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.
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301 answers in Young Pets — page 1 of 13
Book a young Kenyan sand boa's first full health check with a reptile vet within the first couple of weeks at home — ideally once it has taken a first meal for you, since feeding response is part of what the vet wants to hear about. The visit should cover weight and length, a mouth and eye check, skin examination for…
A young fire-bellied toad should have its first full health check with an amphibian-experienced vet within the first week or two of coming home, once it is eating and settling but before small problems have time to grow. Expect the vet to weigh the toad, inspect skin, eyes, mouth and limbs, check hydration, and…
A red-eared slider grows fastest in its first few years and reaches most of its adult shell length by about five years, but it keeps adding a little size slowly for much of its life. Females finish larger, commonly ten to twelve inches of shell, while males stop nearer seven to nine inches. That slow finish is why a…
A leopard gecko reaches adult size at roughly twelve to eighteen months, finishing at seven to ten inches and usually forty-five to sixty-five grams. Most of the length arrives in the first year; the second phase is the tail and body filling out, and a healthy adult carries a tail plump with stored fat, with males…
A crested gecko reaches adult size at roughly eighteen to twenty-four months, finishing at about thirty-five to fifty-five grams and eight to ten inches including the tail. Weight is the more useful measure than length for this species, because a crested gecko that has dropped its tail will always measure shorter…
A corn snake reaches most of its adult length by about three years, finishing at roughly four to five feet, with a few individuals stretching a little beyond that. Growth is rapid in the first two years, then slows sharply, although like most snakes a corn snake keeps adding a tiny amount of length throughout life…
A blue-tongued skink does most of its growing in the first two years and is close to full length by about eighteen to twenty-four months, though it keeps filling out in width and weight into its third year. Northern blue-tongues commonly finish around eighteen to twenty-four inches, while smaller subspecies stop…
A bearded dragon grows at startling speed through its first year, then slows and is essentially at full adult size by around eighteen months to two years old, most finishing somewhere around eighteen to twenty-four inches including the tail. Males tend to end slightly larger and broader-headed than females. That early…
The most common first-weeks mistakes with a young milk snake are handling it constantly, feeding before it has settled, and underestimating escape: a baby milk snake can pour itself through a gap you would not credit. Missing hides, a single temperature for the whole enclosure, and prey that is too large or offered…
A healthy newborn red-eared slider is a bright, coin-sized swimmer: a green patterned shell that feels firm, vivid red patches behind the eyes, and four strong little legs that paddle with purpose. You may see a small yolk sac underneath at first, which should shrink and be absorbed, plus a tiny egg tooth on the snout…
A healthy newborn leopard gecko is a bold-banded miniature: yellow and dark bands across a smooth body, bright open eyes, a tail with a rounded, slightly plump base, and skin that looks clean and supple. It should walk steadily on splayed little toes, flick its tongue at new smells, and within its first days begin…
A healthy newborn crested gecko is astonishingly small but complete: oversized eyes it licks clean, a fringed crest running from head to back, and toe pads that stick confidently to glass and skin. The hatchling should leap, climb and grip from its first hours, with a smooth belly, a full tail if it still has one, and…
A healthy newborn corn snake is pencil-slim but strong: smooth shiny scales in a clear chequered pattern, bright eyes, and a body that grips and coils around a finger with surprising power for its size. The belly where the yolk attached should be closed and dry, the tongue should flick actively, and after its first…
A healthy newborn blue-tongued skink is surprisingly substantial: a sturdy sausage-shaped body, short strong legs, smooth glossy scales and a head it holds up with interest in its surroundings. Because this species is born live, the baby arrives clean and active, often flashes its vivid blue tongue when startled, and…
A healthy newborn bearded dragon is tiny but bold: bright open eyes, a head held high on the basking spot, strong little limbs and a complete tail and toes. The belly should be fairly flat with the yolk area closed, the skin smooth rather than wrinkled, and within a day or two the hatchling should be darting after…
A healthy newborn ball python looks plump and smooth, with a rounded body that shows no sharp spine, clear bright eyes and glossy scales in a bold pattern. The belly where the yolk was absorbed should be closed and dry, and the hatchling should flick its tongue, breathe quietly and curl or explore with steady strength…
A young red-eared slider that is failing to thrive often stops basking, ignores food it used to chase, and develops a shell that feels flexible instead of firm when gently pressed. Swollen or sealed-shut eyes, white fuzzy patches on skin or shell, and swimming that tilts to one side are stronger alarms than a single…
A young leopard gecko that is failing to thrive usually shows it in the tail first: the plump fat store behind the hips narrows week by week instead of widening as the gecko grows. Refused feedings, long hours spent limp in a hide, dull or stuck shed on the toes, sunken eyes and wrinkled skin all belong on the same…
A young crested gecko may be failing to thrive if it shows no lick marks in its diet for many nights, thins visibly at the hips and tail base, or becomes too weak to grip, climb, and jump as it did before. A wavy or kinked tail, stuck shed on the toes, sunken eyes, and long daytime limpness outside normal sleep are…
A young corn snake may be failing to thrive if it refuses several meals in a row outside a shed, loses weight so its cross-section turns triangular, or sheds in stuck pieces with skin retained on the tail or eyes. Repeated regurgitation, weak movement, constant hiding on the cold side while warmth is available, and…
A young blue-tongued skink may be failing to thrive if it hides for days without emerging to bask or eat, loses weight so the hips and spine stand out, or develops sunken eyes, stuck shed on the toes, and a dull, slow manner. Poor appetite in a species that normally feeds boldly, repeated incomplete sheds, and…
A young bearded dragon may be failing to thrive if it eats far less than expected for a fast-growing baby, stays dark and lethargic under its basking light, loses weight at the tail base and hips, or has sunken eyes and wrinkled skin. Runny or unusually foul droppings, trembling limbs, a soft or rubbery jaw, and…
A young ball python may be failing to thrive if it refuses meal after meal outside a shed, loses weight so the spine feels sharp, has wrinkled loose skin, or stays lethargic and uninterested in its warm hide. Retained shed, repeated regurgitation, soaking for long stretches, and wheezing or mucus are also warning…
In its first six months a young milk snake should feed reliably and grow steadily in length and girth, shed in complete pieces every few weeks, and become calmer and more confident with gentle handling. Watch for regular feeding with no repeated refusals, clean sheds with no retained skin on the tail tip or eyes, a…
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