Welcome To My Scaly World

Fish and Reptiles mostly. I'm an experienced aquatics keeper with a background in exotic imports and freshwater wholesale. This is my personal collection, and I love them very, very much.

[friendly-familiars]

“But if we stop breeding spider BPs, we’ll lose all these pretty morphs!!”

[everythingfox]

it’s His egg

[draco-the-kitsune]

the sounds

[accapella-songfield-uwu]

JUST LET HIM HAVE THE EGG DAMMIT

[yoozuhbish]

Which Pokémon is this again?

[everythingfox]

Eevee

[tonightweredrinkingfromthebong]

[kedreeva]

If it will fit into their face, birds will eat it.

If it will not fit into their face, birds will attempt to eat it anyway, and will likely succeed out of sheer spite and hubris.

People are worried about snakes sizing them up to eat (which they don’t even do, by the way), but snakes are just a spine with a face. Ratites like the cassowary here are basically velociraptors that did not Survive The Apocalypse just to put up with human nonsense about who can eat an apple faster. They can. And you’re next.

[queenscaly]

A majestic Buttercup.

[mayakern]

pssssssst………………. goldfish skirt

store.mayakern.com

[mayakern]

a self indulgent summer look

[queenscaly]

Things I need.

[queenscaly]

Majestic! (also don't judge me for the enclosure too much she's getting upgrades soon)

[queenscaly]

There's a new critter in our family. She is as of yet unnamed. She was a relinquish at the store my my boyfriend works at, so he was able to acquire her, along with all of her enclosure and supplies for $20. Her supplies are... sufficient, but we have definite improvements planned. She's so pretty and calm and inquisitive and in just the most pristine health! She engages in a way that is very different from a snake, watching me from inside the tank. Lovely lovely lovely creature.

[queenscaly]

It is with a heavy heart that I have to announce Penelope Peabody's passing. She was relatively old for a puffer so I'm lead to believe that her death is natural. She passed in relative peace early this afternoon. Her mate, Pierre was quite concerned during her short struggle, and seems to miss her as much as a puffer fish can. She was a good fish, very loved, and her grumpy face will be dearly missed on my desk.

[queenscaly]

Got some new driftwood and moar plants for the tropic tank.

[queenscaly]

There is no better feeling in fishkeeping than to check the quarantine and see recovery.

[yesterdaysprint]

The Daily Times, New Philadelphia, Ohio, July 9, 1924

[queenscaly]

Just loachin' around.

[queenscaly]

Fish Help: Anybody know what might be going on with her bloodied cheeks? She had some spots in her wen last week, but those resolved without issue, I figured she had bopped her head. Do orandas break out as their wen grows in? There's no parasites or diseases in the tank, and decent water and food quality. She doesn't seem stressed in any way so I'm not worried, yet.

[queenscaly]

A Labyrinth Orb Weaver has taken up residence in my back yard. Pretty sure it's a boy, cuz he's smol. Lovely little web.

[jumpingjacktrash]

one of the happiest things in life

is sitting here in my comfy chair reading and watching the rain, and hearing a soft clinking of stones beside me and looking to see my toad paddling in his water bowl.

i don’t even know how to explain why that’s such happiness.

the bowl is an art piece i got at the northfield art fair the first year i lived here. it has a really cool reactive glaze finish, blue and tan and white like earth from space. one of a kind. i filled it with interesting stones i’ve picked up along the way, agates and quartzes and fossils. they glimmer under the water.

they’re my treasures, but to keith the toad, they’re just something to sit on while he relaxes in the bath. keith the toad is also my treasure. you can’t cudde a toad; you can get them used to being handled, but they don’t have the concept of social touch, so it’s always going to be kind of annoying to them. he’s not for petting. he’s just for having, and watching, as he goes about his toadly business. my little lumpy squashy mossy nature friend.

all my best treasures have been living ones. the rosebush in my front yard, that blooms its very hardest after the first frost. the linden tree that shades the porch, so fragrant in june. cats and cats and cats. friends! my herb garden, my terrarium, my big tank of little fishes.

and now there is a shoelace with a teeny teeny face squiggling around keith’s terrarium, and he is not sure how he feels about it – they’ve been kind of avoiding each other – but seeing that little head periscoping up above a creeping charlie leaf like the tiniest brontosaurus in the bittiest jungle just makes my day. idk if mister tuttle gets to stay, or gets his own enclosure, or gets released in the back yard once the weather warms up. but i’m so happy i get to watch him for a while.

tl;dr: bear druid is the best thing to be.

[queenscaly]

This enclosure is beautiful and lovely. However, I’m gonna highly recommend housing these animals in separate enclosures, even in the short term. These animals have different thermoregulation needs. Additionally, while I don’t think your baby shoelace is much of a threat to an adult toad, the opposite may not be the case. Some species of toads can secrete toxins when stressed, which could make the snake ill, and having a snake in an enclosure with you is likely to be a source of stress for a toad. Baby snake would do well in a plastic tub or glass enclosure with heat tape for warmth, and a good tube or cave or two to hide in.

[jumpingjacktrash]

if i decide to keep the snake, i will definitely get him his own enclosure. i figure he’ll be fine at room temperature for a few days, considering if he were outdoors he’d be dealing with 45*f and drizzle right now.

i might have to obtain box-with-lid for him sooner, though, as he turns out to be a bit of an escape artist. :3

[queenscaly]

I would, even if only for a few days. I’m concerned about cohabiting incompatible animals. Snakes are pretty hardy, especially if he should be hibernating-ish still, so you may be able to get by with him at room temp as long as your house is pretty consistent. You can put him in any kind of plastic box with a lid with air vents drilled. I literally keep my snake in a plastic storage tub with lid clamps, it can be one of the cleanest and safest enclosures for them, even for short term housing. Also, an empty toilet paper tube makes every noodle happy :)

[jumpingjacktrash]

he’s a garter snake, and this is minnesota; he was basking on the bike path on a warm day, but would’ve been fine hunkered down in the cold a while longer. i just don’t want to take him from the warm house to the cold outdoors, you know? the sudden change wouldn’t be good.

i do kind of want to keep him, though. he’s so smooth and wiggly. i like when he threads through my fingers.

as for toad secretions, they’re definitely avoiding each other, so i think that’s fine for now. the tank’s plenty big enough for them not to have to encounter each other if they don’t want to.

[queenscaly]

Toad buddy will secrete onto his environment is my worry. The mucus they produce can leech into the water or rub off onto the plants in the enclosure.

I think keeping him is probably fine (though I know a lot of herp people have strong, conflicting opinions on that matter). I just strongly suggest getting him his own house with a lid on the very immediate future, whether for temporary or long term housing. Cats are a concern too. Small plastic enclosures with snapping shut lids can be found at Walmart or an office supply store, maybe even the dollar store depending on how good your local branch is. A few clean paper towels along the bottom of the enclosure, a shallow water bowl and one or two good hiding spots makes for a happy wiggle. Maybe a book on top to keep kitties from knocking it around, or put it out of reach if possible. Air holes also!

Also, because he’s a wild baby he’s probably going to want live prey. He looks like he’s really small from the photo, he is likely eating baby reptiles or reptiles/bird eggs. I dunno if he’s big enough to take a pinky yet. Do you have a decent local pet store with good staff? Petco employees will try their best, but having worked in one in the past I can tell you they don’t have the knowledge or supplies you might need.

I’m not an expert with garter snakes or neonates but I’m happy to help out in any way I can. He or she is a lovely little noodle.

[jumpingjacktrash]

i have critter keepers for the toad’s worms, i can clean one of those for him. as for food, i have feeder guppies galore, and he had one yesterday, so he should be fine for a bit. we put them in the water bowl for the toad, and noodle baby took the smallest. mighty hunter. :3

anyway, keith doesn’t seem stressed, just wanders away if the snake hangs out near him too long. he’s a pretty relaxed toad bro. i don’t think he recognizes baby snek as a potential predator, just as an especially wiggly vine or something. he perks up and makes his ‘food time?’ face when i reach in whether the snake is near or not, so he’s not feeling threatened at all.

the snake is literally the size of a chopstick. like maybe 8 or 10 inches long and thinner than a pencil. i can’t get over how very wee!

[queenscaly]

So cute! And a mighty hunter! I would polish up a critter keeper for wiggly warrior just to be on the safe side. Toads are not always very expressive critters and Keith could be stressed by the motion of the snake, even if he doesn't consider him a threat (I had a pet toad nearly kill a batch of baby frogs as a kid for the reason that they were near him.) I wish you the best of luck on your snek journey!

[jumpingjacktrash]

one of the happiest things in life

is sitting here in my comfy chair reading and watching the rain, and hearing a soft clinking of stones beside me and looking to see my toad paddling in his water bowl.

i don’t even know how to explain why that’s such happiness.

the bowl is an art piece i got at the northfield art fair the first year i lived here. it has a really cool reactive glaze finish, blue and tan and white like earth from space. one of a kind. i filled it with interesting stones i’ve picked up along the way, agates and quartzes and fossils. they glimmer under the water.

they’re my treasures, but to keith the toad, they’re just something to sit on while he relaxes in the bath. keith the toad is also my treasure. you can’t cudde a toad; you can get them used to being handled, but they don’t have the concept of social touch, so it’s always going to be kind of annoying to them. he’s not for petting. he’s just for having, and watching, as he goes about his toadly business. my little lumpy squashy mossy nature friend.

all my best treasures have been living ones. the rosebush in my front yard, that blooms its very hardest after the first frost. the linden tree that shades the porch, so fragrant in june. cats and cats and cats. friends! my herb garden, my terrarium, my big tank of little fishes.

and now there is a shoelace with a teeny teeny face squiggling around keith’s terrarium, and he is not sure how he feels about it – they’ve been kind of avoiding each other – but seeing that little head periscoping up above a creeping charlie leaf like the tiniest brontosaurus in the bittiest jungle just makes my day. idk if mister tuttle gets to stay, or gets his own enclosure, or gets released in the back yard once the weather warms up. but i’m so happy i get to watch him for a while.

tl;dr: bear druid is the best thing to be.

[queenscaly]

This enclosure is beautiful and lovely. However, I’m gonna highly recommend housing these animals in separate enclosures, even in the short term. These animals have different thermoregulation needs. Additionally, while I don’t think your baby shoelace is much of a threat to an adult toad, the opposite may not be the case. Some species of toads can secrete toxins when stressed, which could make the snake ill, and having a snake in an enclosure with you is likely to be a source of stress for a toad. Baby snake would do well in a plastic tub or glass enclosure with heat tape for warmth, and a good tube or cave or two to hide in.

[jumpingjacktrash]

if i decide to keep the snake, i will definitely get him his own enclosure. i figure he’ll be fine at room temperature for a few days, considering if he were outdoors he’d be dealing with 45*f and drizzle right now.

i might have to obtain box-with-lid for him sooner, though, as he turns out to be a bit of an escape artist. :3

[queenscaly]

I would, even if only for a few days. I’m concerned about cohabiting incompatible animals. Snakes are pretty hardy, especially if he should be hibernating-ish still, so you may be able to get by with him at room temp as long as your house is pretty consistent. You can put him in any kind of plastic box with a lid with air vents drilled. I literally keep my snake in a plastic storage tub with lid clamps, it can be one of the cleanest and safest enclosures for them, even for short term housing. Also, an empty toilet paper tube makes every noodle happy :)

[jumpingjacktrash]

he’s a garter snake, and this is minnesota; he was basking on the bike path on a warm day, but would’ve been fine hunkered down in the cold a while longer. i just don’t want to take him from the warm house to the cold outdoors, you know? the sudden change wouldn’t be good.

i do kind of want to keep him, though. he’s so smooth and wiggly. i like when he threads through my fingers.

as for toad secretions, they’re definitely avoiding each other, so i think that’s fine for now. the tank’s plenty big enough for them not to have to encounter each other if they don’t want to.

[queenscaly]

Toad buddy will secrete onto his environment is my worry. The mucus they produce can leech into the water or rub off onto the plants in the enclosure.

I think keeping him is probably fine (though I know a lot of herp people have strong, conflicting opinions on that matter). I just strongly suggest getting him his own house with a lid on the very immediate future, whether for temporary or long term housing. Cats are a concern too. Small plastic enclosures with snapping shut lids can be found at Walmart or an office supply store, maybe even the dollar store depending on how good your local branch is. A few clean paper towels along the bottom of the enclosure, a shallow water bowl and one or two good hiding spots makes for a happy wiggle. Maybe a book on top to keep kitties from knocking it around, or put it out of reach if possible. Air holes also!

Also, because he's a wild baby he's probably going to want live prey. He looks like he's really small from the photo, he is likely eating baby reptiles or reptiles/bird eggs. I dunno if he's big enough to take a pinky yet. Do you have a decent local pet store with good staff? Petco employees will try their best, but having worked in one in the past I can tell you they don't have the knowledge or supplies you might need.

I'm not an expert with garter snakes or neonates but I'm happy to help out in any way I can. He or she is a lovely little noodle.

[jumpingjacktrash]

one of the happiest things in life

is sitting here in my comfy chair reading and watching the rain, and hearing a soft clinking of stones beside me and looking to see my toad paddling in his water bowl.

i don’t even know how to explain why that’s such happiness.

the bowl is an art piece i got at the northfield art fair the first year i lived here. it has a really cool reactive glaze finish, blue and tan and white like earth from space. one of a kind. i filled it with interesting stones i’ve picked up along the way, agates and quartzes and fossils. they glimmer under the water.

they’re my treasures, but to keith the toad, they’re just something to sit on while he relaxes in the bath. keith the toad is also my treasure. you can’t cudde a toad; you can get them used to being handled, but they don’t have the concept of social touch, so it’s always going to be kind of annoying to them. he’s not for petting. he’s just for having, and watching, as he goes about his toadly business. my little lumpy squashy mossy nature friend.

all my best treasures have been living ones. the rosebush in my front yard, that blooms its very hardest after the first frost. the linden tree that shades the porch, so fragrant in june. cats and cats and cats. friends! my herb garden, my terrarium, my big tank of little fishes.

and now there is a shoelace with a teeny teeny face squiggling around keith’s terrarium, and he is not sure how he feels about it – they’ve been kind of avoiding each other – but seeing that little head periscoping up above a creeping charlie leaf like the tiniest brontosaurus in the bittiest jungle just makes my day. idk if mister tuttle gets to stay, or gets his own enclosure, or gets released in the back yard once the weather warms up. but i’m so happy i get to watch him for a while.

tl;dr: bear druid is the best thing to be.

[queenscaly]

This enclosure is beautiful and lovely. However, I’m gonna highly recommend housing these animals in separate enclosures, even in the short term. These animals have different thermoregulation needs. Additionally, while I don’t think your baby shoelace is much of a threat to an adult toad, the opposite may not be the case. Some species of toads can secrete toxins when stressed, which could make the snake ill, and having a snake in an enclosure with you is likely to be a source of stress for a toad. Baby snake would do well in a plastic tub or glass enclosure with heat tape for warmth, and a good tube or cave or two to hide in.

[jumpingjacktrash]

if i decide to keep the snake, i will definitely get him his own enclosure. i figure he’ll be fine at room temperature for a few days, considering if he were outdoors he’d be dealing with 45*f and drizzle right now.

i might have to obtain box-with-lid for him sooner, though, as he turns out to be a bit of an escape artist. :3

[queenscaly]

I would, even if only for a few days. I'm concerned about cohabiting incompatible animals. Snakes are pretty hardy, especially if he should be hibernating-ish still, so you may be able to get by with him at room temp as long as your house is pretty consistent. You can put him in any kind of plastic box with a lid with air vents drilled. I literally keep my snake in a plastic storage tub with lid clamps, it can be one of the cleanest and safest enclosures for them, even for short term housing. Also, an empty toilet paper tube makes every noodle happy :)