, while he was working, he could hear the alarm going... and his S/O snoring through it. With a sigh, he turned it off and began to prepare the formula. He went through the steps in his mind as he had seen his partner do for the past week and a half. Feed, burp, stimulate for the bathroom, make sure he's warm. Then he got in there and found a creature shouting and demanding to be fed and loved now.

Putting the kitten on his chest, watching his ears wiggle and feeling the tiniest muffins being made on his chest... that was the moment he fell in love. In that instant, he understood. This little sootball that looked like lint that exploded in the dryer- he was worth the hardship.

After that, Edward took on the nightshift for his partner. A few more weeks and their schedules could get back to normal. Ish. And their fancy well dressed man could be released into the rest of the house to cause chaos galore. Kitten energy is a bit too much for Edward, but he adjusts.

Telltale

When his S/O had stumbled into his workplace, bloodied and holding a blanket close to their chest, he feared the worst. He was prepared to dismember whoever had done this to his partner- and then they mentioned it wasn't their blood. Irritating, yet relief flooded his system.

He cleared a nearby table and watched as his S/O unraveled a bleeding, wounded dog. Struggling to breathe. Whining. A prong collar embedded into its neck. In the haze of panic, he extrapolates that his partner found it thrown away like trash in an alley. Even in this state he could make out the bite marks of other dogs on her body. Dog fighting.

Yet the mottled colored mutt seemed disinterested in attacking, even in this vulnerable state. Had she already given up? He was prepared to euthanize her himself until his partner looked at him with wet eyes asking if there was anything he could do. A tired sigh.

He knew some people with the proper equipment. Yet even as he contacted them, he insisted the two of them were not keeping the dog. He would help take care of the dog. Then they would figure out where she could go.

This lasted until one night in the lab as he sat at his desk, he felt a heavy head lay on his leg. As he looked down, there she was, staring up at him- tail wagging. Even after everything they'd put her through... she was putting all her trust and affection in a human. He would never admit it, but it reminded him of himself in some small way towards his S/O. Finding that love after pain atop of pain.

He stopped mentioning getting rid of the dog. Insists no one else will want a former fighting dog, so she might as well stay. It has nothing to do with how she cuddles between her "parents" on the couch. That she'll fetch things for her master with a dopey pleased look. And of course not because she gets accustomed to waking Eddie when he's experiencing night terrors associated with his past. Lowkey she's his emotional support dog and he's her emotional support human and his S/O gets to watch that relationship bloom.

Arkham

Despite Edward's lack of care towards the many strays in Gotham, his S/O seemed rather enamored with them. He comments that they should leave feeding the mangy things to Selina. Yet, he doesn't stop them. Then there was one cat in the neighborhood that wouldn't escape either of their notice. A mean feral that wouldn't let anyone near it. He'd wait for everyone else to eat food before picking off scraps.

He thought it was sort of charming how his S/O asked him for a trap to catch the beast. He asked them why they'd bother. It would appear the creature had gotten an eye injury, likely from fighting. He'd never expected them to actually catch the beast, no matter how genius his craftsmanship on the trap. And yet...

One eye enucleation and spay surgery later, his next question was when they were going to release the cat back out. Or call catwoman to deal with it. As his S/O told him neither would be happening, he began to try to put his foot down. No, never. You will not be keeping him. If they'd really wanted a pet, he could make one! Not this... possible mixed breed of a wild cat with a domestic one.

Fortunately they had a small spare room they could clear out for a kennel to allow the cat some comfort while he healed. Edward would listen as his partner going into the room and cooing. Followed by hissing and "no... No, c'mon-" and more bargaining. He shook his head. What were they expecting? You can't just bring a creature like that back with that kind of hate.

It isn't until one night when he's working that he hears... a meowing. It's strained and croaking. He goes to inspect the room and seen the one eyed cat staring up at him. A soft meow. Then a head bonk on the cage bars. Yet as he knelt down, the cat reared back and hissed.

Over the next week, he would visit the cat with his S/O. He noticed this scraggly, scarred cat looking up at them. Hissing less and less. Hesitantly approaching until his S/O was able to touch his head. Then they heard it for the first time: his purr. It was then Edward knew he was not going to be able to get rid of this ugly as sin cat.

The cat absolutely chose his S/O as his person, but that doesn't leave out Edward. The cat likes sleeping on some of his machinery when it's warm. Jumping on his shoulders when he falls asleep at his desk. Edward finds himself petting deep into his now-soft fur when he's stressed.

Selina will give him so much shit about this cat. Forever.

Batman 2022/Nashton

His S/O found the little creature after a dog had gotten hold it. A possum joey without a mother anywhere in sight. A few calls later, a wildlife shelter visit and lots of stress and worrying, they were told the possum was going to live... But not in the wild. There was enough damage to its body that even after healing, he might not be able to defend himself properly.

Edward tried to reason why it should stay with someone else. They'd have better care. They'd become an education ambassador, maybe! He... It's so tiny and fragile, and that makes him so nervous.

Edward is projecting a lot of feelings onto this little thing that mostly wants to hiss and cling to his sweatshirt. He'll just fuck it up, you know. The problem that arises is too many rehabbers in the area are full up. There might not be any space for the little guy- Faced with the possibility of euthanasia, Edward's S/O looks at him with dewy eyes.

How can he say no to that face? And the face of, he supposes, their newest companion. After faking some paperwork and certifications, they are bringing home a small possum.

Over time, he ends up relating a lot to the possum considering their reputation. They're just scavengers! They can't even get rabies! Yet everyone just seems to hate them for being born. He knows what that's like...

He does so much research on dietary needs since possums require such a variety of care. Protein, proper phosphorous levels, fruits and veggies. He really likes feeding him cooked chicken hearts out of his hand. Since they walk so much in the night, he makes an exercise wheel for the little guy to use. Builds climbing walls and poles for him to hang from if he wants. His S/O gets to help hammer nails in!

Sometimes Edward's S/O is looking for the possum and asks Edward... only to see a little black and white head poke out from his hoodie. The two of them know they won't have the possum for long (in the wild, they only live around three years!), but he's kind of used to shorter lifespans with his rats.

He's going to make sure the years they have, though, are going to be enriching and full of happiness.

[pigeon-behavior]

Did you know that pigeons require specialized grit?

Many birds eat stones of some kind to aid in digestion and the grinding of seeds. This actually isn't what I'm talking about, surprisingly. Pigeons do not need this kind of mechanical help, for whatever reason.

If I had to guess, the reason lies in their crop, which is insanely specialized. Columbids (the grouping containing pigeons and doves) are the only birds that can drink without lifting their heads. They can suck water! This is incredible! The reason they are thought to be able to do this is an extremely muscular crop. It's my guess that the crop is taking care of this mechanical grinding all by itself.

So what am I talking about then?

Well, there is a long established practice in pigeon keeping of providing a "red grit" to domestic pigeons. This also can be seen as "pink powder" in some parts of the world. It is comprised of soluble stones. This means they can be dissolved and broken down once swallowed.

This is an important detail. There are other versions of grit sold that are insoluble, and can't be broken down the same way. Most of these grits contain or are only granite. Granite is useless for our purposes, but some of the old guys swear by it, so sometimes it can be hard to avoid.

What's so important in this red grit? If you get the right ones, a variety! Red grits have a variety of needed minerals on offer that our captive pigeons might not be finding in their loft and their feed. Iron is among the most important.

I have a photo from the back of one of the most favored red grits on the market, which is considered an 'enhanced grit' due to added vitamins.

If you Google some of these more complex sounding names, they will become more familiar to you.

This is generally considered the gold standard grit. Few others match its quality and sheer helpfulness. (For reference, it is the Versele-laga All in One). Jovati makes one that is about on par. Otherwise to get the same effects you're looking at pink powders, which are much more concentrated.

Well, why is all this a big deal? I'll tell you!

A common grit pigeons end up on is oyster shell-only. And at the very least, they do need this, and it is soluble! But calcium alone is not going to support their health.

An indoor bird (especially a hen) that is being given only oyster shell and no other supplements may experience problems. Here's why: there's only so much calcium that can be absorbed without sufficient Vitamin D3 in the body. Vitamin D3 is normally produced after being out in UVB light, in the sun! But the grand majority of indoor pigeons aren't receiving any of that. So you can put them up to their eyeballs in calcium and they can't absorb it.

Other problems that can arise over time include things like Vitamin B deficiencies (very unpleasant to watch, it causes neurological symptoms like head twisting), and uh. [Checks notes]. Cannibalism. Didn't see that one coming did you?

TRL insisted on using an oyster shell only grit and a salt lick a few years back when everything imploded. And she had at least one case of straight up cannibalism. Her excuse at the time was that this bird was a feral. But that's an extremely bad excuse.

Pigeons that don't live in our care can go find whatever their cravings tell them to eat. Eating some dirt from the edge of a parking lot would have provided more minerals than the barely survivable conditions in that loft. You can actually see mourning doves do this, by the way, if you're in the right place at the right time. But there is no reason for a pigeon to resort to cannibalism unless under extreme nutritional deprivation.

(I know people who kept suggesting a complete grit to her, but she never listened. It isn't that she didn't know about it.)

But this post isn't about that. It's about providing what your pigeon needs and knowing how best to fill those man-made gaps. The typical solution I see nowadays is to provide a complete grit like the All in One or Jovati and then supplement with some extra Vitamin D3, as these grits aren't really designed with indoor-only birds in mind.

Further information that is important for you: vitamins break down over time and especially if exposed to light. Store in a cool dark place to preserve them.

(Also, UVB light cannot penetrate glass or other clear solids. Your bird cannot utilize UVB unless there is nothing solid between it and the sun. Windowscreens are fine.)

If you enjoy my posts, please consider tipping me on ko-fi!

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

Hi! I'm working on bettering my ball pythons enclosure and was wondering if you had any advice!!

this is Toast the knowing, or just Toastino for short!

She's been having trouble shedding for a while and i realized her humidity was the problem, but she wasn't using her humidity hide anymore. But when we got Mozar, our newest addition, his new enclosure came with some free coconut coir we didn't use for him so i added that! it's only been an hour but i wanted to check if there was anything else I should do?

I know it definitely needs more hides and coverage, along with a temp and humidity gauge that isn't garbage, and she's right next to a window that is open 24/7. I know the dangers of indigestion and plan to feed her in a safe environment aswell

besides cover and humidity, is there anything else you'd recommend?

Hello hello - Toastino is such a cutie!

I've got a couple recommendations for you. You're right that hides and clutter are the big things here, and I'd recommend looking into some more enclosed-feeling hides as well. When picking out great snake hides, my recommendation is always to look for ones that are fully enclosed on three sides and have relatively small entrance doors. Snakes are so timid, and very secure hiding places help! They're not very aesthetically pleasing, but you can make great hides out of black food storage containers by cutting small doors in them.

My next big tip is to ditch your red light! They're a very sub-optimal heat source - snakes can still see the light, and a lot of them will find them far too bright and annoying. If you want to provide visible light, UVB and a halogen are better options. If you don't want visible light, a ceramic heat emitter is miles better! Colored bulbs are honestly a bit of a scam, and there are always better heat sources!

I really like how deep your substrate is! The good news is that, if your husbandry is appropriate, issues from swallowing substrate while eating are virtually unheard of (impaction from swallowing substrate is a common myth for healthy snakes). If you're nervous about that, though, a piece of cardboard can be a good plate to feed your snake on.

Finally, think about adding more vertical climbing space! Tall branches to climb on and even hammocks can add some great vertical space so she'll be able to climb and explore every inch of her enclosure. All my ball pythons love hanging out on their tall branches!

All the best to you and little Toastino! She's precious.

[i-m-snek]

Welcome new followers!

I legit got 1k new followers from that ‘how to cook a snake’ post, so allow me to introduce myself! My name is Laura, Cis woman I go by she/her. Herpetologist and advocate for forward thinking when it comes to keeping reptiles. I’ve been keeping reptiles for 10 years now, and I regularly update my knowledge based on recent research. I specialize in ball pythons but have a fair amount of knowledge on other species as well. My entire life is based around giving my pets the best care I possibly can, and educating people on reptiles. I currently work as a tech in an oil and tire bay as my day job, but I make D&D dice on the side.  Now, for what y’all followed for! Allow me to introduce my babies, along with showing off their setups. 

This is Dante! He’s the first snake I’ve ever owned, got him 10 years ago and had him since he was only a few inches long. He is a Motley morph Corn snake, incredibly sweet and docile, and very curious. I have him in a bioactive enclosure, I’m still trying to find plants that he won’t destroy though lol. Ignore the dirty water bowl, I gave it a wash after I took the picture

Next up is Thresh! He’s a pinstripe morph Ball Python, hovering around 10 years old, I’ve had him since he was a baby as well. He’s generally slow moving, curious, and incredibly sweet. He is in a basic enclosure, but I plan on swapping him to bioactive in the next few months. 

Here’s Leliana! My gorgeous and amazingly sweet Blue Eyed Leucistic ball python (from a lesser/mojave pair). The absolute sweetest snake, she is curious and friendly, one of my best ambassadors! I’ve had her for about ten years, and she remains as my top favorite snake. She is currently in a basic set up, I am unsure if I’m going to put her on bioactive since she doesn’t have any melanin to protect her from light. I may just use gentle plant lights if I do

This is Navi! My high red Brazillian Rainbow boa. She can be a little bit grouchy so I try to keep her handling to a minimum, as to not stress her out too much. When she is out though she is very fast, and wants to explore every nook and cranny she can find. As she’s aged her colors have dulled a bit, which can randomly happen to rainbow boas sometime. She’s been checked at the vet just to be safe and is still perfectly healthy. She is currently in a home made enclosure that is set up to be bioactive

This is Zevran! He’s a bi-colored crested gecko. I swear he has a single braincell that just pingpongs back and forth all day LOL. He is an adorable little goof, very sweet and curious. He fires down the nice light orangish pink you see in the photo, and fires up a nice bright orange color. He’s in a semi-bioactive enclosure, meaning there’s no plants and no UVB tube. I may upgrade him to full bioactive soon.

This is Kitana, my rescue bearded dragon. She is incredibly mild mannered and sweet, and very smart! She will glass surf to tell me when she needs to poop so I’ll take her outside to do her business. She is leash trained and loves outdoor time, and cuddle time. She does the cutest little shimmy to get cozy when I have her on my lap. She is currently in a home built enclosure with a tile base. I don’t know if I’ll swap her to bioactive or not, still on the fence about it. (She does have a water bowl, its just hiding behind the wood in the photo)

This is Aerith, my orange dream fire pinstripe ball python. She’s always hungry, poised and ready to eat any time I enter the room, she’s a little easier to stress out so she’s in her enclosure most the time, but every once and a while she is calm enough to come out and chill on the couch with me. She’s in a basic setup, but as with everyone else I’m gonna try and upgrade her to bioactive.

This is Asriel! My disco/fire (possibly enchi, possibly yellowbelly, which we are trying to prove out this year). I hatched him myself and raised him from the baby, he is incredibly sweet, very curious and super confident. I adore him so much honestly. He’s currently in a bioactive setup!

This is Aurelion Sol! He is a mexican black kingsnake, I think he’s around 12 or 13 years old? I got him when he was already an adult and around 9 years old or so, he’s from the same breeder I got Dante from. When I got Dante, the breeder also showed me baby mexican black kingsnakes that were from this guy and Cassiopeia (who has sadly passed away.) Aurelion is -always- hungry, and will try to catch and eat anything that moves. This photo is a rare occasion where he isn’t trying to eat me. He is currently in a basic set up, not sure if I’m going to swap him to bioactive or not. (he’s on the top shelf so it’s hard to get a pic of his enclosure)

This beautiful girl is Crunchwrap Supreme, a Suma (possible yellowbelly) ball python! My most recently acquired baby, and I already adore her so much. She is a little shy, but so so sweet. Once she is comfortable she is incredibly curious! She’s a fantastic eater, and I can’t wait to watch her grow. She is currently still in her quarantine enclosure, but as soon as she’s out I’ll likely get her set up in a bioactive!

This is Raina! My vanilla fire enchi yellowbelly ball python. I got her from a friend, who got her from @tailsandco​ (Hi Shelby! Been a while). I had adored Raina since the first time I saw her on Shelby’s blog, and some things happened and she ended up in my care (I am still so grateful like LOOK AT HER SHE’S GORGEOUS AND SWEET). Raina is so, sosososo sweet. She’s Asriels mama, and she’s a little small compared to my other females but that’s just a genetic thing. She eats well, and loves to take naps on the couch while I watch youtube. She’s in a regular setup currently but I want to put her on a bioactive as well!

This is Rhea, he’s a disco/fire ball python. He’s the father of Asriel, and has such a goofy personality. When he’s exploring he regularly goes underneath his own body and then just. Sits there like he’s stuck even when he’s not. He is incredibly sweet and loves to periscope! He’s currently in a basic setup, but as with everyone else, I plan on converting him to bioactive. 

This is Tali! She’s a merauke locality scrub python. This species is actually well known for being incredibly bitey (as most arboreal species are), however there are always exceptions to the rule. I picked her out from her clutch mates because in the photos, she was the only one not poised to strike at the camera. That indicated the potential to be a calm, relaxed animal. I worked with her since she was a baby to make her comfortable with me, and trust me. If she turned out to be bitey I wouldn’t have minded, I knew what I was getting into. But the patience and trust paid off, she is the absolute sweetest! I still get her out of her enclosure with a snake hook for safety reasons, but once she’s out I handle her with my hands. She is so, so sweet and I am forever grateful for how much she trusts me. Her, Leliana, and now Crunchwrap are all competing for my number 1 top favorite snake I own. She is currently in a huge bioactive setup! I plan on getting more of the Dracaena 'Marginata' (the tiny palm tree looking thing) soon. This is just the left corner of the enclosure too!

This is Undyne! She’s a Merauke locality Blue Tongue Skink :) She is incredibly smart, not quite on the level of a tegu but pretty close. I’ve been doing choice based handling with her and it’s improved our levels of trust by a ton. She loves crunching on ice, and exploring the livingroom in her play pen. She’s currently in an 8 foot long basic enclosure. Again, I really wanna put her on bioactive but I gotta figure out what plants are safe to be in there in case she wants to munch them. Lol

This is Pharoh! He’s my rescue cat that I found in my front yard when he was a kitten. I found him during the beginning of COVID so we were home together every day for 3 months. He is incredibly sweet, cuddly, and also playful. He’s a mama’s boy, he follows me around the house 24/7 and if I’m sitting, you can bet he’s in my lap. He gets special meals where I put him in the back room so I can safely have my reptiles out, and he doesn’t see it as a bad thing because he gets a big special meal. He even has a giant running wheel to help keep him entertained while I’m at work. He’s such a good little man 

I also have a couple spiders, but I don’t want to tag this big post with it so I’ll leave them out and possibly do a post on just them later on.  But yeah that’s the family! I pride myself in taking the best possible care of my pets that I can :)

[purpleprincessonfyre]

I've missed talking about my partner in Crime Solving on here so I'm gonna share the story of the one time @finlayholmes and I went on vacation and it turned out very badly. It is a long one but here's Part One for now. Enjoy!

Felton & Holmes: Murder in Paradise

"I can't believe you agreed to this!"

"I can't believe I said 'yes'."

Muttered Finlay Holmes, already regretting everything. After being very gently told they should take a break by Francis the butler, Liane had taken it upon herself to plan a vacation for her and Fin. No cases, no trouble, no worries. Except for the fact he was taking Liane with him, there was really nothing to worry about. Which only narrowed it down minutely. As they stepped off the plane in LAX, Liane squealed, lowering her sunglasses, almost knocking Fin over with her large sunhat.

"Could you perhaps not be a walking road obstacle to your fellow passengers?"

"Hey you were the one who wanted to fly commercial instead of calling My-"

"Let me remind you that we do not need Mycroft to get around. We got here perfectly fine on our own."

"Alright. Now cmon, we gotta grab a cab so we can get to our hotel!"

"Why didn't we bring Francis?"

"Because he needs a vacation too. Now relax! I can tell you're kinda nervous and whatever but I've been to LA tons of times, there is nothing to fear. A little sun won't kill you!"

Fin glared at her for that. He had spent the whole flight lecturing her about skin cancer and the dangers of UVA and UVB. He lowered his own sunglasses to emphasise his point. Liane rolled her eyes.

"Stop that. Okay so it could kill you but like if you're protected and yknow you don't just wallow in it then it can do you good! Vitamin D, freckles, and it helps keep acne at bay."

"Which magazine told you that?"

"...Cosmopolitan."

"Exactly."

"Finny! We just got here, just trust me for once." She said, holding out her hand to him, inviting him to join her. Reluctantly, he took her hand in his and a grin spread across her face and she pulled him through the airport excitedly, heading for the luggage carousel and picked up their bags. Liane's luggage came off the conveyor, all in white and gold with embossed lettering on the side. Meanwhile Fin pulled a dark duffel bag off the conveyor and tightened the straps of his rucksack as they headed for the taxi rank.

"Why did you bring so much stuff?"

"My luggage, my choice. There better be smart clothes in there if we go for dinner."

"There's A smart outfit in there."

"Good enough for me. TAXI!" Liane yelled, waving down a large cab as Fin clenched his ears.

----

Liane flopped down on her bed, sighing happily. She'd finally dragged Fin to the sunshine state. It felt good to win. She waited patiently for him to emerge from the washroom as she'd instructed him to change out of his usual attire in favour of actually feeling the sun on his skin.

Liane had arrived dressed for the weather, wearing a soft cotton playsuit in lavender purple paired with gold strappy sandals, a white lace cover up over the top paired with her enormous sunhat and her signature pink heart-shaped sunglasses, her large beach bag slung over her shoulder stuffed with sunscreen, drinks, money, snacks, makeup and her selfie stick.

"Cmon, show me! I wanna go to the beach!"

"Promise you won't laugh?"

"Fin!"

"Alright." Fin stepped out of the washroom dressed in black denim cut offs turned into long shorts, a faded ACDC tshirt, sneakers and had a grey bucket hat on his head. Liane squealed and hugged him tight, making him instantly regret everything and everyone. This was a common occurance for Fin, most often felt whilst with Liane, his trusty detective partner.

"You look great!"

"I don't love the hat."

"The hat stops your black-like-your-soul hair from burning. You. Are welcome."

"So, beach?"

"Beach! Venice beach to be precise."

"Can I bring a book?"

"Sure. But you are going in the sea at least once."

"Deal."

Fin grabbed a book from his book and also noticed Liane slipping a fantasy novel into her bag as well which made him smile. They left the hotel and headed towards the beach and set down towels on the sand to mark their territory. The sand was soft and golden meanwhile the skies were a bright blue, the skyline almost matching the sea as they approached the bay. Liane smiled, gazing around happily. Fin squinted in the sun and quickly set himself down on the sand by the rocks, leaning on the stone as he pulled out his book.

Liane didn't hesitate she tugged off her outerwear, revealing a white bathing suit and ran into the sea to let the waves lap over her before taking a swim. Fin watched her for a while before starting to read his book, glad to see her enjoying herself before settling on the sand to read. He had to admit it was rather pretty here, a little noisy but he could easily tune that out.

After having swam in the sea for a while Liane came running back, her blonde hair in wet curls on her shoulders as she approached Fin.

"Finny! It's so good in there, it's warm but it's also refreshing? Just one dip, I promise I won't splash you."

"Promise?"

"Promise. Cmon just get your feet wet! You won't melt."

Once again she was holding out her hand invitingly. There was something about that gesture that Fin just couldn't refuse. He sighed, putting down his book and followed her out to the sea, dipping his toes into the water. It was nice like she said but he wasn't going to admit that. She was smiling and that's all that mattered. As he waded in deeper he realised he was actually enjoying himself.

"I told you!"

"What?"

"Don't give me that, you like it! I knew it!"

"Alright fine. Yes I do."

"Yeeeee! This is amazing! I've finally got you to have fun my way!"

"Don't push it Felton, any splashing and I am out of here."

"I heard you the first time."

After they'd spent time in the water and Liane had resisted splashing Fin, they made their way back onto the sand laughing and having fun. Fin rarely let his guard down but now it was just him and Liane having fun together with no Sherlock, Watson or Mycroft he didn't feel that pressure to be serious and unfeeling.

As the sun started to lower in the sky and the tide was coming in, they packed up their things and headed back along the road towards the hotel, getting ice cream on the way. Fin offered to pay and bought them both soft serve in a cone to enjoy on the way back to the hotel, the sound of sirens coming from the distance.

But as they got closer the sounds of sirens got louder and they saw the police cruisers parked outside the hotel. Fin dropped Liane's hand and started towards the hotel a bit faster, his crime sense tingling. Or at that's what Liane called it. Liane called after him, chasing him in her strappy sandals as they approached the front entrance and saw what all the fuss was about.

Fin saw a body splayed out in the lobby, a pool of blood around their head as they lay there limply. Liane finally caught up and Fin held out his arm to keep her back as she approached the crime scene. He was deep in thought. Liane gasped, covering her mouth as fellow guests gathered, muttering and gasping in shock as they saw the body.

A woman cried out, running down the stairs to the body but was held back by police. Liane lowered her sunglasses, seeing the look in Fin's eyes. She could already see the gears turning in his mind as he examined the body. She had not planned for this scenario. But if you aren't the killer then you never really plan for a murder, do you?

"Looks like you got your wish after all, Holmes."

Thanks for reading!

Note: Finlay Holmes is an original character based on the BBC Sherlock series, the character belongs to @gcthvile. Liane Felton is also an original character that belongs to this blog and the creator @missstrawbs2001 who runs this blog. Do not steal these works or use their likenesses without permission.

Tagging: @jackiequick @gcthvile @cherrysft @blueboirick @meiramel @askstevella @ask-missparker @ask-starrk @therealdaydreamstark @thechoooooosenone @wizzzardofoz @finlayholmes @missstrawbs2001

[draksvousem]

Hello! My name is Spyro the Dragon but when mother gets frustrated with me she calls me Spyroslav Agamczik ("agama" means bearded dragon in her language 🇨🇿)

She also calls me babyboi, a lizard, racoon, the smelly man, froglegs, stupid, no thoughts head empy...

My mother is overall very evil. She always gives me some stupid salad 'cause it's "healthy" or whatever even tho she knows I like fruit and bugs. And on top of that she refuses to keep crickets 'cause she just hates everything nice. Also, she won't let me sit by the window for hours 'cause I "need the uvb to digest properly" but I know how to make her feel guilty with my glass-surfing skills.

My hobbies include: staring into a white wall and bumping into it ocasionaly, staring at ceiling, staring into the depths of universe with my mouth open (it makes my mother laugh, she could never understand), having an eye stand-off with a locust, side-eye, guilt-tripping my mother, pretending I am a flying squirel, getting into places I should not be at before mother has a chance to react, climbing anything (both climable and unclimable alike), scratching mother "by accident"...

Dislikes: birds, bugle leaves, when mother anoys me, when mother is not home

Hope you like me. You should. I am beauty and I am grace, afterall

[objecthusbandry]

After a couple days i think clove is finally used to me!! Taking her outside regularly definitely helped A LOTT, even though ive interacted with her in the past which probably also helped her adjust quickly, i think soon i might start slowly introducing her to my batteries! Although, i am a bit concerned on how i'll take her out to graze during the winter-- the colder season is gonna creep in soon and i expect that we'll have our first snow by october (last year it was on halloween, so im bracing for an early start to the winter). Most sources on google said that once the average temperature drops to a certain point she'll grow a winter coat, so im not too worried about the cold, but the lack of fresh grass + the frequent snowstorms are concerning.

Is it possible for me to simulate grazing in the backyard by taking a chunk of turf from the yard that's around the size of her enclosure and letting her eat that? My idea would be to place her cage near a window ( not on the actual window ofc! im not gonna put her on my windowsill, even if i tried her cage is WAYY too big for that lol ) so she can get some fresh air, while also taking care of and managing a sort of "mini backyard" inside her enclosure. Hurricane season is also approaching, so whatever winterproofing i do is also important for being able to let her get proper stimuli while keeping her safe from our crappy weather.

(Ofc, i'll still take her outside even when i do find an alternative, this is mainly just so i know shes still having her needs fulfilled even if i am literally unable to safely take her outside)

-🔋🌼⚡️

this is a fantastic question! you bring up a great concern here - i live in a pretty warm area so i didn't consider this. in the wild, cotton balls are native to warmer areas in the south where snow is light and have evolved their very downy coats to help stay warm during winter. in their native range they tend to be able to find fresh grass fine, but it's true they would struggle in deep snow further north.

you should ABSOLUTELY make an area for her to graze indoors! make sure it's near a window like you said; as long as you're taking her outside even if not to graze she should be okay with the window closed, but if you aren't able to for some reason you should keep the window open. windows block out uvb rays which is necessary for vitamin d (this applies to humans as well). due to their very light bodies heavy wind can quite literally blow them away and rain will completely soak through their coat, so keep her indoors during storms, even light ones. just remember that the size of the turf will need to be pretty large because cotton balls eat almost their body weight every day in grass!

also, try investing in a heat lamp during the coldest parts of winter if your house isn't able to heat well. cotton balls do best at around 80° fahrenheit!

[fbwzoo]

On to the mammals! Small ones first.

Honestly, I'm not planning much for the hamster - she's at least 2 and possibly older at this point, she's just getting a quiet retirement and whatever food she'll eat. Maybe for a future hamster, I'd kind of like to explore a more naturalistic set up, but we'll see. I need to do some more reading on that before I go nuts with it.

Likewise, not much planned for Clover other than her continued anti-human life. She's been enjoying getting some bugs more often with the other two bug eaters, though she usually ignores whatever other fresh treats I offer. I added a couple live plants to her viv recently, they're hanging in there so far.

Spoon....I still have plans for him! I did some of what I wanted already - changed his substrate, added clean up crew, and added a couple plants. I would like to increase the substrate depth, maybe add some burrow-type hides, and add more plants and branches. I also want to add a basking spot for him (especially by next winter), and a UVB light as well.

The rats already have their mansion, they're not getting any more space. 😂 We may have a few new babies coming home this summer, depending on where we fall on the breeders wait list. I mostly just want to step up enrichment for them again - have fun making toys for them out of the reject materials from my store, and stuffing boxes for them more often again. I'm also considering getting some small planter boxes that can hang on the outside of the cage to plant some herbs and stuff for them to nibble on.

Also, I'm thinking again about wanting to switch the rats to bioactive substrate as well, but I need to think about that more, and maybe wait until later this year after things calm down so I have the brain spoons to troubleshoot if needed. Our rats also aren't litter trained, so I need to see how much of a deal breaker that is. So that's still very much tentative!

Edit: I forgot the biggest thing for the rats, which is better bedding boxes!

[fellowshipofthenoodles]

uhh.. any advice for a beardie who won't eat her veggies? she takes bugs just fine ( including flies that got into her enclosure ) and she gets lots of heat and UV.. she also doesn't really leave her hide without me taking her out either. i tried every trick in the book, and nothing really works aside from using my tongs to get her to aim for a bug and move it last second so she maybe picks up her greens. any and all advice would help ATM, she's only a yearling so i'm rather worried.

Hi!

So unfortunately any experience with beardies either of us have had was around 10 years ago so we're not really able to offer advice ourselves, however I know we're bound to have some amazing followers who may be able to help you out!

The only thing I can say is that we've seen some people put a mix of veggies and sometimes blueberries in a bowl and will put some dubias or wormies on top of or mixed into the salad and then let the beardie. So that could be something to try out? I'll be honest that we've mostly seen that being done with skinks but I think we've seen it with beardies on occasion too!

I'd also double check that your heat and type of uvb are correct since beardies are more complex at times with it. If you're ever unsure I'm pretty positive there's an Advancing Husbandry Facebook group specific to beardies, and there's also Advancing Herpetological Husbandry too - they could be worth checking out for tips and tricks with convincing beardies that they need their veggies too

I hope this helps or that someone else can comment with more specific help! ❤️

[stormyandshameless]

I'm reclaiming Medusa from the white feminists that need her to be a rape victim to love her. She's mine now. I am giving her snakes heat lamps with UVB. I am making her spanicopita. I am calling up her sisters and we are having a slumber party. I am doing all of this with a blinfold. Ovid is NOT invited.

[mxalmighty]

Since Leo came home;

I've panicked fully once already about potential shell rot. She was just shedding. Normally. =-=

I have poured literal hours into perfecting her basking spot, she was caught basking on it on her own for the first time today. Turns out the water was juuuuuust slightly warmer than the rocks I placed. A higher wattage heating bulb fixed it, though I had to swap the lamps and now I've got the uvb bulb in a normal light fixture which, feels, wrong.

This is after I had her out in the sun yesterday for fear she'd get behind on her health. Got some good pictures of her chillin' in the grass anyway.

Probably more handling than she cares for but I'd like her to be used to it for easier shell checks and relocations when needed.

Added a second filter bc the one I had wasn't cutting it with her shed.

Water change, water change, water change. The microbiome of the tank must be in shambles, even if the water levels test well despite.

Had to add more height to the tank walls. It's not pretty but at least she won't even try to climb out anymore.

There are still some fish in the tank. She's tried to eat all of them at least once. They swim circles around her in cruel mockery. The pleco continues to be unbothered by anything.

EAT. YOUR. GREENS. GDI. Like a child refusing broccoli, Leo continues to refuse leafy greens of any kind. She also thinks carrots LOOK tasty but taste awful, but she can be tricked with shaved carrots amongst a crushed pellet. Will be trying red leafy veggies next time I shop, will continue to try greens, thankfully she likes everything else so far- mealies are a vibe and blueberries are life itself. Must ration these carefully.

[aussievriska]

ykw, i can't help but see the cherub twins as aussie or perhaps texan bc:

-they kinda look like green tree pythons if you think about it

-stated to eat sunlight(/UVB) and would thus need to bask a lot. like lizards

-skaianet, if you must (free my girl calamity she and her comically large horse didn't deserve to be trapped in there)

This is interesting indeed but the Calliope british accent is so ingrained for me. Maybe Caliborn though

[pigeon-behavior]

Recently in female pigeons there's been a concerning health pattern - egg binding. However, everything we (a small group of breeders and other pigeon keepers/lovers invested in their care) know from talking with regular, non-companion lofts that this is supposed to be insanely rare. Could this be a reporting issue? Simply not knowing what has happened to a bird when you have more of them? Maybe! But, looking at the birds who have suffered from this trend in our community, I would bet not.

There seems to be a very clear delineating factor between hens that have started to run into egg trouble and those that haven't, and it's environment-based. The egg-bindings have been happening to indoor birds. No outdoor loft birds have been affected by this so far.

So, what does this mean? Can we prevent this? We think we have a decent guess at a solution.

Get your hen some UVB light. Whether from an avian light bulb (these only produce for 6 months and then must be replaced, heads up) or from sunlight, get your hen some light so she can make her own Vitamin D3. It's a vitamin that is within several enriched grits but it doesn't seem to be enough - and we have to remember that these products were intended for people with outdoor lofts, not our indoor situations. Avian bulbs can be a bit of money, but its better than vet bills or losing your bird.

I just wanted to get this PSA out there - but let your hen be the natural solar panel she is built to be. I don't want to see more of this pattern. Drag your cage outside for a few hours a week if you need to! Remember that UVB is almost completely neutralized by solids (aka windows)! Just help me help you keep your ladies healthy ❤️