Fall 2021 Children's Sneak Previews
Woman Brings Beloved Tortoise Everywhere – Even The Pub: 'People Will Abandon Their Cars When They See Us'
Grandmother Jackie Leek has struck up a remarkable bond with a giant tortoise which she takes everywhere with her – including down the pub.
Jackie, 58, first bought the African sulcata tortoise she calls Mr. Miyagi for company when recovering from cancer 18 months ago.
Since then the pair have become inseparable and she has taken the 8-year-old tortoise on holiday in her caravan and for regular strolls on the beach.
He weighs around 42 pounds and is expected to be around 139 pounds when he gets older.
And because he could live to be 120 she has even set up a trust fund to look after him when she has gone.
Grandmother Jackie Leek has struck up a remarkable bond with a giant tortoise, named Mr. Miyagi, which she takes everywhere with her. William Lailey / SWNSDespite his large size, Jackie takes him everywhere she can and says people often "abandon their cars" to stop and ask for a picture of Mr. Miyagi.
She said: "I open the door and he just follows me down the drive and onto the estate, where we live.
"He will just follow me and we have little walks.
"People will abandon their cars when they see us, they will stop and ask if he's real and if they can touch him.
Despite his large size, Jackie takes him everywhere she can and says people often "abandon their cars" to stop and ask for a picture of Mr. Miyagi. William Lailey / SWNS"I take him to the beach and there's a little quiet bit where I take him.
"But I went there on a bank holiday Monday and before I knew it, we were surrounded by people and everyone was having a photo shoot with him – it was mad.
"People always do double turns, I once had eight cars all stop in the road and everyone got out of their vehicles.
"People also can't believe how heavy he is."
"People always do double turns, I once had eight cars all stop in the road and everyone got out of their vehicles," Leek said. William Lailey / SWNSJackie was diagnosed with myeloma, a type of blood cancer that develops in the bone marrow, and breast cancer around four years ago.
After having radiotherapy, she would feel lonely so decided to go to the pet shop, where she purchased a tortoise called Thor.
Jackie would often walk Thor in a pram but he tragically died three years after she first bought him.
The mom-of-two then decided to rescue Mr. Miyagi, who was originally called Arthur Pendragon, but she "never" considered getting one as a pet before she got Thor.
Jackie, of Warrington, Cheshire, said: "I never had an interest in reptiles or tortoises ever – I'm terrified of snakes.
"I never thought I would get a tortoise.
"He helps me loads, I do have some dark days.
"I'm getting stronger after my diagnosis but Mr. Miyagi is helping me.
"I couldn't go back to work because of my immune system and I have to watch where I go and what I do, so he's a massive part of my life.
"He gives me a purpose and when I'm crying, he sits there and I talk to him."
Mr. Miyagi loves eating romaine lettuce and dandelions, and he sometimes has green beans, strawberries and tomatoes as a treat.
He also enjoys sitting in a children's sand pit, that's been filled up with water, but has been known to "re-arrange the furniture" when Jackie has left her house.
Jackie, a former nurse said: "He takes himself off to bed at around 5pm and he will sleep until 8am unless I get up and he hears me in the kitchen.
"Before I do anything, I get a children's sand pit and he stands next to me while I fill it with hot water and my partner lifts him into the bath.
Jackie, 58, first bought the African sulcata tortoise for company when recovering from cancer 18 months ago. William Lailey / SWNS"He can be there anytime from ten minutes to three hours and I just keep warming it up and he will poo in there, because that's what they do.
"He will let me know when he's had enough and he will then go in the garden or he will climb in his dog bed.
"He's dead gentle and will sit on my slippers.
"If we leave him alone in the house, then you think we would have been burgled because he re-arranges the furniture."
Before Mr. Miyagi, Leek purchased a tortoise called Thor, and had him for three years before he died. Jackie Leek / SWNSJackie says that weirdly, Mr. Miyagi hates the color black and will "ram her black mop bucket around the house" in protest.
The grandmother-of-two said: "He doesn't like the color black, I don't know what exactly it is.
"My mop bucket is black and he will ram it around the house.
"We have a Christmas tree in a garden, that's in a black pot, and I don't know how he moves the tree around the garden.
William Lailey / SWNS"He will ram the pot – he doesn't like anything black.
"I once put a black tool box down on the floor and the next minute I knew, he was ramming it."
African sulcata tortoises often live until they are 120 years old, but some have been known to survive for even longer.
Jackie has a trust fund set up for Mr. Miyagi, so whoever takes care of him after she dies, will be able to afford it.
Jackie Leek takes her giant pet tortoise on regular walks around Morcambe. William Lailey / SWNSShe said: "I've made plans for when I'm not here so my partner will keep him for as long as he can.
"After that, I'm hoping my daughter will take him and I've left money with him because they aren't cheap and has the best insurance and the best vets.
"If my daughter can't have him or thinks that she doesn't want him, then my partner has two sons so I'm hoping they could even have him.
"If not, I'm sure there will be a home for him somewhere but you just don't know."
Boiling Point: Burrowing Owls And Solar Farms Will Need To Coexist
If you don't love burrowing owls, you've probably never seen a burrowing owl.
They're 7 to 10 inches tall, with bright yellow eyes and long, skinny legs. The western variety doesn't even dig its own underground burrows. It depends on other critters, such as ground squirrels and desert tortoises.
Here's a picture:
A burrowing owl keeps watch in a busy park in California's Contra Costa County.
(Lauren Bettino)
Building solar projects in spots where burrowing owls are struggling to survive would be a terrible idea, right?
I've said it before, I'll say it again: If only the world were so simple.
Newsletter
You're reading Boiling Point
Sammy Roth gets you up to speed on climate change, energy and the environment. Sign up to get it in your inbox twice a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
As my L.A. Times colleague Lila Seidman reports, the California Fish and Game Commission voted unanimously last week to make the bird a candidate for protection under the state's Endangered Species Act. In practice, that means burrowing owls will be protected under the law for the next 12 to 18 months, while state wildlife officials study whether the adorable bird deserves permanent status as a "threatened" or "endangered" species.
Two decades ago, there were as many as 10,500 breeding pairs of burrowing owls in the Golden State, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Now there are just 6,500 pairs, the department estimates.
Suburban sprawl was the biggest culprit, conservation groups say, with residential and commercial development tearing up owl habitat across the state and giving the funky little birds precious little space to nest and breed.
But other industries contributed to habitat fragmentation and destruction too — including renewable energy.
Not many wind farms are being built in California these days, at least onshore; the windiest spots have long been taken. But lots of massive solar farms are being planned and built to replace planet-wrecking fossil fuels.
Conservation activists want state officials to impose new requirements on energy companies looking to build in burrowing owl habitat — requiring them to pay for the permanent protection of breeding grounds, for instance. Activists also hope state officials will block construction of solar projects in the best spots for burrowing owls.
"We can have abundant burrowing owls and abundant solar development," said Jeff Miller, a senior conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. "I don't think the [protections] will slow solar development."
I hope he's right. But I'm a little anxious.
It's not just burrowing owl advocates who are concerned about the the consequences of solar sprawl. It's desert tortoise advocates and Joshua tree advocates. It's rural residents who don't want solar in the backyards, and farmers who don't want solar projects taking away cropland — even when they don't have enough water for all their crops.
A solar project is surrounded by farmland in the San Joaquin Valley.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
If only we could put all the solar panels we need to replace fossil fuels on rooftops, warehouses and parking lots, this problem would be easy to solve. Alas, even optimistic researchers say we wouldn't come anywhere close.
There are also valuable opportunities to build solar in "low-harm" spots — abandoned farmlands, former mines, contaminated Superfund sites, oil and gas fields, landfills, even strips of land along highways. A report released this month by the Roosevelt Institute and the Climate and Community Institute estimated that the United States has nearly 226 million acres of such land — an order of magnitude more land than we'll ever need for solar.
Again, if only the world were so simple.
Conservationists have been touting low-conflict solar sites for a long time; there have been optimistic reports like this one before. Yet so far, there have been only a handful of projects built in truly low-conflict spots, such as a set of solar panels over a canal that were switched on this month by Arizona's Gila River Indian Community.
There are lots of reasons for the dearth of progress. In some cases, the low-harm spots aren't near electric lines, which are needed to send power to customers; in others, developers aren't willing to take on the financial liability of building on a toxic Superfund site. Some private landowners aren't willing to sell — not currently a problem on federal lands, where the Biden administration has made renewable energy development a top priority.
"If you have a site that's relatively flat, and it's got low species conflict, and you don't have developers flocking to it, then you have a problem with that area," said Shannon Eddy, executive director of the Large-scale Solar Assn.
So I like the idea of more solar on low-harm lands. I hope it happens. But scientists say we have six years to slash climate pollution more than 40%. So for now, I plan to keep penning columns like this one, supporting flawed but well-meaning efforts by the Biden administration and others to balance renewable energy and conservation.
And as for burrowing owls?
The Large-scale Solar Assn. Supports endangered species protections for the tiny bird. Eddy told me her member companies spent much of this year preparing for last week's vote, identifying 15 project sites in the Central Valley and Imperial Valley with signs of owl habitation and working with biologists to craft a conservation strategy.
Still, developers have some concerns about how the process will play out. There will now be new permits to apply for, new financial obstacles to clear. Depending on what state wildlife officials do next, solar companies could find themselves facing new delays and costs that make it even harder for California to meet its climate goals.
"This is a curveball," Eddy said.
On that note, here's what else is happening around the West:
THE ENERGY TRANSITION
The site of the Thacker Pass lithium mine, now under construction, on federal land in northern Nevada.
(Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
It's not just solar farms creating conflicts. In Nevada, federal officials are preparing to approve a lithium mine — which would produce a key ingredient for electric cars' batteries — despite pleas from conservationists who say the mine would drive an endangered wildflower to extinction, the Associated Press' Scott Sonner reports.
Not all lithium mining is so environmentally damaging. But even in California's Imperial County — where lithium could be extracted with relatively few effects at geothermal power plants — some residents are frustrated with the county supervisors for approving a plan that would funnel lithium tax dollars from Salton Sea-area extraction sites to more populous cities farther from the sea. Details here from Kori Suzuki, reporting for KPBS.
The less energy we use, the less lithium we'll need to mine, and the fewer solar farms we'll need to build. Alas, artificial intelligence and data center development are driving energy demand higher than they need to be. My L.A. Times colleague Roger Vincent touched on that issue in this story about One Wilshire, in my opinion the most fascinating building in Los Angeles. He describes it as "the mother of all data centers in the West."
An even worse consequence of ballooning demand for data centers and artificial intelligence: U.S. Electric utilities are planning to build loads of new gas-fired power plants. Details here from Canary Media's Jeff St. John.
Finally, let's check in with the U.S. Supreme Court. In a win for climate, the justices left in place a federal rule requiring oil and gas companies to reduce methane emissions from existing wells. They also declined to block a Biden administration rule that will require Montana's Colstrip coal plant to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in cutting air pollution. That could force Colstrip to close — or not, per Amanda Eggert at the Montana Free Press.
For background on Colstrip's historic role on the Western power grid, see my deep dive from earlier this year.
WATER IN THE WEST
Melanie Winter floats along the Los Angeles River in the Sepulveda Basin, one of the few places where the river is not encased in concrete.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
In a city whose river is mostly encased in concrete, "engineers just can't wrap their heads around the idea that nature can do it cheaper, better, easier." So says Melanie Winter, who leads the River Project and has been advocating for a more vibrant, more natural Los Angeles River watershed for nearly three decades. She's kept up the fight even as she battles lung cancer, as my L.A. Times colleague Ian James writes in a beautiful profile.
Ian also journeyed to the Imperial Valley, where farmers were paid with federal funds to leave 154,000 acres dry for seven weeks over the summer, to save Colorado River water and boost Lake Mead — a noble purpose. Alas, it also meant the Salton Sea shrank even faster, leading to more air pollution and less habitat for migratory birds.
California officials have known for two decades that the Salton Sea would shrink as Imperial Valley farmers used less water to cope with chronic shortages. Sadly, the state is pitifully behind on its restoration goals for the desert lake. But there's finally been a little progress along the receding southern shoreline recently, in the form of straw bales keeping down airborne dust, and some newly created wetland habitat, per the Desert Sun's Janet Wilson.
In better water news, "toilet to tap" is now the law of the land in California. That means water agencies can purify our wastewater and return it to our sinks. LAist's Erin Stone explains how it works and why it matters.
A couple of stories along California's treasured coastline too:
In Sacramento, state lawmakers were poised to give final approval Monday to Gov. Gavin Newsom's plan to reduce gasoline price spikes. At the same time, Newsom's appointees to the California Air Resources Board were preparing to approve a climate policy that could substantially raise gas prices. Details here from The Times' Russ Mitchell, who writes that the policy in question, the low carbon fuel standard, might not be super effective.
L.A. Times columnist George Skelton is not impressed by the Newsom administration's seemingly contradictory actions on gas prices. "One hand may not know — or care — what the other hand is doing," George writes.
Meanwhile, in California's neighboring states:
A view of Cottonwood Wash, located within Bears Ears National Monument in Utah.
(Jack Herrera / Los Angeles Times)
If President Trump is reelected next month, he'll almost certainly take another shot at shrinking national monuments on Western public lands — and maybe even try to repeal the 1906 Antiquities Act, which gives presidents the power to establish national monuments. More details here from The Times' James Rainey.
In the meantime, the Biden administration is protecting all the lands and waters it can. Federal officials have now formally designated the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off the California coast, prohibiting oil drilling across 4,543 square miles. Details here from The Times' Noah Haggerty. Along the same stretch of coast, a fossil fuel company is trying to restart an aging oil pipeline that has caused several big spills, Tony Briscoe reports.
A few more stories from our public lands:
Last but not least: Big parts of L.A. Need more trees, to keep residents cool as the planet gets hotter. But in some neighborhoods, people equate tree planting with gentrification. Here's the story from The Times' Lila Seidman.
ONE MORE THINGFormer President Trump claims he now loves electric cars, ever since Tesla's Elon Musk endorsed him.
But Trump still loathes wind turbines, as my colleague Doyle McManus reminds us in a new column. That could be a problem for California, which will need federal approvals to deploy a huge fleet of offshore wind farms.
Three weeks until election day.
This is the latest edition of Boiling Point, a newsletter about climate change and the environment in the American West. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. Or open the newsletter in your web browser here.
For more climate and environment news, follow @Sammy_Roth on X.
32 Types Of Reptiles You Can Keep As A Pet
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
Credit: Getty Images
If you're thinking about welcoming a new scaly-skinned addition to your home, allow us to introduce you to the best types of reptiles you can keep as a pet.
These air-breathing vertebrates include a wide range of species. From the much-loved lizards and snakes to the hard-shelled turtles and tortoises who can live for decades (and some, centuries).
Unlike cats or dogs, reptiles don't carry dander. This means they're typically hypoallergenic, making them ideal for allergy sufferers. Most reptiles are also cold-blooded, so they're unable to regulate their own body temperature. Instead, they rely on external heat sources like the sun or the best reptile heating pads to do so. So when you're introducing a new scaly member into your family, artificial heat sources will be absolutely crucial to the health, and well-being of your reptile.
Reptiles will also need the perfect-sized terrarium and toys for enrichment, along with the right handling and the correct substrate.
To find out the best types of reptiles you can keep as a pet, stick right here. We've compiled a list of reptiles you'll want to welcome into your four walls.
32 types of reptiles you can keep as a pet 1. Leopard geckoLeopard gecko
Not many reptiles can break off their tail if a predator grabs them. But the adaptable Leopard Gecko is one of them.
These clever leopard-printed lizards are nocturnal and can further evade capture by shedding their skin to remove markers predators can use to track them. Generally considered easy to care for, leopard geckos are recommended as a good pet for beginners.
2. Red-footed tortoiseRed-footed tortoise
Tortoise facts aren't hard to come by. These slow-moving reptiles can't swim (you're probably thinking of turtles or terrapins who are water dwellers), but they can dig burrows and holes in the earth to help regulate their body temperature.
Plus, these gracious characters are one of the oldest reptiles in the world, having been around for more than 230 million years.
3. Blue-tongued skinksBlue-tongued skinks
Generally considered as easy to care for, feed Blue-tongued Skinks a diet high in protein, vegetables and fruit and make sure they've got a large enough habitat so they can thrive, and these reptiles will feel right at home.
This type of lizard loves to spend its days foraging for insects, plants and small animals. With a lifespan of 20 years or more, you'll have a friend for decades.
4. Bearded DragonsBearded Dragons
When provided with the right Bearded Dragon care, these reptiles can live a long and happy life, right by your side.
But just like any pet, beardies can get bored. So it's a good idea to provide them with a range of enrichment ideas for Bearded Dragons to help keep their mind (and body) busy.
5. Corn snakesCorn snakes
Known for being one of the best exotic pets anyone can own and the preferred species of snake when it comes to the best first pets for children — the non-venomous Corn Snake is small, lightweight, and presents minimal risk to humans.
They're also relatively low maintenance, needing feeding just once or twice a week depending on age.
6. Ball PythonBall Python
No matter whether you're an experienced reptile owner or just getting started, Ball Pythons (which get their name because they curl themselves into a ball when they feel threatened) are low maintenance, small in size, and easy to handle. Growing anywhere between 3-5 feet long, these slithering beauties can live for up to 40 years.
7. Crested GeckoCrested Gecko
If you're a novice lizard owner or are tight on space, Crested Geckos are well worth a look.
They're a good choice for beginners thanks to their small size, docile and friendly nature, and laid-back diet of crickets, worms, and fruit. Introduce your gecko to a selection of the best toys for pet lizards and they'll be happy.
8. Chinese Water DragonChinese Water Dragon
Gorgeously green, Chinese Water Dragons can make for a beautiful reptile pet. These happy-go-lucky four-legged friends are up there with being one of the friendliest lizards out there.
They enjoy being handled and handling them daily helps to keep them socialized. Living for anywhere between 15 to 20 years, these loveable lizards can be housed in pairs.
9. ChameleonChameleon
Known and loved for their ability to change color, which helps them communicate with other Chameleons and regulate their own body temperature, these technicolored lizards have been around for more than 65 million years.
Chameleons will spend their days basking, exploring their enclosure, or looking for food, using their tongues and sticky saliva to catch prey.
10. TurtlesTurtle swimming under water
With some species living for up to 200 years, the best turtle aquariums can help you create the perfect conditions for your loveable reptile — and for decades to come!
When it comes to pet turtle care, these cold-blooded swimmers need sufficient room and an environment set for their needs. From enough light and warmth to clean water and enrichment, all this should help to keep these hard-shelled creatures happy and healthy.
11. IguanasIguana
It's worth noting: Iguanas can be expensive. But that's not to say that they aren't worth it! These reptile pals are known as the world's fastest lizards so they need a big enough terrarium to live, eat and sleep in.
They'll also need the right humidity levels and temperature to thrive and just know, they can take years to train. But that said, once you've taken care of the basics, Iguanas can bond with their pet parents for life, living for more than 20 years when properly cared for.
12. KingsnakesKingsnake
Coming in a variety of colors, Kingsnakes are bound to help brighten up your reptile collection.
Originating from Northern America and parts of Central America, they are given their name due to their habit of feeding upon other snakes. Therefore, you should only keep one Kingsnake in each enclosure.
13. African Fat-tailed GeckoAfrican fat-tailed gecko
The African Fat-tailed Gecko is completely carnivorous. Whether it's wax worms, mealworms or crickets, in the wild they'll seek out beetles and roaches.
These geckos are known for being docile and easy to care for. Thriving in a low-humidity environment, they'll need around 10-12 hours of light per day.
14. Argentine Black and White TeguArgentine Black and White Tegu
Having a lifespan of between 15 to 20 years, an Argentine Black and White Tegu differs from most other reptiles on this list because it's one of the first known warm-blooded lizards. This comes after a 2016 study by Science found that it can raise its body temperature by 10 degrees. Pretty cool, huh?
15. Tokay GeckoTokay Gecko
One of the largest living gecko species, these bright and beautiful reptiles are known for their vibrant grey coloring with orange and blue spots.
However, they do have a reputation for having some aggression and being territorial. So they aren't recommended for beginners. That said, once you've nailed their environment and gained their trust, Tokay Geckos are relatively straightforward to care for.
16. Royal PythonRoyal Python
Known as one of the best exotic pets anyone can own, Royal Pythons live for anywhere between 20-30 years.
They aren't the most active of snakes, but they are around 3-6 ft in length, so will need an enclosure big enough for them to slither. Being a naturally solitary species, Royal Pythons can be great starter snakes due to their mild temperament.
17. Spiny-tailed LizardSpiny-tailed Lizard
These lizards like it hot, thriving in temperatures over 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Highly active, as their nickname suggests, this type of Uromastyx, comes with spiny tails. Lovers of burrowing, in the wild can live in tunnels of up to 10 feet long.
Therefore, in captivity, they'll need at least 4 to 5" of soft, sandy substrate to burrow to their heart's content.
18. AnolesAnoles
If you're after a small pet for compact homes, look no further than an Anoles. Pronounced 'ah-no-lees', these brightly colored lizards have large throat fans, or a dewlap, which allow them to communicate.
Like their fellow Chameleon counterparts, they can change hues from their naturally bright green coloring to green, brown, tan, or gray.
19. Savannah MonitorSavannah monitor
These intelligent reptiles are considered to be medium-sized monitors, native to rocky deserts and open woodlands in west and central Africa.
Despite being legal to keep as a pet, a Savannah Monitor might not be the best option for every scaly-friend lover. We say this because they need large space requirements so they can do all the things they adore, like basking, burrowing, and climbing.
20. Frilled DragonFrilled dragon
Calm, docile, and unique to look at, there's a lot to love about a Frilled Dragon. These medium-to-large reptiles come with a frill around their neck that they can puff up to scare predators away. It's why they're nicknamed 'frillnecks'.
Another fun fact? These captivating exotic creatures can also run up to 30 miles per hour! So if you intend on inviting one into your home, make sure you've got a big enough enclosure to keep them happy and healthy.
21. Russian TortoisesRussian Tortoise
Fancy a Russian Tortoise as a pet? These highly inactive reptiles prefer to spend their days not doing very much. In fact, they have a short activity period, sometimes just three months per year.
Russian Tortoises need daily exposure to UVB lighting, a substrate that allows for digging, and a good quality diet, with fibrous vegetables, dark leafy greens, and grasses in abundance.
22. Panther ChameleonsPanther Chameleon
Just look at this rainbow-colored creature! One of the most recognizable reptiles, a Panther Chameleon is a beautiful and fascinating scaly pal to keep.
These reptiles require a clean environment and specialized equipment to flourish — this includes the right lighting and temperature. Solitary and very territorial, these diurnal reptiles spend most of their time in isolation.
23. Ornate UromastyxOrnate Uromastyx
It's official: the Ornate Uromastyx is one of the most common Uromastyx species kept as a pet in the US.
Differing from spiny-tailed lizards in a few different ways, a Male Ornate Uromastyx is usually bright green, blue or red, while females are more muted in their coloring with a lighter shade of dark brown, yellow or red spots.
24. Brazilian Rainbow BoaBrazilian Rainbow Boa
Living for up to 30 years with the proper care, these intricately patterned snakes have an iridescent sheen to them, which means their skins have a rainbow-like effect in the sun.
Non-venomous, these reptiles can grow up to 6 feet in length, so an appropriately sized habitat is essential.
25. Hermann's TortoiseHermann's Tortoise
Like most other cold-blooded reptiles, Hermann's Tortoises rely on heat from their surroundings to regulate their body temperature.
Another thing to note? These tortoises prefer to keep their four feet safely on the ground. How else would they sunbathe, forage, or spend a small portion of their days digging?
26. Red-eared sliderRed-eared Slider
In the wild, you'll often spot Red-eared Sliders basking in the sun in groups. These semi-aquatic turtles start as carnivores and become omnivorous, as they age.
So an adult reptile will eat a range of foods, from aquatic plants and insects to fish and snails.
27. Phelsuma grandisPhelsuma grandis
Another green sensation, the Phelsuma grandis, otherwise known as the Giant Day Gecko, is an active and colorful species hailing from the tropical regions of Madagascar.
Often kept as pets in the US, they prosper in environments that have plenty of vertical space and they need UVB lighting along with misting to keep their home a humid one.
28. Veiled ChameleonVeiled Chameleon
Whether you refer to these as cone-headed chameleons or as their more formal scientific name of Chamaeleo calyptratus, these solitary tree dwellers can change color within seconds to help communicate with other peers.
What really makes them stand out though, aside from their intricate coloring, is the casque on the top of their head. In dry habitats, this helps them channel water to their mouths.
29. Rosy BoaRosy Boa
One of the smallest members of the boa family, this snake can make for a great reptile pet to add to your collection.
Generally tolerating handling well and low maintenance, these cold-blooded animals won't be able to regulate their own body temperature so will need their enclosure to do so for them.
30. Red-eyed crocodile skinkRed-eyed crocodile skink
If you're after a one-of-a-kind pet who scores top marks for elusiveness, look no further than a Crocodile Skink. These fast runners like to hide, burrow, and be left to their own devices and they will freeze or 'play dead' if they're startled.
31. Greek TortoiseGreek Tortoise
So we've heard about a Hermann's Tortoise and a Russian Tortoise. But a Greek Tortoise now joins our list of the types of reptiles you can keep as a pet.
These outgoing, active, and friendly sun-loving pets measure around 5-8 inches in size, but some can reach up to 12 inches. If properly cared for, Greek Tortoises can celebrate 50 birthdays or more.
32. Gargoyle geckoGargoyle Gecko
These loveable reptiles get their name because of the bumps on their head that look like horns. But despite their rather fearsome title, they are very docile pets.
Gargoyle Geckos love to climb. In fact, they'll spend most of their nights doing just that. Along with being active during night times, they're also pretty vocal — especially if there are other gargs around.
Interested in reading or hearing some more information about reptiles? Check out the best podcasts for pet lovers or a vet's guide to pet turtle care.
Comments
Post a Comment