Reddit mentions: The best dog jerky treats

If you have a glass tank already, I would not get a ball python. They don't do so well in glass tanks as they have high humidity needs, and the screen tops don't hold in humidity and the glass walls don't hold heat it. It would be an uphill battle with constant stress on you and potential health issues for your snake.

Corn sakes and sand boas and hognoses do pretty well in glass tanks though, and a 40g long tank would be a good home for them.

I would suggest picking a species first, and then start researching. Some basics that you will need regardless:

1.) Hides, more than 1. Half logs can be pretty decoration but they aren't that great for a snake feeling safe in. A good cheap hide are these, which you can order online. These are well made, sturdy, dishwasher safe, and are enclosed spaces with only 1 entrance - my ball python and rainbow boa are both very happy with theirs. If you like aesthestics you can use foam and paint to make them look pretty cool using this tutorial or you can purchase some of these

2.) Heat Sources: You will need either ceramic heat emitters, under tank heaters, or both. I would recommend staying away from heat lights as you need to turn lights off at night and most snakes can see even red light. Ceramic heat emitters give off heat but not light. I don't have recommendations for these as I don't use them. I do have recommendations for under tank heaters, which are these, from the same place as the hides. You can also get heat tape from Reptile Basics and they are super helpful in making sure you have everything you need to set up with it. ZooMed or Zilla stick on pads are not that great and can break super easily. If you do end up with one of these, I suggest sticking aluminum foil to the adhesive and then attaching it with foil tape, this will make it re-usable. STAY AWAY FROM HEAT ROCKS.

3.) Thermostats. You will need 1 thermostat per heat source. This is NECESSARY. This is not something you can skip out on. Heat pads and CHE's can easily get hot enough to fry your reptiles. This is the model I am currently using for my heat sources, and other people here use them too. They don't have a lot of crucial safety features, though. I am saving up for one of these Herpstat's. You can get one with multiple probes for multiple heat sources, and it has a ton of good safety features. Tons of people here use these, so if you have questions about which one to get, someone here can answer you.

4.) Security: All snakes are escape artists. All of them. Even the one you don't see ever leave their hides. A stack of books or some rocks on the lid are not security measures. You will want to look into lid clamps, or a system that slides in and has a means of locking. I had my baby boa in an Iris Weathertight box which had 6 locking lid clamps while he was in quarantine. Now he is in an Animal Plastics t8 w sliding doors and I have a lock on them. If you have questions about if your set up will be secure enough, please post pics here and we can helpyou spot potential escape routes. Or you can just search "lost snake" or "escape" on this sub and see some of the ways snakes have escaped. But rocks and books are a guarantee to end with an escaped snake.

5.) Temp and Humidity Guages: These stick on ones are no good. They are dangerous and sometimes deadly - I don't care how cheap they are, or how much of a budget you are on, they are inaccurate and the adhesive WILL give way and your snake could get stuck to it. This is the one I use. I have the "outdoor" probe sitting on the floor of the enclosure on the hot side (under the substrate) and the unit itself sitting on the cool side. This lets me quickly see the temperature gradient and humidity.

6.) Substrate: This is going to be highly individual to what kind of snake you get and what its humidity needs are. Sand boas will need a ton more than a corn snake, for example. But pine is toxic, so avoid that. Figure out what kind of snake you are getting and plan for a substrate for them.

7.) What to Feed: you're gonna have to feed whole prey items. It is highly recommended that you feed either frozen/thawed or pre-killed. I order mine frozen thawed from either Layne Labs or Perfect Prey. I keep them in my freezer and I have a pair of feeding tongs I use to feed with. I usually take them out of the freezer and put them in the fridge the night before feeding day. When I get home from work I take them out of the fridge and set them on the counter (in a plastic bag) to get them to warm temp. Then I get some boiling water, put it in a bowl, put a plate on top of the bowl, and put the prey items on top of the plate. I do this until they reach approx 100F (use a IR temp gun if you have one), and then I run the heads under a hot water until they reach about 110F. I do this for both prey items for my ball python and my rainbow boa, even though my rainbow boa doesn't have heat pits, it's just easier cause I keep them in the same ziplock bag. I then use the tongs to dangle the prey and move it around to make it look like it's "live". Some snakes aren't picky and won't mind a room temp rodent, others will want a dance. My boa is a champ and will knock back food no problem. My ball python will want me to dance the rat around for twenty minutes while she gets into striking position and contemplates the meaning of life, the universe, and everything. Ball pythons are usually picky. Pre-killed means you buy the rodent live, and then kill it yourself, and immediately present it to the snake. You can achieve this with a euthanasia chamber or twisting the neck. Feeding live isn't really the greatest, as there is a chance the prey item will attack and hurt your snake. This is especially true of adult rats, which have sharp teeth and claws. In the wild, a snake could see a prey item and if it's not hungry, it could run away. In captivity, neither the rat nor the snake can run away, and this can lead to snakes being defensive and just trying to hide while a rat bites it fearing attack.

8.) How to Feed: In addition to this, you will probably hear about "cage agression" and needing a seperate tank to feed in. This is a lie. Your snake will not associate your hand / opening of the cage as "feeding time" unless it is the only time your hand is in there. And it won't be, you will be changing water, cleaning poop and urates, changing substrate, and more! After a snake has eating, they need at least 48 hours to digest their food. If they don't have this time, they may regurgitate the food. Regurgitation is an emergency medical event. In order to avoid this, after your snake has been feed, they should be left completely alone for 48 hours, no handling. If you feed in a seperate enclosure, this means that you will be moving your snake post-feeding. This also increases your chances of being bitten. Your hand may smell like rodent still, and your snake will still be in hunting mode, and may think your hand is seconds. So feed in your enclosure. It's less stressful for your snake, less stressful for you, and you have a much lower risk of being bitten.

That's a general overview, I may have left something out there, but I think you can get the general basics. Next you should pick a species and start asking here for more specific advise!!

I wish you and your future scale-child the best of luck!

Cool! I'll start with scent games. I am in Canine Nosework class with my dog, and we used to do food-scent games all of the time (before my dog understood that searching for scent (birch, anise, and clove) are where it's at).

What you can do is get a bunch of boxes. They don't have to be uniform, but it's best if they are similar in size/shape. I made eight boxes of my own using tape and cardboard from one giant box. Or you can buy your own.

Place really really stinky food (literally the stinkiest treats I've ever used in my life.. I swear they were made for Nosework) underneath one box. Keep the boxes separated only by 4 inches or so in a line, or two lines (to start). Set your dog up, and say, "find it" or "go search" or "search" or whatever you want your cue to be, and let your dog go! He/she will run around the room, smelling the boxes, trying to find the one with food in it. When he finds the one with food in it, you have to be right there to lift up the box so he can be rewarded with the food underneath, AND you have to feed treats from your pocket/bait bag to the dog at source (meaning feeding the treats on the ground right where the box is so the dogs nose is facing/touching the box where he found the treat).

You can make it more and more challenging by setting the boxes up differently. Some boxes you can put up high on chairs, some you can lean up against things.. later on, once your dog truly understands the game, you can buy boxes that are very oddly shaped... all different kinds of weird shapes/sizes. Just make sure that whatever you do, you always use the same "hot box," meaning, the box with the food in it is always the same box. You can have multiple "food" boxes of all different shapes/sizes.. you can even mark the one with food in it so you know which it is, but it has to remain the same. Residual odor can collect, and confuse your dog during his searches.

After he gets real good at boxes, you can start just hiding those treats randomly around the room and using your "search" cue to get him to hunt for it. Just be sure you're always using some sort of "staring line" or indicator that you're about to do a search with him. For instance, I hold my dogs Nosework harness from the back, I get low to the ground, and I hold her at the starting line before I say, "find it!"

You can do this off-leash, but if you do it on-leash, make sure you're using a very long leash so your dog has the space he needs to work away from you. The most important thing to remember about doing scent games, is that this is a very independent activity. Your dog does not need you crowding him, or giving him body language hints/cues. You have to keep your distance, and just be ready to swoop in and reward. The more you keep your distance, the more confidence building the exercise will be!! If your dog gets "stuck" and a problem is too difficult, move closer to the source yourself to get your dog to search specific areas.

I'm getting ahead of myself here, sorry. Scent games are really fun! Try them out!

Heeling is a fun cue to teach too. You have to use "backchaining." This is where you teach the last behavior you want, first. In a heel, the last thing you want to happen is that your dog sits by your side in heel position. So, you teach that. You use treats to swirl your dogs body around, and get your dog to move your butt into heel position. The most important thing to remember during training this, is that you should not be moving your body.. you should be getting your dog to move their body into heel position.

In the beginning, I used things like potted plant bases (ceramic and round) to get my dog to swivel into heel position. Her front paws on the ceramic base, and the side of my left food always touching the base. I'd get my dog to swivel her butt around while keeping her front legs on the base. I'd click whenever she swiveled her butt into heel position. This is called "rear-end awareness."

Here is Kikopup's rear-end awareness video that really covers it all! This is how you start teaching a heel.. no joke. You have to teach the dog how to get into heel position before you can hope to teach them to heel.

I'm not trying to get rid of you at all: if you work on this and your dog becomes successful with back-end awareness, message me! We can talk about what's next, and how to work on the heel cue, and heeling for long distances! I love updates!

>In terms of not letting her meet people/dogs when we walk, do I simply redirect her or cross the street?

Just don't let her meet them. I know, it sounds so simple.

Refocus her just like you would with any reactive dog, or undesired behavior generally. You want to click/treat and begin to refocus her as soon as possible, ideally before she does the undesired behavior. Once she does the undesired behavior, she needs to do something "good" for another treat so she does not associate the reward with the undesired behavior. The “good thing” is the SIT or LOOK/WATCH I mentioned in the other comment.

The key is to reinforce the good behavior so she knows that this is what to do, and meeting people is not what we do.

Don't cross the street, act normal.

>Don’t want my pup to get too chunky haha


As for treats, it really depends on the dog and what the dog likes. Some dogs hate crunchy treats while others will only take crunchy treats. It's important that the treats are small, or that you can make them small. There are a lot of treats involved, so smaller is better.

• Pocket Trainers are good, and occasionally Amazon has a sale on them so it's good to stock up when they do.
  
• Blue Buffalo Training Treats training treats are good, but expensive.
  
• Jerky is good, both chicken jerky and beef jerky are relatively cheap, available, and can be broken into small pieces for training.
  
• Dry food (kibble), just whatever you normally, use is a great lower value treat to mix in when you are giving her a lot in rapid succession (like the constant click/treat when someone is approaching). This is also cheaper than products marketed as treats.
  
  Some pet stores, especially smaller chains or non-chains, have treat samples. These are small bags so you can find out what your dog likes and what works best for her.
  
  To keep your dog from getting too big, cut her dry food (or wet food, whatever you use) down to 1/4 the regular serving at mealtimes.
  
  Supplement the reduced food at meals with vegetables mixed into the food, this way she feels fuller. You want her to get total of half her current serving of food at meals. I know this seems like a drastic cut, but she will get a lot of treats to make up for it.
  
  Whenever I've cut food less than this (such as to 1/2 current dry food plus vegetables it was not enough).
  
  If she currently gets 1 cup of kibble per meal, she would now get a total of 1/2 cup of food per meal, broken down as follow:
  
  
• 1/4 cup of dry food (or wet, whatever you currently use)
  
• 1/4 cup of vegetables
  
  If she seems to be loosing weight, you can add back in some dry food during meals.
  
  Vegetables
  
  Frozen green beans softened in water, or canned green beans if they are canned only in water.
  
  If she won't eat the green beans try canned carrots, do not use raw carrots since they can be tough on her stomach, canned carrots are already soft because of the water.
  
  
  >I just bought a clicker
  
  
  Buy more than 1 clicker, they get lost fast. Amazon usually has packs of 4 or 5 for less than 10 dollars.
  
  I also suggest a good treat pouch, just do a search on Amazon for "dog treat pouch" or "dog training pouch" and find one you like. There are a lot of them in different sizes, some have their own belt, others clip onto a belt, have a shoulder strap, or do all 3. I suggest finding one that you can wear at least 2 of those 3 ways (all 3 is best) to find out which is most comfortable for you. I would keep a clicker in the treat pouch, so you always have it. Like I said, they get lost fast.

the up front costs of setting up the enclosure vary a lot depending on whether you want utilitarian and cheap or aesthetically pleasing and expensive, as well as the quality of the equipment you use. using a corn snake as an example, since i think that's the most beginner-friendly of the three species you listed, you could set up an enclosure for an adult at anywhere between $50 and $500.

i'll give you some examples based on setups i have/had.

low-end:

• 74qt sterilute underbed tub with air holes drilled/soldered in the sides.
  
• luggage straps to secure the tub.
  
• ultratherm UTH [under tank heater].
  
• hydrofarm thermostat to regulate the UTH.
  
• digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer to monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature/humidity.
  
• cheap/free household items like cardboard boxes for hides, paper towels or newspaper for substrate, plastic food container for water, etc.
  
  mid-range:
  
  
• glass tank, generally in the size range of 30gal to 55gal. could be free, cheap, or $100+ depending on what size you get and where you find it. craigslist can get you really cheap tanks, and petco/petsmart have dollar-per-gallon sales often.
  
• an appropriately sized screen lid and sturdy lid clips for the tank. these things can be purchased separately from the tank.
  
• ultratherm UTH.
  
• hydrofarm thermostat to regulate the UTH.
  
• lamp and CHE [ceramic heat emitter] for ambient heat if your room temperature tends to be below 70 F.
  
• digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer to monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature/humidity.
  
• infrared thermometer to spot-check the temperature anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• two reptile basics hide boxes.
  
• metal or ceramic dog bowl for a water dish.
  
• shredded aspen substrate.
  
  high-end:
  
  
• pvc reptile cage. prices vary depending on the manufacturer. animal plastics is generally the cheapest but requires assembly. i have my corn in a boaphile plastics 421D cage, which is bigger than he really needs but i have a stack of cages so i needed size uniformity, and i like to give my snakes more than the minimum requirement of length+width of enclosure being equal to length of snake.
  
• UTH and/or RHP [radiant heat panel], can be included in the purchase of the cage. i only have a UTH because my room temperature stays in the 70-75 F range year round. i recommend an RHP if your room temperature tends to be below 70 F.
  
• herpstat to regulate the temperature. a herpstat intro+ is fine if you only use one heat source, a herpstat 2 would be best if you use two heat sources.
  
• digital dual sensor thermometer/hygrometer to monitor the warm side floor temperature [with the probe] as well as the ambient temperature/humidity.
  
• infrared thermometer to spot-check the temperature anywhere in the enclosure.
  
• naturalistic style hides and water dish, such as this hide and this water dish from exo terra.
  
• additional hides, half-logs, driftwood, artificial plants, etc, to clutter up the enclosure and make it interesting.
  
• naturalistic style substrate like cypress mulch, coconut husk mulch [the big chunky pieces, not the soil-like coconut fiber], fir bark mulch, etc.
  
  then there are basic medical and emergency supplies. i recommend having these things on hand:
  
  
• a good disinfectant for the enclosure. this stuff is the best.
  
• a way to contain/transport your snake outside of the enclosure. this can be a cotton pillowcase, a snake bag, or a small plastic tub with a locking lid and air holes.
  
• uniheat shipping packs for providing heat during a power outage or evacuation.
  
• a spare UTH and basic thermostat, so you're not scrambling to find a replacement if anything breaks.
  
• povidone-iodine [betadine] and an antibiotic ointment without pain relief [neosporin]. these are useful in treating things like minor burns, cuts, scale rot, etc.
  
• provent-a-mite to tackle a mite infestation.
  
  as far as annual costs go, electricity is negligible for one snake, so you're really just dealing with food and substrate. for a corn snake, you're looking at $30-$40 per year if you buy mice from expos, local shops/suppliers, or online bulk suppliers, instead of the way overpriced petco/petsmart/etc. substrate costs depend on what type you buy, how big your enclosure is, how deep you keep the substrate, and how often you do full substrate changes, could be anywhere from $20 to $100 per year.

I understand and sympathize with the cost. I think if you look at my spread sheet I don't even list Vision Cages. That might be an oversight now that I think about it. Hind sight being 20/20, had you not spent the money on that setup something like an NPI or Boaphile 322D might be doable. Again I am not here to criticize your choices. Only to show others what is out there. Glass tanks are doable if you put in the effort and you clearly are.

On the spread sheet their are two hides I like. Before I tell you about them let me tell you want I look for and why. I have three qualities that I care about and then a 4th that I consider. How tight fitting it is, how easy it is to clean, how natural it looks and of course all of that has to come at a reasonable price.

Exo Terra Reptile Cave

These hides have come down in price a lot on amazon and at these prices I think they are my favorite. They are very natural looking and reasonably easy to clean. The problem is that I only like the extra large and medium. The large is too flat in my opinion for BP's. That being said the extra large is my all time favorite for all but the 2000 gram or more ball pythons. Its a really tight fit for 1500+ gram snakes but they really seam to like it.

Now on the other side of things I love Reptile Basics Hide Boxes

They are super easy to clean, very inexpensive and the opening being off set to the side is a really nice touch. The cost is great too. I started my BP on Medium hides and moved her up to Large and eventually Extra Large. An extra large reptile basics hide is about the same as the Exo Terra extra large. I have my coastal carpet in a Jumbo Hide Box and once again I am very happy with it.

The key to hides for a BP is not moving them up to the next size hide until they are so tight in their hide that they lift if off the cage floor as if they are wearing it. Then and only then do you know its time to move up. Even then they tend look for a tighter fitting hide for a while after the switch.

One of my shibes is super picky too! Jerky type is her favorite but meat-based treats are her preference for sure; I've found anything with salmon she usually loves. She does not like peanut butter or anything "cheese" flavored. We get Barkbox and I usually reorder what she really likes so I know I always have some on hand. I usually break up bigger jerky-style ones to make them last longer since they're more on the expensive side. I'll link some of her faves below:

• True Chews - steak jerky, duck jerky
  
• Trader Joe's salmon strips ($3.99 here in FL I believe)
  
• Zuke's Training Treats - 6 flavors (I got this when I realized how picky she was, she liked 4/6 flavors)
  
  ​
  
  She also loves string cheese. It's her #1 favorite thing in the world I think :) I sometimes get the cheap sliced meat and use that for treats on occasion if she needs to be persuaded into something or distracted! I hope this helps!!!

I use cartilage chews with my girl. She hates brushing. She gets a yearly brush at the vet and the bully treats work really well for keeping her teeth cleaner.

There's a caveat. You can't just give them the treat they could choke on it. You need to hold on to one side while they tear and take away the parts that break off. So they're chewing but not really eating it. I wish I'd found them earlier.

Amazon has a 25 pack of 6" bully treats for $20 and that's a couple/few
Months worth allowing her to chew one over the course of 3-4 days.

The bonus is they love them. And it's a nice bonding experience to hold the treat while she chews. She thinks I'm helping her.

None of the other stuff is safe. The greenies and rawhide etc. I did a ton of research and the bully treats from cartilage are about the best thing chewy wise you can get. Be careful of the dental chews. Most if not all of them are really bad for the dogs. Check the ingredient and then google them. You'll be surprised how much truly bad stuff is marketed as appropriate for your beloved.

Here is what I buy.

6-inch Joint Jerky Dog Treats by Best Bully Sticks (25 Pack) All Natural Beef Dog Treats https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014JOTMOW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.pbczbWQ0FAX4

As they chew isn't shreds and pulls through their teeth. In the end you need to take the dog in for yearly cleanings at the vet. If you can find a low cost clinic it's around $250-300 but it can lead to a 50% longer life. Just getting their teeth cleaned and they won't be in pain from tooth ache.

For litter, I've used "SwheatScoop" for as long as it's been available and it's awesome. It clumps, it's virtually dust-free, it holds in odors, and to top it off it's safely flushable.

Vinegar — or anything else — will do little to deter a ferret from pooping or peeing where he/she wants to. Keep their litter boxes (yes, plural) clean, add toys or other interesting things to corners you don't want them to go in, and hope for the best.

My business eats Wellness Core for adult cats, which is very good. As for treats, untreated jerky (no salt, sugar, or fillers) is a favorite. One of my ferrets ADORES these VERA hamburger dog treats.

When my BN plecos were breeding, secure caves were super important. The first time they spawned was in a little hole in some driftwood. I've since had others spawn in thin glass vases (that was super cool to see) and pretty much anything secure that they can both fit into. They really like the whole thing to be enclosed- they don't like it when other fish have access to their cave- only one entrance is good. You can buy pleco caves online. If you really want them to breed, get a male and 2-3 females (so you would either have to get mature fish or a handful of younger ones to grow out and rehome as necessary). I had one male that spawned with two females each month- one would drop her eggs, leave, and then the other one would. They spawned in one of these reptile caves. I had A LOT of little plecos for a long time with that trio. Other than that, clean water and good food.

I know this is overkill to list it all out, but this is what I listed for somebody else a little while back. Yes, you're probably already doing most of it.

• Undertank heater that will give belly heat between 89f-92f on 1/3 of tank.
  Thermostat to control heater
  
• IR thermometer to do random checks of the hot side.
  
• Cold side and hot side hides. Yes, two. It needs hides that allow it to regulate its temperature while feeling safe. Place the hot side hide centered over the heat pad.
  
• Water dish: shallow and wide. This allows them to get in if they want. I've heard of some liking it. Mine has never gotten in.
  
• Moist hide: use moss or paper towels to hold moisture. Can be made from a tupperware container. Plenty of guides on youtube.
  
• Food dish: preferably slick, so that live worms can't crawl out
  
• Calcium dish: powdered calcium without d3 provided daily.
  Tank decor of your choice.
  
• Substrate: I prefer having two tank sized pieces of repticarpet so that I can swap them out for cleaning. Some people like paper towels. Others like tile. It's really down to preference.
  
  You want a digital thermostat controlling that heat pad, with the probe either between the pad and glass or right on the top side of the glass (centered on the pad). You also need to lift the tank up a bit and stick the heat pad to the glass. Airflow under the heat pad will allow it to breath and last longer.
  
  Turn off the light. Your LG is nocturnal and doesn't like the light. Turning of the light will encourage it to venture out during the day as well as at night.
  
  Here's the type of hide I like to use: http://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Reptile-Cave-Medium/dp/B001F3YJ9O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1463847094&sr=8-2&keywords=reptile+cave

Your best bet is to hit your local pet store and look at the aquarium and terrarium section. The reptile and aquarium sections have sand of varying levels of coarsness/fineness. (reptile's generally use very fine grade sand which works great as sand for that scale as the coarse ones used for aquariums can cause issues with blockages when ingested by lizards) .

​

Exo Terra terrarium soil is also pretty good to use for soil.

​

Terrarium Moss is great for doing shrubs and folliage.

Glad you guys survived your first group class! I totally agree about coming and going being the most stressful part, that was our experience as well. When we had May in a group class we let her lick these little travel sized cups of peanut butter to help calm her down.

For treats, May likes Merrick power bites and Cloud Star tricky trainers in various flavors, which are easy to use and don't smell horrible. She never really loved Zuke's minis. Also these Real Meat salmon jerky treats are fishy and stinky but less crumbly than those salmon cookies. They are easy to tear apart into small pieces. Also have you tried using more high value people food, like ham or boiled chicken?

It's primarily coco fibre, but it supports plant growth and is 100% safe from what I understand. Made for reptiles and amphibians

Shop for your best price but this is the stuff

https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Plantation-Soil-pack/dp/B007Z8JC3G/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=2W9JHUZPFP4KW&keywords=plantation+soil+exo+terra&qid=1556513261&s=gateway&sprefix=plantation+soil&sr=8-1

First, congratulations! I'm excited for you. Reminds me of my first time and the excitement it brought. Here's a list of things I learned to keep on hand for my Dobbie:
 

• Oatmeal Shampoo - Oatmeal naturally conditions fur and keeps skin hydrated. My Dog had dandruff and I didn't want to get anything that was medicated. This shampoo helped keep the coat clean and shiny.
   
  
  
• Grizzly Salmon Oil Supplement - Most dog food sold in bulk is full of corn, grains and ground up tendons and bones. If you're not adding meats, whole grains, pumpkin, etc to his diet, just kibble by itself doesn't contain enough nutrients. Salmon oil was also recommended by my Vet. to help keep skin, coat healthy. Just a small squirt on top of kibble and he seemed to really love his meal.
   
  
  
• Grain free Turkey Jerky - All treats don't have to be biscuits or rawhide. These are some healthier alternatives and not that expensive either.
   
  
  
• High Quality Nail Clippers - If you plan on trimming his nails yourself. Mine wouldn't let me at first, but with some training, patience and treats, this became easier and saves atleast $10-$15 dollars each time on nail-trims at the groomers.

Thanks guys, on that page i found the Exo Terra ones for 3pack=6$ that will show up tomorrow so wish me luck!

https://smile.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Plantation-Quarts-3-Pack/dp/B001CY4ELE/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Eco-Earth+coco+coir&qid=1570065921&refinements=p_85%3A2470955011&rnid=2470954011&rps=1&sr=8-3

I chose exo as I found exo, many had the title "eco earth" with different manf, havent been to a pet store in years and closest i know of its pets mart, since Exo Terra Plantation Soil was listed at $6 for a 3pack i figured its best to get exactly what you guys posted. I have 3 hours to order if anyone thinks Exo Terra Plantation Soil is not the best option for a first time bulk grower. But thank for the info! Much appreciated.

Half logs don’t make great hides. You’ll want something more cave-like to provide the snake with a sense of security. My ball pythons love these hides.

Also, how’s the humidity in there? Tall glass tanks like that (I’m assuming that’s glass, correct me if I’m wrong) tend to dry out easily.

absolute essentials are a basking bulb and a UV bulb. I'm in the UK so sorry for the probably-non-native links, but something like these:

UVB tube bulb (UVB is important, not UVA!)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Zoo-Med-SR-05-Repti-18-inch/dp/B0009YJ3BE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494516822&sr=8-1&keywords=reptisun%2Buvb%2B18%2Binch&th=1

Basking light

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Exo-Terra-PT2136-Intense-Basking/dp/B0002AR3OY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1494516880&sr=8-2&keywords=basking+bulb

you'll then want some tank decorations, a hide or built up hiding spot, a basking location (like a stump or a rock or something by your basking bulb) and then what ever else you want to dress the enclosure with.

Get yourself some calcium with D3, as you'll need to powder the meals that they eat.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/Reptiles-Amphibians/Vetark-Professional-Nutrobal-Reptiles-50/B00393SPSE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494517062&sr=8-3&keywords=calcium+d3+reptile

That one there is a reptile specific one. some will say you don't want to overdo the d3 and you can just feed them regular calcium carbonate on those days (you can find this anywhere. CaCO3. I have a 2kg catering bag that I use for both the lizard's food and my own heartburn issues!)

I think that covers it. As always - remember to check the care guide in the sidebar, it's got plenty of good setup info in there for new owners

Here are some links for ease :)

Laske Kronch (Ingredients: Salmon (min 85%), Fish Meal.)

Go Fish by Polkadog Bakery (Tilapia, brown rice and potato flour)

Carnivore Kisses - Alaskan Salmon by Stella and Chewy (100% Wild Alaskan Salmon Treats – Salmon)

Freeze Dried Salmon Treats by Bravo! (Salmon)

Freeze Dried Whitefish by Grandma Lucy's (USDA Pollock Filets)

Freeze Dried fish bites by Le Dogue (Freeze-dried fish)

Just in case you want to branch out, here are some other ideas for novel protein treats

Bison Jerky bits by Wild Meadow (U.S.A. Free-range Bison, All-natural Vegetable Glycerin, Potassium Sorbate (preservative)) - Comes in Duck as well

Simply Lamb by Sojos (lamb)

Buffalo Training Treats by Bravo! (Buffalo Heart)

Lamb Liver Treats by Primal (Lamb liver)

Unfortunately, there are more important criteria to consider when setting up a new snake aside from what you like the look of-like what will work best in the enclosure and what will give the snake the best quality of life. Just having it pushed against the back isn't a very efficient solution; after all, it can be moved, and in a clear glass tank, it can still feel exposed. Many experienced keepers also recommend having two identical hides so the snake doesn't have to choose between security and temperature, but as far as I'm concerned, as long as you've got two appropriately sized single-entrance hides, you should be okay. I use these with a few of my snakes, they work well too.

This will vary by ferret. The most common thing to use is long grain rice or pinto beans. Both are great, but only if your ferret doesn't eat them!

Other options are playsand, coconut fiber, and "plantation soil". Coconut fiber and plantation soil have worked best in my business. You do have to keep it a bit moist though or it gets too dusty for them.

https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Plantation-Quarts-3-Pack/dp/B001CY4ELE/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=Exo+Terra+Plantation+Soil%2C+8+Quarts%2C+3-Pack&qid=1555796983&s=gateway&sr=8-2

This is a good option on Amazon. But you can find any really, that's Amazon's best choice. Kiwi is about 1 - 1.5 years old. We took her in ♡ so we're not 100% sure.

I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/Marshall-Pet-Products-Deluxe-Small/dp/B0013TT2SS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425405935&sr=8-1&keywords=marshall+playpen

And you can add additional panels to it to make it larger: http://www.amazon.com/Marshall-Ferret-Animal-Playpen-Expansion/dp/B000YK9RT6/ref=pd_bxgy_petsupplies_img_z

It's 30-inches high which can be a little short if your rabbit is a jumper or an escape artist, but there are a lot of ways to modify it to prevent it.

Here's an image of how I currently have mine set up. I definitely recommend it.

Reptihabitat kit $154 and that's overpriced considering how much of the stuff in it you'll just throw away. You can get a 20 long and a folding screen top from Petsmart for about $50 and the 2 light dome for another $50.

https://www.petsolutions.com/C/Reptile-Habitats/I/Zoo-Med-ReptiHabitat-Bearded-Dragon-Kit.aspx?catargetid=520009670000580654&cadevice=c&gclid=CjwKCAjw2s_MBRA5EiwAmWIac2ZBedmIdyBdq_7s09x4txgNz-FvlD5uiNVmX3KfTKu4lo9XpjanfBoCGVUQAvD_BwE

14" t5 hood $38.80

https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptisun-T5-Ho-Terrarium/dp/B00M9ONY1W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502887235&sr=8-1&keywords=14%22+t5

Half log $8.60

https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Habba-Extra-Large/dp/B0010ONMV4/ref=sr_1_7?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1502887697&sr=1-7&keywords=reptile+hide

Hide XL $25.98

https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Reptile-Extra-Large/dp/B0002AR5BA/ref=sr_1_21?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1502887697&sr=1-21&keywords=reptile+hide

12" t5 10.0 Bulb $20.77

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N1DY82E/ref=sxbs_sxwds-stvp_2?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=3171424582&pd_rd_wg=9dlUL&pf_rd_r=5FMKXWA2ASD8TY18EGDD&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-bottom-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B00N1DY82E&pd_rd_w=bTBUC&pf_rd_i=14%22+t5&pd_rd_r=GGP34DN67RR24AP1GD50&ie=UTF8&qid=1502887808&sr=2

Everything you see here can be had for $248.15 brand new. As soon as you walk out the door of the pet store, that stuff is worth less than half that. Also considering that this setup is not going to work for an adult and it becomes even less desirable. If I were looking to sell this setup I would sell on craigslist and consider myself extremely fortunate to get $100 for it all.

That's awesome that you moved from sand, it can actually kill leos, particularly babies. The cricket stuff you're using sounds good too!

As for suggestions, definitely the UTH and thermostat combo I linked, since those are both decently priced. I've used these hides and have liked them, but you can definitely get away with just buying the Petsmart/Petco ones and it may be a little cheaper. Likewise, some people just cut opaque tupperware or use broken (but smooth-edged) pots and stuff as well. I even had a friend who made their hides out of legos.

The smelliest treat I've given Eva was this. She LOVED it, but jesus the entire apartment smelled like that for the whole rest of the day! Never again lol.

• nature's miracle for cleaning up the stains and smells
  
• a kong
  
  personally i think puppy pads aren't a good idea if you are able to take your puppy outside.
  
  we get some dog chews from amazon. i'm in the UK so not sure if these US prices are good:
  
  
• davies puffed jerky
  
• goodboy raw hide bones

They slow down growing considerably at 2 years.

Coastals and jungles are real hard to tell apart. A lot of people believe they're the same subspecies, just different localities, so your confusion is totally justified. She could be half-jungle half-coastal for all we know.

My 2000g female ball python loves these hides. Might be big enough? Maybe on the small side. Depends on how thick your carpet is. I grow my animals slow and very slender, my male who's 4ft would be dwarfed in that thing. The larger Pet tech bolder hides might work if she's freakin' huge, but they're really expensive...

Wellness Pure Rewards: http://www.amazon.com/Wellness-Grain-Free-Rewards-Chicken-6-Ounce/dp/B000MLHDS4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1414007878&sr=8-2&keywords=wellness+pure+rewards

Our dog trainer had the Wellness Jerky at one of our training sessions. Scuba really loved it. It was soft and easy to break up into pieces. I think we tried the beef flavor, but they have a chicken and lamb flavor that might suit your needs.
http://www.amazon.com/Wellness-Rewards-Chicken-Natural-6-Ounce/dp/B000MLHDS4/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1462978151&sr=1-1&keywords=Wellness+jerky&refinements=p_n_feature_browse-bin%3A3059590011

Thanks! The kit I bought came with a larger aquarium (30" x 12" x 12"). I have the calcium powder for the crickets (2nd pet store told me to use it). The 2nd pet store was very informative. These are the lights I currently have:

• Exo-Terra 75W Intense Basking Spot. This is the one I got at PetSmart that they told me is the only light I needed.
  
  These came with the kit:
  
  
• Desert Series 50 Fluorescent Coil Bulb
  
  
• Day Blue Light 150W
  
  
• Night Black Heat
  
  The temperature gauge I have in there also shows humidity. I'll grab a 2nd one tomorrow and put them on separate sides of the tank.

It can vary a bit based on what my puppy is going crazy for at the time. She only gets peanut butter stuffed kongs in her crate (I freeze them so it occupies her longer) and she also goes nuts over these jerky treats from Amazon so sometimes I'll tear a stick of it up into pieces and scatter it around her crate for her to find. My dog is super food motivated so she's easy to lure into her crate because she can't resist her favorite treats and things like a frozen stuffed kong occupy her and distract her while I'm actually leaving and for a bit after until she shifts into nap mode.

Look at some Exo Terra or ZooMed caves; you should be able to find some decent decor at your local pet store! Just flip it over and make sure there aren't any holes he could get stuck in. I use these in the Large size for my adult corn: https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Reptile-Cave-Medium/dp/B0002AR5B0?th=1&psc=1

For a cheaper alternative, cardboard boxes stuffed with some aspen or paper towels make an easy and snug option!

These and these are both highly motivating for my dog and lower in calories. The jerky is about 4 calories per section (35 calories per stick, according to the company when I emailed them). The Pro Plan chicken is 8 calories per piece and they can easily be split in half.

My dog isn't motivated by Zukes and other training treats.

It all depends I think the way that this company does it is very smart.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00H2ZS5VM/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?qid=1457794505&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=Dog+treats+Jerky

Zukes minis

Zuke's jerky bites

Zukes filets

Wellness pure rewards

Rocco & roxie jerky sticks

Honest Kitchen Beams

plato salmon strips

sojos

freeze dried lamb

Those are some my dogs like.

Edit: Most of these can be cut up into small pieces for training

Don't use wood chips for cresties, especially if you feed live food in the tank. They aren't very smart and risk impaction.

I'd say coco-fiber for the cresties, and coco-fibre mixed with sphagnum moss for the tokays.

Coco-fibre is probably your best bet. It is the ground coconut husk, small enough for the geckos to pass if ingested.

http://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Plantation-Quarts-3-Pack/dp/B001CY4ELE

I got it from my local mom and pop pet store. It is available on amazon though ... https://www.amazon.com/Exo-Terra-Reptile-Cave-Medium/dp/B001F3YJ9O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481306407&sr=8-1&keywords=lizard+hide

if you live in the us one of the cheapest places to get coir is amazon.

3x8qt bricks for $4.49

http://www.amazon.com/Wellness-Grain-Free-Rewards-Chicken-6-Ounce/dp/B000MLHDS4/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1372452299&sr=1-3&keywords=wellness+dog+treats

This and freeze dried liver are the only treats I give my dog.

We have a playpen for ours and we bought "extension panels" zip ties two of them together and got some hooks, boom, woozle resistant gate like these

I have been looking into this as well. With Millie's recurring URI I am also hesitant to use soil. It is also incredibly difficult to find untreated soil in small amounts for purchase in my area.

One thing I have read here and elsewhere is to try coconut husk fiber that is used in reptile terrariums. Eco Earth is a brand name I have seen a lot, and I also found this one that seemed cheap enough for a one off try.


Another suggestion made in a similar thread by /u/PeaceLoveLindzy was flax seed. I have also thought about picking some of that up to try. Once we get back from our trip I plan to give one or both a try to see how it goes.