# Vertebrates? Exploring my next obsession...



## sporeworld (Jan 20, 2012)

So, I'm hoping to get some suggestions, directions, warnings(?) from you fellers about my next potential obsession.

I really (really) enjoyed the grande "Idolo experiment", and now I wanna do something else, or something in addition, before returning to mantids again. I'd love to do phasmids, but the local variety are just too limited, and illegal.

I'm thinking Katydids (obviously, the pink kind) might be really interesting, but I should probably start with the local variety to get baseline experience (anyone raise these?).

So, now I'm lookiing into Vertebrates. I've done turtles, which I enjoyed, but were messier and smellier than I want to go this time around. Chameleons? Frogs? Nothing with a long time commitment (tortises are WAY out of the question).

Suggestions...


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## agent A (Jan 20, 2012)

Firebelly toads all the way

Extremely cute, hardy, adaptable and hungry toadies, I can't get enough of them, im tryin to breed mine cause I love them do much, a day after exiting hibernation they r eating like pigs lol but can go weeks without food

If u need more info on these awesome guys pm me


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## crucis (Jan 20, 2012)

you could consider one of the larger gecko species? Like a Leopard, Tokay, or Phelsuma spp.? They're livelier than chameleons, and the way they track and launch themselves at prey can be thrilling to watch. No good for handling though


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## agent A (Jan 20, 2012)

Just so u know, toads live a long time, treefrogs only live 3 or 4 years at most if u r looking for a short lived animal, but if u have male treefrogs god help u when it rains lol!!!


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## Bryce08 (Jan 20, 2012)

agent A said:


> but if u have male treefrogs god help u when it rains lol!!!


O man are u ever NOT joking...LOL been there done that

this is way off topic to what you asked but ill throw it out there, i really really enjoyed them, but sugar gliders are really interesting and fun...just can be loud at night running everywhere and making noises


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## angelofdeathzz (Jan 20, 2012)

Not sure what direction you want to go in, but here's a link to Joshsfrogs.com they have many cool looking frogs and geckos also. Green Iguanas are pretty neat(had one for years) but aren't as easy to care for over the long haul as some people think, anything you get could be found a new home most likely if you grow tired of it.

http://www.joshsfrogs.com/frogs.html


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## itzjustjeff (Jan 20, 2012)

If you decide on having something for 1-2 years you can look into crystal red shrimp? I've been breeding and selling them for 6 years. Although the average life-span is 1-2 years if you have a good colony going you'll never see any deaths because they'll just eat the dead and continue breeding.


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## sporeworld (Jan 20, 2012)

Keep it comin...


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## kitkat39 (Jan 20, 2012)

Leaf Tailed Geckos


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## patrickfraser (Jan 20, 2012)

I like my new chameleons.....I just can't wait for them to get their colors.


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## ShieldMantid1997 (Jan 20, 2012)

Garter Snakes, great price for a great morph (good for those "mice lovers" as they can live on a staple diet of fish and worms)

http://www.bigappleh...&amp;category=25075

Leopard Geckos are nice too, extremely easy.


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## angelofdeathzz (Jan 20, 2012)

Look no further I found you the perfect new pets, the resale value could be staggering!

http://youtu.be/LihMtfUu7qM

you can thank me later  Haha


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## crucis (Jan 21, 2012)

sigh. i wish myself back to those days when i didn't think 'brine shrimp' and 'dormant cysts' and 'marketing'...

Still think sea-monkeys are great though! I had five of them survive two or three months after the rest expired.


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## frogparty (Jan 21, 2012)

Geosearma crabs!! I want some pretty badly.

I'd of course say poison dart frogs, but they live a decade or more if healthy


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## sporeworld (Jan 21, 2012)

Hmmm... Leaf Tailed Geckos are looking good...


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## azn567 (Jan 21, 2012)

Caudates have my vote.


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## Peter Clausen (Jan 21, 2012)

I can find all stages of those salamanders in my backyard. My first thought was dart frogs, though I didn't know they could live a decade. I'd just love to see what kind of tank Sporeworld would set up for them!


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## sporeworld (Jan 21, 2012)

hahaha! When I was 7, I had a "Frogatorium" in my backyard, with about 80 frogs (mostly bullfrogs) I'd caught on various vacation trips in Michigan. It was like a mini zoo, and all the neighbor kids would come over and watch me feed them earthworms and bubble bees!

So, doing dart frogs might be a nice trip down (a more exotic) memory lane.


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## agent A (Jan 21, 2012)

I've kept over 12 frog species in my day and the firebelly toad is by far the most entertaining  

Anyways someone mentioned shrimp, brine shrimp r hard but anyways the cherry shrimp r something I'd like to get into, they seem fun

Also nothin like collecting wood frog eggs first week of spring and rearing the cannabalistic tads to froglets that should be released back into the environment


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## dragon (Jan 21, 2012)

Really comes down to how long of a 'commitment' is too long for you. Leopard geckos are cut and easy but can live up to 15-20yrs if properly cared for. There are a number of gorgeous snakes, but again we're talking a pretty decent life span of over a decade in many cases. Anoles are inexpensive, diurnal, and fairly short-lived ... believe 3-5 yrs. Hamsters are cute, short lived but nippy @%*%^* and should be kept alone. Mice are short lived as well.


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## agent A (Jan 21, 2012)

I want to get an anole but my mom thinks they smell


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## sporeworld (Jan 21, 2012)

Yeah. VERY short, is ideal. Less than a year. If I find something I REALLY want to explore, I'll look for a rescue animal (more mature) to cut down my time commitment. I take a lot of trips, so developing systems to allow a sitter to handle them while I'm away is critical.


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## Ruaumoko (Jan 21, 2012)

My next pets need to be either:

-Alligator Snapping Turtle

-Ceratomantis saussuri

-Miniture Daschshound

Yes yes, ones a Mantis and ones a dog but its what im looking at next lol


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## agent A (Jan 21, 2012)

Firebellies can go like 2 months without food and r low maintinence especially when in a setup that isn't aquatic

Squirrel treefrogs live short lives and r so cute, often sold as green treefrogs but half the size


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## kitkat39 (Jan 21, 2012)

Sporeworld said:


> Yeah. VERY short, is ideal. Less than a year. If I find something I REALLY want to explore, I'll look for a rescue animal (more mature) to cut down my time commitment. I take a lot of trips, so developing systems to allow a sitter to handle them while I'm away is critical.


At first I was going to recommend Crested Geckos, but I figured you might get bored of their looks. They could be fed Repashy Crested Gecko Diet their entire lives. Makes feeding much easier for your petsitters who may be skittish against live foods. It's much more fun to feed them live foods as well, so you could mix it up. Because there are different color morphs, you could pick one up for as little as $20, but could pay as much as $350+ for one. If you pick up a baby, you could breed it by the next year. Eggs will take about 2-3 months incubation time. Full circle in a little over a year.


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