Terra Gecko Magazine : All about terrarium 2018/1 | Page 9

• Under no circumstances should we think we can save
the lives of the animals if we take them home sick from
them shop! The bulk of the diseased animals carried home
cannot be saved in most cases, and they are not sure to
survive the purchase and the way home.
• If we have a choice, let’s consider buying animals
bred in captivity rather than those caught in nature. These
are already got used to terrarium conditions, and since
they do not carry any infections, they are more likely to
live longer and reproduce as well.
• We should never buy every animals we fall for only
to crowd them into 1 or 2 terrarium! Only animals living
in the same or similar environment should be placed
together, and we must pay attention so that they do not
injure each other due to their different sizes.
We should also try to obtain
as much information
as we can about the pet we
picked out to ensure the
most optimal conditions for it
in the terrarium as well.
When we have decided what kind of animal we would
like to keep, and also the terrarium is set up, there arrives
the great moment to buy our fervently expected pet. How-
ever, before deciding which one is to be taken home of
many, we should take certain principles into consideration:
• It is essential to choose the most appropriate animal,
and it determines not only the age but the reproduction
of the animal in captivity as well.
• The animal we choose should be small or medium-sized.
We should avoid buying full-grown individuals, because
they might be old. Old animals are more sensitive to
different infections, and it is more difficult for them to
habituate their new environment.
• The animal we choose should have a healthy, sound
body and tail. We should never buy animals that have
visible injuries on their skin, their spine is curved or their
hip bone is prominent.
• The eye of the animals should always be clean.
Secretion around the eyes or eyes closed indicate diseases.
• Let’s choose animals that are in good shape! Animals
that look tame when we hold them in our open hand are
presumably unhealthy if they do not run away.
• Let’s turn the animal carefully on the back and check
that the cloaca is not contaminated by faeces or urine residues.
We can find these tell-tale signs in diseased animals.
• In case we would like to have a protected animal,
check whether its documents are in order, namely the
animal was brought into the country in a legal way and
whether it is registered by the related authorities. We
should never buy protected animals that have no CITES
documents, or the salesperson is unable to prove that the
animal was bred in captivity.
Those herpkeepers that have already been on a collec-
tion trip claim that the most memorable and exciting way
of getting animals is when we catch them ourselves. As
these animals are often very wild and snappish, it is not
only a question of luck but also expertise and experience
to find and capture them. However, which is the most
important: before collecting them, we should not forget
that nowadays a lots of amphibians and reptiles are pro-
tected in the country where they live or by international
agreements and their collection is prohibited or requires
authorisation.
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