The REptile Project

22/01/2025

We've made some updates to our website! If you haven't checked it out in a while, you should go take a look! You can see some of our adoptables AND a sneak peek at a cool event we haven't advertised yet! Be the first to know!

www.thereptileproject.com

RESCUE EDUCATION REHABILITIATION

21/01/2025

I wanted to give a huge thank you to everyone that saw us at the expo this past weekend! We were able to make enough money to cover pumpkins vet bills! I appreciate everyone who supports us, because of your support I can continue to run the rescue❤️

21/01/2025

Bearded dragon ‘cheat’ sheet!

ENCLOSURE
4ft x 2ft x 2ft
This is the minimum enclosure size
Bearded dragons should never be housed together
-Basking rock/ log
Bearded dragons like to climb for exercise , also helps beardies with basking
-Hide, burrow, cave
-Plants, foliage
Some bearded dragons can try to eat fake plants so it can be more beneficial to use live plants.
-Background
DISCLAIMER
!!Hammocks!!
They have been known to not be safe for bearded dragons. They can trap your dragons nails, toes and limbs.
Exception: fabric hammocks

HEATING & LIGHTING
UVB
They must have a strong reliable UVB lighting
Heating
Bearded dragons need a temperature gradient
Lighting
It is recommended bearded dragons get 12 hours of UVB and a day and night cycle.

Basking side surface temp- 108-113
Cool side surface temperature- 77-85
Air temperature- 72-99
Nighttime - 55-75

FOOD
**Bearded dragons require a variety of different foods to thrive.
-Vegetables
Hatchlings: Daily
Juveniles: Daily
Adults: 3x/per week
-Fruits
**Fruits are high in sugar, so too much can cause obesity
Hatchlings: Rare treat
Juveniles: Rare treat
Adults: Rare treat
-Protein
Hatchlings: 1x/daily, as many as they will eat
Juveniles: 5-6 insects daily
Adults: 3-4 insects 2x/week
-Supplements
Hatchlings: calcium powder on all insects and salads. multivitamin on salad 2x/week
Juveniles: calcium powder on all insects and salads. multivitamin 2x/week
Adults: calcium powder on all insects and salads. Multivitamin 2x/week
-Water

20/01/2025

Here is my Leopard Gecko ‘cheat’ sheet, I know that me and plenty of other rescues get a lot of surrendered/rescue leopard geckos. Please ALWAYS do your research before getting an animal.

ENCLOSURE
36” x 18” x 18”
**Cohabitation is not recommended**
However, if you choose to house more than one leopard gecko they will need a larger enclosure so they can have their own territory.

SUBSTRATE
Naturalistic mix: topsoil and play sand mixture
Bioactive setup
Paper towels
DISCLAIMER
The use of sand and other loose substrate is a very controversial topic. The dust particles can get stuck in the gecko’s eyes, causing injury. However certain loose substrates can be safe if used correctly. Please do your own research before choosing any sand options.

DECORATION
Hides and caves
Atleast 2 hides. One on the cool side and the other on the warm side.
Plants
Rocks
Leopard geckos can enjoy climbing.
water bowl
Should be shallow enough so that the gecko can’t drown on accident. The water should be replaced Daily.
Backdrop

LIGHTING, TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY
Leopard geckos are crepuscular meaning that they are most active at dawn/dusk.
Day and night cycle is beneficial
Black or red bulbs are not needed for nighttime heat. Blue lights are known to potentially damage reptiles eyes.
UVB
They are not as dependent on UVB as other species. However it is recommended and can be very beneficial.
Temperature gradient

Basking surface - 94-97F
Warm hide temperature - 90-92F
Cool end - 70-77F

Humidity
Ideal daytime humidity is between 30%-40%. Too much humidity can cause shedding problems.

BEHAVIOR
Clicking:
Communication with other geckos
Chirping/ squeaking:
Gecko is unhappy, usually during handling
Barking:
Geckos have been known to bark at their owners when hungry
Screaming:
Defensive behavior to warn a predator
Tail flicks:
Excitement, usually in mating or hunting
Slow tail swishing:
“Leave me alone”

18/01/2025

New location this month!

Come see us at the Reptile Show in Clarksville TOMORROW!

17/01/2025

CRESTED GECKO “CHEAT” SHEET

HABITAT
Crested geckos are Arboreal
18 x 18 x 24
** Height is more important than length
Wood branches, bendy vines, fake plants, etc

SUBSTRATE
zoo med eco earth
Paper towels
Covering soil with leaf litter and moss are beneficial for maintaining consistent moisture levels for plant growth and a healthy colony of isopods/ springtails
AVOID
sand
Wood chips
Walnut husk
It can be very harmful for a crested gecko to ingest large quantities of substrate.

TEMPERATURE, HEATING, LIGHTING
maintained between 70 and 78 degrees
In most situations room temperature is adequate for crested geckos.
they do require a moderate humidity
This can be accomplished by misting the enclosure twice a day
UVB is not necessary
However, UVB can help the gecko and any live plants within the enclosure

DIET AND FEEDING
Pangea, Zoomed crested gecko diet, Repashy
These are the most convenient to feed your gecko. It is roughly 1 part powder to 2 parts water.
Crickets or roaches
The insects you feed should be no larger than the distance from the gecko’s nose to its eyes.
Calcium and D3
All feeder insects should be dusted with a good calcium powder and vitamin D3.
DISCLAIMER
THERE IS A DEBATE ON IF MEALWORMS OR SUPERWORMS ARE SAFE TO FEED.
Water
Crested geckos typically drink water droplets from the sides of their enclosure and any leaves or plants. It is important to mist your geckos daily.

TAIL LOSS
Aggressive cage mates
Punching or squeezing their tails
Tail loss is a normal defense mechanism and is not a medical emergency. The gecko will recover quickly and does not require special care.

16/01/2025

Here is my ball python ‘cheat’ sheet, I have a lot of surrendered ball pythons currently some will be up for adoption and some will be sticking around while they are getting better. Please ALWAYS do your research before getting an animal.

Ball pythons can live up to 30 years and adults average 4-5 feet

ENCLOSURE
Recommended is a 4’ x 2’ x 2’
Glass( reptile zoo)
PVC ( Dubia, zen habitats)

SUBSTRATE
Reptichip
DIY tropical mix
Zoo Med reptisoil
Zoo Med eco earth

FOOD
rats
**Recommend frozen/ thawed, live rodents have been known to injure snakes. If you prefer live keep an eye on the interaction between your snake and the rat and remove after 15-30 minutes if not eaten.
Mice
Reptilinks
** ball pythons are known to fast during the cooler months. As long as your snake isn’t losing weight and appears healthy, don’t freak out.

DECORATION
“ CLUTTER IT UP”
heavy water dish ( possibly ceramic) they will knock it over!
Recommended at least 2 hides. One for the cool side and one for the warm
Enrichment items: Braches, Plants, cork logs, etc.
Artificial foliage ( most live plants are too fragile for a heavy bodied snake)
Recommended to add a background that covers all 3 sides of the enclosure.

HEAT ELEMENT
!! Do not use heat rocks !!

**Check temperature regularly**
Heat lamp
**It is not recommended to use the red-tinted bulb known as an “infrared” lamp
Heating pad
**Use a thermostat when using a heating pad! (Preferably always to reduce error when checking temps)

Basking surface temperature : 95-104 F
Warm hide temperature : 86-90F
Cool hide temperature : 72-80F
Nighttime temperature : 70-78F

!! SERIOUSLY: Do not use heat rocks !!

HUMIDITY
60-80% during the day and 80-100% at night.
** Proper humidity can prevent respiratory infections and bad sheds.

16/01/2025

Hello everyone! I hope you all are having an amazing evening. I am so so appreciative of all the donation we have received, they have helped us be able to accept more intakes. We have our largest amount of intakes currently including bearded dragon, leopard geckos, ball pythons, crested gecko. If you feel at all that you would like to donate these are some of the items we would very much appreciate❤️

14/01/2025

This is Nippy! His intake date was 12/16/24. Nippy is a more defensive ball python and has been known to bite. I’ve been working with him this month and he’s gotten MUCH better ( don’t get me wrong I definitely got a chomp or two). Here is some beneficial ways to help your defensive/ scared snake.

🐍Always lift a defensive snake with confidence. Don't hesitate in picking them up. It takes them time to react and realize whats going on, if you move quickly you can take them out before they ramp themselves up into a defensive state. If you dawdle, hesitate, and don't move with confidence they'll start acting defensively.

🐍When picking up defensive snakes, it's best to scoop them up from underneath, not grab them from above. Predators come at them from above in nature, so it's very scary for them. Nothing comes at them from below but safe things like branches, so it's way less threatening. If you can, always scoop them up.

🐍try short handling sessions a few times a week. Keep them as pleasant and positive as you can. Don't push her/him too hard. It's best to put her back in her cage once she starts calming down, or acting curious and exploratory. Basically once she puts her guard down and stops being afraid, reward that behavior by letting them go back to their hide. Soon they realize that these handling experiences aren’t bringing her/him harm.

🐍If they are still acting nippy, it may help to invest in a snake hook. Usually just taking them out is the scary part, and once they're in your hands they're more or less over it.

14/01/2025

Did you know that 2025 is the year of the snake according to the Chinese zodiac? The year of the snake is associated with wisdom, intuition and transformation. This also means new shirts for the new year❤️ we love changing things up every so often for you all to enjoy! All proceeds go right back into our rescue.

13/01/2025

I am so beyond EXCITED for where The REptile Project is going. Our items will now be available Greentree Pet Center ! You can get your everyday reptile items and support our rescue❤️ I appreciate them so much for willing to help our rescue make additional funds for all the vet bills and overall care for our scaly friends🐍

12/01/2025

We were so busy yesterday I completely forgot to introduce you all to Pebbles the crested gecko!🦎

11/01/2025

Thank you so so much for this amazing donation! Everything will go to good use for all of our reptiles🐍❤️

11/01/2025

Time for Honeys medication! Honey is on two medications to help with parasites. Hopefully the meds will kick is and help her start eating again. We are still learning to make videos so enjoy a couple points where Ethan goes out of frame.

10/01/2025

10/01/2025

Pumpkin was surrendered to us due to reoccurring respiratory infections (RI). We got her in to see our vet yesterday and we found out she has two parasites, that could be causing the scale discoloration and the breathing difficulties. She had an X-ray done and thankfully there was no internal issues. Now she is on a road to recovery with us.

07/01/2025

I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas and a Happy New Year! Unfortunately our household has been sick the past couple of weeks so I’m sorry about the lack of updates.
However, we do currently have a lot of rescues/ owner surrenders. 6 ball pythons and 2 leopard geckos! We have two reptiles going to see the vet tomorrow. A ball python for a respiratory infection and a leopard gecko that is still having some lethargy.