In my previous post, Reptiles Revisited, I talked about leopard geckos, blue-tongued skinks, bearded dragons, and sulcata tortoises. This time, I’ll be talking about a few more of our herpetological friends: a Mali Uromastyx lizard, a Pacman frog, and our beloved Eastern Box turtles. As I mentioned previously, these aren’t the kind of pets that you would get to cuddle, but they are fun to interact with nonetheless, and they’re super interesting to observe.
Even as a child, I’ve always loved reptiles and amphibians. It was pretty much impossible for my mom to keep me from chasing after frogs and toads or whatever else I could find when we would go camping. She mostly let me play with the animals I found (and I’ve been peed on by more than a few frogs and toads), but the deal was I always had to put them back before we left. As a kid I didn’t realize the importance of not taking any animal from the wild, but I’m sure glad my mom tried to teach me about that. So I’ll say again: never ever take an animal from the wild. These animals are all available in pet stores and from breeders, so no excuses! Put them back when you’re done.
This picture shows a box turtle showing off its beautiful shell. The yellow coloration is much more vibrant in males. Fun fact: males have red eyes and females have yellow or brown colored eyes. Click on the picture to visit the turtlepuddle.org box turtle page.
Eastern Box Turtle
These little fellows can be found all over North America in many different varieties and species. At the zoo, we have two Eastern Box turtles, so I’ll mostly be talking about those, but other breeds have mostly the same care information; however, you should always double-check the needs of the particular animal you are interested in because some types (like the Malayan and Chinese box turtles) have different needs that must be met to ensure a happy and healthy life. For the most part, turtles are not extremely difficult to keep as pets, but as with all animals, they require routine care and maintenance. Wild box turtles eat pretty much everything (plants, insects, carrion), but a balanced diet with appropriate vitamin supplements are a must for captive turtles. Another important consideration for keeping turtles as pets is their very long lifespans. It’s not uncommon for properly kept box turtles to live past 50 years. The commitment level for getting such a long-lived animal is on par with marriage, so make sure you’re able to provide 50 years of care before you get one. To start your research, check out turtlepuddle.org and anapsid.org’s box turtle page.
This info-graphic shows how box turtles box themselves up. These pictures come from the turtlepuddle.org’s box turtle page. Click on the picture to check out more of their information.
That being said, box turtles are really cool to have around. They’re just fun little animals. The two that we have, Jessie and Woody, are so used to being handled and held that it is sometimes hard to get them to box up in their shells for a demonstration when we do educational programs. Box turtles have a hinge on their bottom shell that allow them to completely close themselves off for protection from predators. When I started working with the turtles at the zoo, I was surprised how much they seemed to like being held. To my knowledge from talking to other turtle owners, it’s uncommon for turtles to be that enthusiastic about interacting with humans, but Jessie and Woody prove it’s possible for them to be absurdly tame pets. There is some debate among turtle enthusiasts about the benefits and risks of hibernation in captivity, but we do not hibernate our turtles in the winter, although I see that issue as more of a matter of personal taste for the pet owner.
Pacman Frog
This little guy is a pacman frog. These frogs are in the horned frog family, and it’s easy to see why since they have such pronounced eyes meant to stick up to see prey when the frogs are burrowed. Click on the picture to check out the pacman frog care sheet at reptilechannel.com.
I’ve always loved frogs even though, yeah, they are a bit slimy, but I don’t mind. As with all reptile and amphibian pets, it’s important to remember to wash your hands after handling them to prevent illness and bacterial contamination. But with frogs, I also recommend cleaning your hands before you hold them. Their moist skin is extremely sensitive, and bacteria on your hands could hurt them. Moderation is important, however, since I’ve seen quite a few people slather on a ton of hand sanitizer and reach for the frog. This is also not good because they can absorb the harsh chemicals into their skin and become seriously ill or die. Antibacterial soap and water are really all you need, and make sure to rinse and dry your hands thoroughly. It’s also not recommended to handle these animals more than necessary because it could stress them out, so it’s not the kind of pet to get if you want to hold them super often.
Keeping them isn’t overly difficult. Since they spend most of their time burrowed down waiting for food to pass them by, big enclosures aren’t necessary, and a 10 or 20 gallon tank with lots of moist substrate should be fine. They need a steady supply of crickets, a few mealworms, and occasionally extra treats like pinky mice or feeder fish. Feeding them can be difficult if you don’t know what you’re doing. These guys get their name for their unending appetite; dead specimens are routinely found in the wild trying to eat something larger than themselves. They have even been known to be cannibals if they get the chance, so these are definitely pets you want to keep by themselves. When they strike to eat, it’s really impressive, and admittedly, it was a little scary the first time I fed him. Needle nose pliers are what we use to get the food close but keep our hands as far as possible. These frogs have teeth and a powerful bite, and they can draw blood if they latch on to you. Fingers can look like worms, so it’s never a good idea to stick your fingers by their mouths. Keep in mind it’s a food thing for them; they’re not monsters trying to attack people, they’re just programmed to eat everything in sight. They can easily live up to 15 years or more if properly maintained, so make sure you’re ready to keep them for that long before you consider buying one. A few good places to find more information are the pacman frog care sheet and the pawnation page about different tank set ups.
This Mali Uromastyx has much more yellow that ours, but these lizards come in a wide range of colors from dark black with bright yellow to mostly brown. Click on the picture to check out uromastyxcare.com.
Mali Uromastyx
These lizards are really fun to watch. They tend to be pretty active, especially when they’re warmed up after a few hours in the morning. We haven’t really been taking the Mali to programs and events because he’s pretty fast, and he knows how to trick people into thinking he isn’t going to make a break for it by sitting very still and calm before he springs to action, often startling the unsuspecting person. These lizards definitely have distinct personalities, so you might not get one that’s such a little stinker, but then again you might, so be prepared to handle escape artists. Due to their active nature, they also require much larger living spaces, so take that into account as well. And at the risk of sounding like a broken record, take the 15 year lifespan seriously before deciding to get one as a pet.
Since these animals are from the desserts of Northern Africa and the Middle East, they need a warm, dry environment to be happy. Somewhat surprisingly to non-biologists such as myself, Malis are mostly herbivores that can’t really handle more protein than a few crickets as a treat every once in a while. They mostly eat dark greens, peas, carrots, squash, seeds, fruits, and calcium rich veggies, so it’s not hard to get their food since it’s already at the grocery store, no extra trip needed! Always make sure the food it chopped up into pretty tiny bits since lizards don’t really chew. A few good places to start your Mali research are: uromastyx care page and uromastyx information page.
Petting Zoo Tales 
Awesome article!