Care Sheets

LEOPARD GECKO

BALL PYTHON

BEARDED DRAGON

CRESTED GECKO

AXOLOTL

CHAMELEON

SAFE PRODUCE

HOGNOSE SNAKE

CORN SNAKE

Collard Greens

Dandelion Greens

Mustard Greens

Chicory Greens

Kale

Squash (butternut, summer, acorn, spaghetti, zucchini, yellow squash)

Bell Pepper (all colors)

Cactus Pad
Carrot

Arugula

Green Beans

Peas

Prickly Pear

Endive

Escarole

Bok Choy

Yam / Sweet Potato

Radicchio

Cilantro

Romaine Lettuce (great for hydration as part of a varied diet)

Hibiscus

Fig
Strawberry

Asparagus

Swiss Chard

Blueberry, Blackberry, Raspberry

Banana

Melon

Apple

Mango

Papaya

Parsley

Spinach (perfectly fine to feed as part of a varied diet)

Cucumber

Red Leaf Lettuce
Iceberg Lettuce

Citrus

Tomato

Avocado

Broccoli

SAFE PRODUCE

Not all vegetables are safe for reptiles. See below what you should be feeding your pet regularly and what you should avoid:

MITES

Mites are small, common parasites that can live on the skin of reptiles. They can cause discomfort and itching in small numbers but can be harmful to your pet if left untreated and an infestation occurs. Here are steps you should take if you notice mites on your pet:

Take your reptile and let soak in warm water in a secure tub. Once your animal has soaked for a few minutes, treat them with Reptile Spray®, making sure to stay away from the head and eyes. Work it under all of the scales then let your reptile soak in warm water again.

While your reptile is soaking, take out ALL of the decoration and soak them in a 10% bleach-water mixture.

Empty out all of the substrate and clean out the cage.

Spray Provent-a-Mite® inside the entire enclosure. DO NOT SPRAY YOUR ANIMAL OR THE WATER BOWL. Provent-a-Mite® is a neurological agent that will kill your animal if they are exposed.

Let the enclosure air out until you can no longer smell the Provent-a-Mite® (takes approximately 1-2 hours).

Wash off the decorations and let air dry.

Place everything back inside the enclosure (minus the animal and water bowl) and Provent-a-Mite® the enclosure one more time.
Begin by laying paper towels over a flat surface. This will help catch any dead mites that fall off your reptile. Take a paperclip or toothpick and gently pick out each and every mite under all of your reptile’s scales. This will be a long process and your animal will not be happy with it. If your animal begins to get overly stressed you will need to stop and do the cleaning and picking process multiple times. Make sure to look for mites around the sensitive areas of your reptile, primarily the eyes, snout, mouth, and cloaca.
Because mites and mite eggs can last a long time without a food source, it is important to keep minimalistic décor inside the enclosure so if any mites come off of your reptile, they do not have a place to hide or lay eggs. Use newspapers or paper towels as substrate to easily see if any mites have fallen off for easy clean up. Do this for 1-3 months or until there are no more mites coming off of your animal. Always wash your hands before and after handling your reptile to stop any spread of mites.
DO NOT spray your animal or animal’s water bowl directly with Provent-a-Mite®. This is a neurological agent that will kill your animal with prolonged exposure.

Remember to keep the Reptile Spray® away from the eyes and mouth of your reptile.

Do not leave the Reptile Spray® on your animal for more than 30 minutes.

Soak your animal at least 20 minutes after treatment with the Reptile Spray®.

Do not use a safety pin or other sharp implement to get the mites from under the scales.

Responsible pet ownership begins with understanding which pets are right for you and how best to care for your animals throughout their lives. Our Care Sheets for common pets outline some of the basic needs of animals’ environmental, dietary, health, handling, and care needs. You can also ask our staff for input on which animals have care profiles that fit your lifestyle and collection goals, and how best to care for the animals you already have. With the right choices, you and your animals can enjoy a long and happy life together.

Choose an animal below to learn about its care needs.

** All animals purchased at DFW Reptarium require proof of proper setup before they can leave the store**