I have a 20-30 gal. tank... what pet should I get?

[cococat]

Please read these and follow them for the health of your Dragon
http://www.beautifuldragons.503xtrem...neralCare.html
http://www.kakadudragons.com/caresheet/caresheet.php

 

[princess-pickle]

They're my sisters lizards, I just know she feed them crickets, carrots, lettuce and sometimes apple and pear. She leaves out in her bedroom, it's always fairly hot in there...hmmm, I'll have to ask her about that!

 

[cococat]

There are forums that have people from the UK in case some of the veggies are called different things in the UK vs. the US and that can help you get the correct tools and feeder insects vital for the life of your pet

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by Princess-Pickle

They're my sisters lizards, I just know she feed them crickets, carrots, lettuce and sometimes apple and pear. She leaves out in her bedroom, it's always fairly hot in there...hmmm, I'll have to ask her about that!

Show your sister the care sheets

If you think she might not be caring for them properly or be willing to change what she's doing wrong, show your parents. If they paid for the pets, surely they'd want their children to care for them correctly.

 

[princess-pickle]

Yeah, I'll do that! Why shouldn't they get a proper diet?! I'll print some of the care sheets off now...

 

[bijou's mom]

Originally Posted by thh20

I have 6 platys. 2 blue and 4 red... oh, and a bottom-feeder and a myriad of tiny little snails that we're guessing are the "children" of the single snail we had in there originally.

I was too lazy to read through every post so I don't know if anyone already told you this, but your 10 gallon tank IS overstocked. The rule of thumb for fish is one gallon of water per 1 square inch of fish.

 

[shopcat]

I agree with the people who suggest keeping fish, & one person in there suggested keeping a live planted aquarium.
I've been keeping live plants in 2 small aquariums for quite awhile now, & it's beautiful & very addicting! You would have to invest in a good lighting fixture & the right type of substrate for keeping plants, & commit to learning the science involved...but it's not bad, it just seems intimidating at first. Beautiful planted tanks are a thing of patience & learning.
I go to this forum & have learned ALOT.
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/index.php

After keeping live plants, plastic plants will never again be acceptable!
They also create a wonderful environment for your fish.

 

[lemur 6]

Unless you have an extremely secure top, I would suggest against getting a snake. Secure tops are also pretty expensive. Now with that out of the way, if you do have a very tight fitting escape proof top, a corn snake would be very at home in a 30 gal tank. I'm partial to the miami phase (they stay small and cute). The larger ones like Okeetees might feel cramped though. They need mice though, so be prepared to pre-kill them, or handle frozen mice (absolutely do not feed live mice, not even pinkies!).

Leopard geckos would be very at home in a 30 gal tank also. As long as you only have females, it's okay to have multiple geckos in one tank. Males will tear each other apart, and if you have them with females, they'll relentlessly breed with them during breeding season. You also don't need to worry about a top with leos, just make sure the cats can't go anywhere near the tanks. If you aren't squeamish about insects/larvae, should be all good, and food should be readily available from most pet stores, or better you can start your own colonies. I feed mine superworms, silkworms, mealworms, and the occasional wax worm and pinkie mouse.

With reptiles, don't forget to put in the extra cost of heat lamps/pads, dry hides, humid hides, thermometers, hygrometers, themostats/rheostats (someway to regulate the heat), vertical space (things to climb on, logs, limbs, etc), vitamin powders, and gutload the feed. Even with mice, I like to buy them alive (or breed them) and feed them extra healthy food for at least a few days before I feed them to my snake (fresh veggies and fruit, cereal, high protein kitten food, etc).

 

[ladycat]

well i voted for fish but I think a gerbil or 2 or 3 would be a good idea! I have only 2 left, saldy male & female so they can't be caged together. I hand feed them treats and the boy is very handleable..(that a word?). I've been thinking about getting a friend for my male gerbil cuz he still on the youngish side..well middle aged really & the girl she is pretty old though I wish I could for her sake but i don't want the never ending cycle of gerbils in 2 tanks! Good luck, let us know what you decide!

 

[salemwitchchild]

Originally Posted by Siggav

What fish do you have now in your 10 gallon? A lot of tanks are overstocked and it might very well be that your current fish would really appreciate the extra space and thrive in a larger tank.

I think your duty goes first to the animals you have already before adding to your load.

Originally Posted by thh20

I have 6 platys. 2 blue and 4 red... oh, and a bottom-feeder and a myriad of tiny little snails that we're guessing are the "children" of the single snail we had in there originally.

I agree with Siggav, you need to give the bigger tank to your fish. That many fish in a 10 gal tank is way too small for them. They'd enjoy and thrive in the larger tank.

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by Lemur 6

Secure tops are also pretty expensive.

$4 for 2 sets of simple metal clips that lock a basic heavy screen lid to the top of an aquarium. There's no way they can be pushed up from the inside if they're clamped on properly.

Originally Posted by Lemur 6

Leopard geckos would be very at home in a 30 gal tank also. As long as you only have females, it's okay to have multiple geckos in one tank.

Two won't fit into a 30 gal. These are decently sized lizards, add to that to put two in a cage you must provide two of everything; 2 warm hides, 2 cool hides, 2 humid hides. Geckos cannot 'share', laying on top of one another is a display of dominance.
Even females can fight...

Originally Posted by Lemur 6

I feed mine superworms, silkworms, mealworms, and the occasional wax worm and pinkie mouse.

There's no need to feed an insectivorous gecko mice. It's an archaic practice that's unnecessary, there's more benefit to be had from a meal of superworms or silkworms.


I think the OP has probably rethought reptiles by now.

 

[cococat]

Originally Posted by strange_wings

$I think the OP has probably rethought reptiles by now.

The OP wasn't really interested in them in the first place! LOL

Originally Posted by thh20

A friend of mine has offered me her large tank, and I'd like to get somebody to occupy that tank. I'm not a great fan of lizards or turtles (I used to have a turtle),
any other ideas?