4,660 answers about reptiles & amphibians
Keeping reptiles and amphibians well comes down to environment — heat, light, humidity and the right enclosure — plus feeding and health basics that differ by species. This page gathers the reptile and amphibian library of KinsLe Answers in one place, organized by topic. Every answer is original, written by KinsLe, and tied to a real KinsLe feature.
← All Reptiles & Amphibians topics
652 answers in Home & Lifestyle — page 13 of 28
A small group of mourning geckos needs at least a 12 by 12 by 18 inch tall enclosure, and 18 by 18 by 24 inches is a wiser long-term choice because these tiny all-female geckos reproduce without males and the colony will grow. Plan space for the population you will have, not just the two or three you start with, with…
An adult marbled salamander needs a 10- to 20-gallon long enclosure, with the 20-gallon floor giving this secretive, ground-dwelling amphibian better room for burrows, hides, and a shallow water dish. Depth of damp soil and leaf litter matters more than height, because marbled salamanders are mole salamanders that…
An adult Kenyan sand boa needs at least a 20-gallon enclosure, and a 30-gallon or a 36 by 18 inch floor suits a larger female, since females can reach around two feet and grow much heavier than the smaller males. This snake lives buried in substrate with only its eyes and snout at the surface, so floor area and…
An adult Jackson's chameleon needs a screen enclosure at least 18 by 18 by 36 inches, and a 24 by 18 by 36 inch cage gives a male, with his three horns and larger body, healthier room to roam. Airflow is as important as size for this montane species, which wants moving air, dense vertical planting, and branches at…
An adult hog-nosed snake needs at least a 20-gallon long enclosure, and a 36 by 18 inch floor is a better home for a larger female, who can approach three feet while males stay smaller. Depth of loose substrate matters almost as much as floor area, because this snake burrows head-first with its upturned snout and…
An adult green tree python needs an enclosure at least 36 by 24 by 36 inches, and 48 inches long by 24 deep by 36 tall suits a larger adult and gives a better temperature gradient. This is a fully arboreal snake that lives coiled on horizontal branches, so perch layout and height matter as much as length. Secure…
A single green anole does well in a tall enclosure of at least 10 gallons, and an 18 by 18 by 24 inch terrarium gives this small but athletic lizard far more climbing and hunting room. Height and foliage density matter more than floor area, because anoles live in shrubs, dart between leaves, and stake out perches at…
A gopher tortoise needs far more than a tank: an adult needs a large, secure outdoor yard, ideally at least 20 by 20 feet and preferably much more, with sandy soil for burrowing and room to graze. This is also a protected, long-lived species that may require a permit and is not a casual indoor pet, so legal checks and…
An adult giant day gecko needs a tall enclosure of at least 18 by 18 by 36 inches, and 24 by 18 by 36 inches gives this large, active climber noticeably better territory. Height is the priority, because the gecko lives on vertical surfaces, basks high, and patrols broad leaves and bamboo rather than the floor. Fill…
A single adult garter snake needs at least a 20-gallon long enclosure, and a 30- to 40-gallon tank with a footprint around 36 by 18 inches suits an active adult or a larger female far better. Floor space matters more than height for this busy, ground-hunting snake, but the setup still needs a soaking bowl, hides at…
A frilled dragon needs one of the largest indoor enclosures of any common pet lizard, with an adult requiring a tall setup at least around four feet high and several feet wide and deep, plus sturdy branches for climbing and open floor below. This is a big, active, arboreal Australian lizard that can approach three…
Fire-bellied toads are small, social, semi-aquatic frogs, and a small group does well in a long setup of around fifteen to twenty gallons where roughly half the floor is shallow water and the rest is damp land. Floor area shared between land and water matters more than height, though a secure lid is vital because they…
A fire-bellied newt needs a mostly aquatic setup of around twenty gallons for a small group, with long swimming space, heavily planted water, and an easy land area where it can haul out completely. Water volume and surface area matter more than tank height, and every gap in the lid must be sealed because these small…
A fire salamander needs a long, low terrestrial enclosure rather than a tall one, with a single adult comfortable in a setup around twenty to thirty gallons in footprint, or roughly two to three feet long, and a group needing more. Most of that space should be cool, damp floor with deep leaf litter, cork hides, and a…
A diamondback terrapin needs an aquatic home with serious swimming room, so plan on a large tank in the range of seventy-five gallons upward for an adult, more for a big female or a pair, plus a dry basking dock it can climb onto fully. Water depth, filtration capacity, and turning room matter more than a small…
A common house gecko is tiny, and one or two can live in a vertical terrarium around twelve to eighteen inches wide and eighteen to twenty-four inches tall, filled with plants and climbing surfaces rather than left mostly empty. Floor space matters less than usable height, hiding places among leaves, and a secure…
A children's python is one of the smaller pet pythons, and an adult needs an enclosure roughly three to four feet long, with enough width and modest height for climbing branches, two hides, and a clear warm-to-cool gradient. A hatchling starts in a much smaller, secure tub so it feels hidden and finds food easily.…
An adult cherry head tortoise, the smaller type of red-footed tortoise, needs far more floor space than a glass tank offers, with a large indoor enclosure measured in several feet each way and, where climate allows, a secure outdoor pen. Plan for an adult around a foot long to walk, graze, turn, and choose between…
Move a leopard gecko in a ventilated container with paper towel and a small lightweight hide, riding level in the car cabin where it stays warm but not hot. Take its heat equipment packed and labelled, because the new enclosure needs its warm hide working before the gecko goes back in. Handle it low and supported…
Move a crested gecko in a small ventilated container with a lightly damp paper towel and a piece of soft foliage to grip, keeping it cool, shaded, and upright in the car cabin. This species climbs and jumps, so open the lid only indoors with doors shut, and never leave the container in a hot parked car. Rebuild the…
Move your bearded dragon in a small, ventilated, escape-proof container lined with paper towel, never loose in its glass enclosure where sliding decor could injure it. Travel in the heated or cooled car cabin, out of direct sun, and keep the trip calm and as short as your route allows. Set the enclosure up fully in…
Yes, long-tailed grass lizards are among the more social small lizards and can live with another of their own kind, provided the pairing and space are right. Two females, or a watched male and female, usually coexist well, while two males commonly fight over basking spots and territory. The enclosure needs extra…
Place a White's tree frog's enclosure in a warm, calm room away from bedrooms if nighttime croaking will wake you, on a stand strong enough for a planted, water-heavy setup. These big, placid frogs are nocturnal, males call after dark, and they need steady warmth with good ventilation rather than a sealed, steamy box.…
Put a tokay gecko's tall enclosure in a warm, humid-friendly room that is not your bedroom, unless you are a very deep sleeper: tokays call loudly at night, and their bark carries. A spare room or quiet living area with steady warmth, no direct sun on the glass, and little daytime disturbance suits this nocturnal,…
Can't find your question? Ask it here. We answer reader questions in KinsLe Answers — and we'll email you when yours is published.
KinsLe is launching soon — and the waitlist hears the date first. Join for launch updates and first access when the app opens.
We email you about the launch. Unsubscribe anytime.