The Summer Heat

With Summer upon us, we feel there are some very important precautions our customers should be taking with their animals that they may or may not be aware of. We hope the following is helpful to you and if you have any further questions that you will take the time to e-mail us or comment.

When traveling with your reptile or amphibian, do not leave them in your car without the air conditioning running. Also, do not leave them in direct sunlight. Most people will place their animals in deli cups- clear plastic containers with holes around the side that are provided when you buy the animal- this can prove lethal if sunlight is hitting the container. Animals will quickly suffer heat stroke- this can occur in less than a few minutes! You may also want to consider using cold packs to keep the container cool. To do so, place the container in a box and surround the cold pack with newspaper so it is not in direct contact with the animal.

If you keep your pet outdoors, make sure it is capable of living in the elements of your location. Some areas suffer from major extremes where it is upwards of 90 degrees during the day and drops down to the low 50’s at night. This kind of pattern can cause respiratory problems in some species and can actually kill others! Be sure to check their water bowls numerous time throughout the day, not only to check the levels but to be sure that the water isn’t too hot and is clean. To prevent the water temperature from rising to dangerous levels, you may want to place it in a shady area or build a covering for it (kind of like a car port). Also, be sure that you have areas where the animal can retreat to be out of the sunlight. For smaller tortoises and even box turtles, we find that the dog igloos work perfect. Plants that are full around the base are also a great way to provide shade (be sure the plants in the enclosure are not toxic-see our toxic plant list).

Good luck this Summer and be safe!

Tags: care, health, temperature