#reptile products online

[scalestailspets]

Bearded Dragon Care

General Info

Bearded dragons are diurnal, active during the day, lizards of the Agama family. These lizards are native to the arid regions of central and eastern Australia. Bearded dogs get their name from the small pouch on their throat that can turn black and expand, like a beard. These wonderful lizards were introduced to the American pet market in the mid-1990s and have grown in popularity ever since. Bearded dragons are known for their general aggressiveness, general stubbornness, curiosity, and personality. They are also known to get to know their owners and have strong relationships. Due to their popularity, all bearded dragons sold outside of Australia are now bred in captivity.

Housing

Bearded dragons can grow up to 24 inches in length and will need shelter to match their size. A young bearded dragon can live comfortably in a 36" by 18" enclosure. Adults will need a cover at least 48" x 24". As with all reptiles, bigger is better when it comes to camouflage.

Although bearded dragons are terrestrial or terrestrial species, they are excellent climbers and scavengers. Adding a sturdy and safe climbing frame, such as natural wood, is highly recommended.

There are many seed options for bearded dragons. These options can range from fabric to porcelain tiles to a mixture of organic soil and sand. The choice to use profanity continues to be a hotly debated issue. Crushed walnut shells are one of the nuts we advise against, some people swear by it but for us it's not worth the risk.

Heating,Lighting, & Humidity

In the habitat of the bearded dragon, there is an abundance of sunlight and warmth. Bearded dragons can often be found basking in the sun.

Having a strong UVB light like Reptisun 10.0 is essential for bearded dragons. Strong UVB light will help your dragon absorb calcium, regulate hormones, regulate metabolism, and improve mood.

Many lizards, including bearded dragons, have what are called parietal eyes. This eye is located on the top of their head and is part of the pineal system. These eyes are photosensitive and help the bearded dragon regulate its circadian rhythms with hormones such as melatonin. With many bright lights, the dragons were colored like heat. The enclosure requires a temperature gradient from 75-80°F on the cooler side to 95-100°F. The temperature should be around 105-110°F.

Being from a natural environment of semiarid lands bearded dragons should not have much humidity in their enclosures. The enclosure should register a humidity of only 20-30%.

Feeding

Bearded dragons are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. The diet ratios for Bearded dragons will change as they grow.

A hatchling bearded dragon needs roughly 80% animal protein and 20% plant matter.

Juveniles will need roughly 50% animal protein and 50% plant matter.

Adults will need roughly 20% animal protein and 80% plant matter.

Dubia crickets and cockroaches are good snacks. You usually want to eat as much food as your dragon can eat in 5-10 minutes. You should have a shallow water bowl with fresh water for your bearded dragon. Contrary to popular belief, keeping a bowl of shallow water in your garden will not increase humidity and cause problems.

Health

Dogs with beards are usually a tough breed. There are a few common issues that are seen, but these are usually caused by improper care and breeding. Obesity is one of the most common problems. Reptiles have generally evolved to not need food every day. Skipping feeding days is always very beneficial for your bearded dragon.

Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) is unfortunately another common problem seen in bearded dragons. The cause of metabolic bone disease is a lack of calcium and vitamin D3 which is associated with a lack of UVB light. A lack of calcium in a dragon's system causes their bodies to remove calcium from their bones, which creates weak and brittle bones and often leads to physical deformities. These deformities can cause the body to experience pain and discomfort because it cannot move as it should.

If you think your pet is sick or has any health problems, it is always best to seek veterinary care from a professional veterinarian so that ability to diagnose and treat.

Summary

Bearded dragons are wonderful animals! Their easy care, overall strength, untrained behavior, and many qualities make them easily among the most popular pets. With proper care, your bearded dragon can provide many years of enjoyment and companionship.

As with always, Scales & Tails Exotic Pets is here for you for all of your online reptile accessory and supply needs. If you have any questions at all please use the "Contact Us" form on our website and we will get back to you as soon as possible!

Read more:- https://www.scalesandtailspets.com

Resource:- https://www.scalesandtailspets.com/blogs/news/bearded-dragon-care 

[petessentialhub]

Shop Online at Pet Essential Hub for All Your Reptiles Product

Pet Essential Hub offers a wide variety of supplies for caring for reptiles and amphibians. Find a variety of items to give your scaly and slimy friends the very best. Shop today for high-quality products with expert help.

[201xs]

people (especially online) are so focused on the ways that hamsters and other small rodents can die and be mistreated by humans that it kind of overshadows everything else. hamsters are cute and cool and intelligent and they have the potential to be very affectionate, and can live a full happy life if you arent neglectful & don't do anything stupid

its crazy how the petco-ification of the small pets industry (it feels wrong even calling it an industry tbh) has become a sort of collective traumatic experience for a lot of kids. so many people have had shocking and horrific experiences with small pets at a young age because of the improper, abusive care products and incomplete (and sometimes flat out incorrect or missing altogether) care sheets that are pushed by these pet stores. not just hamsters, fish too, and even reptiles and birds - it bothers me how so many people see anything that lives in a tank or cage as beginner pets before you're ready for a "real pet", when more often than not they require more intricate and involved care than the average cat or dog.

if youve been mislead about the care of an animal by people trying to sell you a product or told incorrect information from someone you thought you could trust, its not your fault. especially if you were a child at the time. i just wish people would do more research before committing to something that depends on you for survival

[withoutalice]

I know it's very broad categories but i'm working on narrowing down a design idea.

It'll take me a bit to get the actual sales up but i kinda want to know what my demographics are. I haven't been in the online therian tumblr community very long so sorry if I'm doing something wrong-

I'm also wondering if I should make it a commission-style product so y'all can get personalized ones? idk lemme know

[skippyv20]

Hi Skippy & Friends-Oh this makes me really furious seeing this vulgar display of “fashion” as if this is a casual outfit with sneaker$ & sweat$…oh and the Himalaya Birkin from Niloticus crocodile skin with Palladium hardware going for $450,000.00 +/-. Perfect for errands! What hypocrisy!

Hermes owns Birken Bags which is a US handbag product line touting exotic skins, hand sewn, buffed, painted and polished with gold, palladium finishes. Resale is almost as good as owning gold ingots, outperforming traditional investments. The most expensive model sold for $1.9 million. Interested buyers have to be approved from Hermes who invite them into a special private boutique where they view models which must be ordered while being put on a waiting list. The super snobby sales techniques will suck in those who can’t wait to throw money at them. I detect some kind of super competition here, over handbags! These collectors need to take some lessons from ERII IMHO. I enjoy their scarves and other fine items, but this is just tacky nouveau riche to the max!

So, just to really read the room here…Hermes and Birkin do not pass ethical it seems. The brand falls short on workers’ rights, transparency and treatment of animals. It takes 2 or 3 crocodiles to make just one handbag. Over 60 hatchling crocodiles are packed into each concrete pen. I have never been a fan of crocodiles, alligators, snakes and other reptiles but I do think what drives greedy companies bottom line can be horrific. Peta has researched Hermes and Birkin and what they report is not pretty.

Here’s an idea! Instead of strutting around NYC carrying a purse called Himalaya because of the pale colors like snowcapped mountains…why not actually HELP that part of the world which is very much in need of assistance. The American Himalayan Foundation is a great group you can check out online that reveals their annual financials showing where they put the donations to work, as well as annual highlights and field reports. Under the section called What We Do…the top listing is STOP Girl Trafficking. How about that Hermes and Birkin?!!!!!

I will cheerfully celebrate carrying my old comfy yet stylish bag, allowing me to donate to foundations of choice-mostly local. I will not spend one penny on any movies, music, perfumes or clothes by those sporting these bags. Their inability to understand how truly vulgar this behavior is, confirms to me they flunk humanity.

Wow!  Great post dear Pilgrim!  The insanity!  It makes me sick when these rich people constantly have to show off…..they look ridiculous to be honest.  All I see when I see these ridiculous, greedy fools is hungry/starving/homeless people….the rich don’t impress me, never have….😔

[reflectionsofgalaxies]

OKAY, journal blog post of the day!

first day of college at twenty-six!

so today was. . . kinda great?? a lot, but super exciting and productive.

SO glad i looked through the online course rss last night and that my friend and i went and found our classrooms in advance last week.

bc of those things i was able to help some other students set up their microscopes for our lab, and then show some of the students from my lab class who are also in my lecture where the lecture classroom is (bc it’s in a different building.)

the lab also has several reptiles all named after lord of the rings characters! Merry, Pippin, and Frodo are leopard geckos, Gandalf is a bearded dragon, and Bilbo is a ball python!

i also met a super nice upper level bio prof named Michelle, bc someone accidentally kicked over a trash bin and i was helping her clean it up, and she was SO SWEET!

anyway after that i almost fell asleep in my lecture (RIP) but it was all pretty basic so it wasn’t too bad.

then i went and found my friend in the library, found and borrowed my HUGE textbook for the semester, went to accessibility services to book a follow up appointment, rented out a locker, went with my friend to get our gym passes, and then got Tim Hortons and chilled with them for a bit.

after that i was supposed to have one more class but there was a message sent out yesterday that the prof has covid so there will be no class this week, but I went to the room just in case, and about a third of the class was there bc they hadn’t checked the message, so i was able to let them know and they all seemed really nice.

two of them followed me out and asked for my help, bc they were waitlisted for the class and didn’t have the prof’s email but wanted to let her know that they had shown up, so i helped them out with that and they were super friendly! we also chatted about audiobooks and the libby app.

overall, like, 10/10 day, i’m soaring on this dopamine dude ✨

[sonicasura]

The more I look up vaccinations for animals online, the more I think getting Kafka vaccinated, especially in Anon's Chibi AU, is a huge pain.

For just needle administration and blood draw, I suppose the easiest thing is that his veins glow (do they? or is that something else?), so there's less guesswork on that front of where to jab. But here he is also very small and very hairy and squirmy. The hair can be shaved if required, but the other two aspects are dangerous for him in conjunction. Rats and other small critters can be restrained, but not him.

For the information and decision-making front, exotic animals don't have a lot of information on them. Vaccines are formulated and used on exotic mammals, but testing their efficacy is difficult because blood titer (measurement of substance in solution, in this case antibodies) is only one aspect of immunity, hard to measure anyways, and effective immunity levels aren't established. Reptiles are usually kept in isolation, so they don't require vaccines, thus little information on vaccinating them, either.

And Kaiju are unique aliens or bioweapons or something, aren't expected to live long once they are discovered, and few action series bother having characters worry over blood-borne diseases (Mina had no problem with blood on her face that one time, and the cleanup crew is a little too lax with their face shields from what I recall imo), so the information on those is probably abysmal, too.

Ultimately, vaccination is a means of mediating risk, so perhaps one of the more important steps is to be sure the humans around Kafka, who are easier to vaccinate, have all their shots, too.

I basically wrote all this because I was trying to come up with a quick scene and got totally distracted trying to make the procedure realistic. In the end I lost my motivation and gave up, heheh.

Best not to rush yourself. Let inspiration come to ya. I'm currently tackling my own writer's block so the feeling is mutual.

I won't be surprised if the Defense Force made everyone get their vaccinations too. As for Kaiju, the earliest we know they been roaming in the KN8VERSE is the Meian Period. Enough time for the much smaller ones to meld into the local ecosystems. I won't be surprised if vaccinations were introduced as the environment or enough contact with humans will cause changes.

The Defense Force usually gun down Kaiju who cause trouble for humans or are registered. Pest controls would adapt to handle the harmless small fry, companies experiment for potential new products and some shops might even sell the tiny ones as exotic pets too. Thus the medicine was forced to evolve.

Anyway, getting needles that can pierce kaiju flesh wouldn't be so farfetched. Kafka just gets scared since they look bigger due to his small size. He might need some emotional support.

[mh-dreamscape]

Introducing Myself!!

Since my birthday was a few days ago and this account is a little over a year old, I thought I’d do a “get to know me” kind of post. I also thought I’d make a monster high persona for myself to use!

Read below to get to know me and the thoughts behind well, my character design!

I’ll start with character design since that’s what I’m most excited to talk about and what y’all are prolly more interested in 😅 the first couple of pictures are one of the final products and infused with G3 styling while the concept art (last one) is more G1-based since I like both!

Her design is a mix of spectacled parrotfish (my childhood favorite species) and an Atlantic salmon (my current favorite) with the coloring and markings. The scales and moles on her face and shoulder are modeled after my own freckles and moles and I chose the salmon color of them to bring that species out more. The spotted eyebrows also mimic Atlantic salmon spots. Originally, she was supposed to be a light gray but that didn’t really scream “me”, so I made her my favorite color range and gave her some parrotfish characteristics:

The outfit is loosely based on one of my own with a change in color and added minimal patterns. I always have a necklace I wear and glasses, so I gave her one and made the glasses into an almost diving mask/sunglasses instead to also show how dedicated to marine life I am! Her earrings are also supposed to be like tangled fishing bobbers.

By the way, I highly encourage making a persona! She was so fun to design and concept! It’s nice to show who you are/who you want to be without actually showing yourself (I am and I know quite a few people are timid and shy about it)

Now onto the “getting to know me part”!

Usually online, I go by the name/title “Witchyfishy” or “Witchi” for short which is based on another fish I love and a certain OC I have who’s the daughter of the witch flounder.

Some of my hobbies are writing, drawing, playing video games, and learning! I always love to update my knowledge of things or get more certifications and such!

Some of my interests/topics: Monster High, anything aquatic, Stardew Valley, Sun Haven, Little Nightmares (I actually tried to create some of my own boss designs 🤫), World of Warcraft, League of Legends, cats, reptiles, tattoos (I want some someday and I just love seeing what people design or get), cooking/culinary arts, manga and anime (I’ve watched a lot but right now my hyperfixation is Delicious in Dungeon/Dungeon Meshi)

My favorite sweet treat is usually a doughnut and my favorite food has to be tortellinis!

To be honest, I’ve never done these before so I don’t know what else would be that interesting but I hope you liked getting to know me and seeing my character!

Please let me know if you want to know anything else, wanna just talk about an interest, or if you have any questions about the design and concept!

[is-the-snake-video-cute]

where would one get a 4x4x2 tank?

I recommend checking out a local reptile expo to look for a local hobbyist who makes them! They're often much cheaper to buy from someone who makes them as a hobby, and you'll both be supporting a local hobbyist and getting a great product. Ask around at a reptile expo!

If you can't or don't want to do that, online sellers are another great bet! Animal Plastics makes cheap enclosures at a wonderful price (just be aware their wait times are a little long, you'll be waiting about six months), Kages enclosures are a bit pricier but wonderful quality, and Zen Habitats makes wooden enclosures that are really great for lizards especially.

[dealgemeneverwarring]

De Algemene Verwarring #111 - 29 April 2024

Episode one hundred and eleven of De Algemene Verwarring was broadcast on Monday, April 29, 2024, and you can listen to it by clicking on the link below that will take you directly to the Mixcloud page:

First of all, apologies for the late update of the Tumblr page again, I'm kinda slacking with it lately. Sometimes there's just not enough time to get everything done. The usual order is: Monday: making the episode, Tuesday: putting the show online and spreading the word on the social media, and Wednesday: Tumblr. But you know sometimes there's just other things to do on Wednesdays and then I tend to forget the following days. Anyway, let's get down to business. Pictured below is the Australian almost unpronounceable duo Troth. I recently picked up the CD compilation of their early work "Uncut Flowers", released last year by the fine people of Fördämning Arkiv, and I absolutely love it. It compiles early very limited cassettes and some compilation tracks and I think that at this very moment I like it more than the two albums I have from the band (one on Knekelhuis and the other on Mammas Mysteriska Jukebox), but I'll have to give those two another spin. It's a pretty unique band anyway, combining elements of the Bristol scene with dub and kraut influences. Very good release, and it's still available at Discreet Music. And it's on CD and yeah seems like the noise and experimental scene is totally into CDs again and I don't really have an excellent cd player anymore so it's always a surprise if it will play or not, but this one does so me happy.

Some other music in this episode: Primetime, Blank Statements, Lime Crush, Jeanines, Paperniks, X-Mal Deutschland, Can Kicker, Rose Mercie, Cindy, Nina Harker, and Mosquitoes. And beneath the photo you can find the playlist for the show. Enjoy!

Playlist:

The Mighty Caesars: 1977 (LP V/A “Dope, Guns & Fucking In The Streets Vol 4-7” on Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1990)

Primetime: Pervert (7” “Going Places” on La Vida Es Un Mus, 2016)

Blank Statements: The Way (LP “Signs Are Rampant” in Tough Love Records, 2019)

Jeanines: After All (7” “Latest Light/After All” on Market Square Records, 2022)

Lime Crush: Break The Spell (LP “Sub Divide” on Fettkakao, 2018)

Paperniks: Oxygen Tank Flipper (7” “Paperniks Paperniks” on Market Square Records, 2024)

Violent Change: Dreary Example (7” “S/T” on Sloth Mate Productions, 2020)

Purpur Spytt: Triangles (7” “Nitpick” on Kaka Kids, 1000 Balles, POUeT! Schallplatten, Le Syndicat Des Scorpions, 2018)

ESG: Moody (12” “ESG” on 99 Records, reissue 2017 on 99 Records, originally released in 1981)

X-Mal Deutschland: Schwarze Welt (LP “Early Singles 1981-1982” on Sacred Bones Records, 2024, originally released in 1981 on Zickzack Records)

Pawns: Monuments Of Faith 33BPM!! (7” “Monuments Of Faith” on Inflammable Material, 2019)

Can Kicker: Disassociate Now (LP “S/T” on Drunken Sailor Records, 2022)

Rose Mercie: Marie Toi de Moi (LP V/A “Spasmes Du Hasard - 20 + 1 Years Of SDZ Records” on SDZ Records, 2021)

Cindy: A Trumpet On The Hillside (LP “Why Not Now?” On Tough Love Records, 2023)

Nina Harker: Hin Und Her (LP “Nina Harker” on Aguirre Records, El Muelle, La République Des Granges, Animal Biscuit, All Night Flight, Be Coq, 2023)

Troth: Dreck (In Solemn Dub) (CD “Uncut Flowers” on Fördämning Arkiv, 2023, track originally released on cassette in 2019 on 30 copies)

Mosquitoes: Reverse Charge (12” “Reverse Drift/Reverse Charge” on Knotwilg Records, 2021)

[docrotten]

THE REPTILE (1966) – Episode 168 – Decades Of Horror: The Classic Era

“This has become an evil place. Corrupt and evil. Ignorant fools! Peasants! … Oh. Good evening sir. Ever so sorry ma’am. Beg your pardon.” So corrupt evil, ignorant, … and polite? Join this episode’s Grue-Crew – Chad Hunt, Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, Doc Rotten, and Jeff Mohr – as they dip again into the Hammer well with The Reptile (1966)!

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era Episode 168 – The Reptile (1966)

Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel! Subscribe today! And click the alert to get notified of new content! https://youtube.com/gruesomemagazine

ANNOUNCEMENT Decades of Horror The Classic Era is partnering with THE CLASSIC SCI-FI MOVIE CHANNEL, THE CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE CHANNEL, and WICKED HORROR TV CHANNEL Which all now include video episodes of The Classic Era! Available on Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, Online Website. Across All OTT platforms, as well as mobile, tablet, and desktop. https://classicscifichannel.com/; https://classichorrorchannel.com/; https://wickedhorrortv.com/

Harry Spalding and his wife Valerie inherit a cottage in a small country village after his brother mysteriously dies. The locals are unfriendly and his neighbor Dr. Franklyn (a doctor of theology) suggests they leave. They decide to stay only to find that a mysterious evil plagues the community.

  Director: John Gilling

Writer: Anthony Hinds (screenplay) (as John Elder)

Music by: Don Banks

Cinematography by: Arthur Grant (director of photography)

Editing by: Roy Hyde

Production Design by: Bernard Robinson

Art Direction by: Don Mingaye

Makeup Department: Roy Ashton (makeup artist); Frieda Steiger (hair stylist)

Selected Cast:

Noel Willman as Dr. Franklyn

Jennifer Daniel as Valerie Spalding

Ray Barrett as Harry George Spalding

Jacqueline Pearce as Anna Franklyn

Michael Ripper as Tom Bailey

John Laurie as Mad Peter

Marne Maitland as The Malay

David Baron as Charles Edward Spalding

Charles Lloyd Pack as The Vicar

Harold Goldblatt as The Solicitor

George Woodbridge as Old Garnsey

The Classic Era podcast returns to Hammer for another monster movie gem. This is one of their far too infrequent original creations, The Reptile (1966), directed by John Gilling from an Anthony Hinds (writing as John Elder) script. The film features a stellar cast that includes Noel Willman, Jennifer Daniel, Ray Barrett, Michael Ripper, John Laurie, Marne Maitlan, and Jacqueline Pearce as the titular character. Shot at the same time as Dracula: Prince of Darkness, The Plague of the Zombies, and Rasputin the Mad Monk – all four released in 1966 – The Reptile was featured on a double bill stateside with Rasputin: The Mad Monk. Are you a fan of The Reptile and if so, do the Grue Crew agree with you?

At the time of this writing, The Reptile is available on physical media as a Blu-ray from Scream Factory.

Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror: The Classic Era records a new episode every two weeks. Up next in their very flexible schedule, as chosen by Doc, is Konga (1961)! You knew when they covered Gorgo (1961) in episode 157, Konga wouldn’t be far behind. Written by Aben Kandel and Herman Cohen and starring the inimitable Michael Gough, this one should be fun!

Please let them know how they’re doing! They want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave them a message or leave a comment on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel, the site, or email the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com

To each of you from each of them, “Thank you so much for watching and listening!”

Check out this episode!

[scalestailspets]

Order Reptile Products Online in Medford

If you want to order from an Online Pet Accessories Store, then Scales & Tails Exotic Pets is the best option for you. Scales & Tails Exotic Pets provides the best Reptile Products Online in Medford. We will happily tell you we don't know and then we will help you find the answer from credible and reliable sources. Need more details call us at +1 800-559-8838 or visit https://www.scalesandtailspets.com/collections/reptile-decor 

[petessentialhub]

Explore Pet Essential Hub to browse a wide selection of supplies and accessories for reptiles and amphibians. Find everything you require to design a perfect habitat for your aquatic or slimy friends. Purchase quality reptile and amphibian items now.

[sunfish-exotics]

General rambles (both about reptiles & life & art)

Hey guys! I apologize for not being super active / responsive lately, I’ve been really busy getting prepped for brumating snakes / next season, moving lots of cages and animals around, and OH yeah this show this weekend lol

Yeah! I’ll be there with western hognoses, leopard geckos, art, and a couple gently used AP cages. That’s pretty much it for the reptiles portion of today’s ramblings with sunfish so I’m gonna put the rest below a cut

In life news I’ve really been doing some serious thinking about what I want and how to achieve those goals. I was bouncing around the idea of going back to school (FOR ART!) Which is something I’ve never attempted at a higher-education level. Long story short I don’t think full time university would be a good option for me for both financial and time commitment reasons. I would have to do TWO full years of general art classes before I could even apply for a BFA program and that’s really just not realistic for me. Instead I’m going to be taking some enrichment classes at one of the local community colleges, some online courses, and developing my own curriculum to really COMMIT to being a full-time artist. I’d be able to keep a part time job during this in addition to my reptile stuff so finances wouldn’t be too bad and I could continue my house down-payment savings.

Some things to look forward from me if you’re into my artwork!

-> Starting a youtube channel to document my growth and experiences as someone not pursuing an art degree / trying to make self-driven schooling work, and share just generalized art content

->Creating an instagram account just for art (reels! posts! curated content!)

->Really working hard to bring new products to my Etsy, redbubble, etc

->Expanding into other online art marketplaces

-> MAYBE look into streaming? I’ve tried and I don’t think my existing internet / computer setup has enough POWER to handle really dedicated streaming but it may be something to look into investing in if there’s enough interest.

-> EVENTUALLY a patreon with a sticker of the month club, maybe enamel pin club, that kind of thing. I have PLANS!

I’m not going to like... spam my channel / instagram or anything on this tumblr. I’ll probably make an announcement when they’re up and running but after that just try to create something from scratch!

If any of yall are making it work as full time artists (or even part time artists!) I’d love to chat about your experiences and if you have any advice, please don’t hesitate to send me a dm! I’m really nice lmao I know I can come off as intimidating to people who don’t know me well ;-;

That’s all for now!

[russilton]

I’m thinking about starting a fish tank! Do you have any advice on a tank for beginners? I’m a broke college student so my budget is like $150 and I don’t want to get a massive tank.

I can absolutely give you some advice, but also I want to stress upfront that if I seem a little discouraging, it comes from a place of caring about the welfare of fish in the pet trade. They’re all questions I had to ask myself before I got my fish and are why I waited so long to get mine.

So to start with- don’t get goldfish

Don’t get goldfish. don’t get goldfish? Don’t get goldfish!

I LOVE my goldfish, with my whole heart. They are the pet I wanted more than anything for a good part of my life. But there is no goldfish that is compatible with a small tank. Even the fancy ones need a minimum 50 gallons (30 for one, 10 each for two more, they are social and need to be kept in groups). Long bodied goldfish are pond or big tank fish, my tank is 5ft long, it takes an hour or more to clean each week, and when I eventually move with them? Moving it will take 4 people and two cars. Why will I have to move with them? They can live 10-20 years. They shit like machines because they have a massive bio load. You can’t keep most plants with them cause they’ll eat them, and you have to make sure nothing in their tank can fit in their mouth or they’ll eat it. They are aquatic toddlers. Don’t get goldfish!

Okay with that out the way, there are lower budget friendly fish, but please consider that they’re a pet and while you can do most moderate fish vet care at home, you will be their vet and that can be expensive. There’s been more than a couple times my boys have taken up my free spending budget to get chemicals or food they need.

Make sure caring for them is something you can fit in your weekly schedule. You’ll need to clean their tank every week by doing a water change, this maintains a healthy nitrogen cycle. This means removing some water and then replacing it with fresh dechlorinated water, swishing filter media in old water, and removing waste and any plant trimmings you may need to do. Fish keeping is like keeping an entire ecosystem, you’re trying to create an out of place environment, and that means you’re the boss. Same goes for reptiles and amphibians.

Last point before I get to some recommendations: do your research. Do it online. NEVER rely on a pet store for your lone source of advice. I love my local fish store but I don’t trust even them as my sole source of info. Also be wary of where your info is coming from. If a website is owned by an aquatic product company, they’re going to give you info that favours their products.

Get yourself well, well acquainted with the nitrogen cycle, it’s the foundation of fish keeping. Make sure you research every flora or fauna you want to put in your tank, know it’s needs and if you can meet them, and how it interacts with other fish or animals. I had a fish die because he ate one of his tank mates I was assured he wouldn’t and it gave him bloat. Mistakes happen, and I was devastated by it. You don’t have to always assume the worst, but be prepared for it.

Genuinely the best advice can come from Reddit. I know, I KNOW, reddit is full of know-it-all pains in the ass. And that’s why it’s great for aquarium info, because you will find no greater treasure trove of guides and wikis on recommended care, because these folks will have spent a lot of time correcting people’s care, and have made guides to point people to. Every question you can think of has been asked. I’ve frequented the r/goldfish sub when I needed care advice or just wanted to share my boys. YouTube can also be great if you want more gentle and personable advice. There is a product review for everything and a treatment guide for any ailments. Research the critter you want back to front and back again. Know their diets, lifespan, favoured habitats. Look at how other successful keepers are keeping their fish.

Please never settle for the bare minimum. Just because a fish CAN live in a lacking environment doesn’t mean they should. Just you wait till you see their little personalities come out, I can’t imagine not doing the best I can for my boys when I see their little bodies light up when I walk into the room. Their love is humbling.

So, recommendations! First of all: tanks

If you’re in America, I believe petco (or pet smart? Google it) have something called a dollar a gallon sale. This is insane and I wish we had it here. If you want something small, 5gal can keep a betta fish quite happy, if you can spare the space, a 10 gal is much better! I have an 11 gal tropical that I find the maintainance on finicky, but easier than the big tank. The bigger you have the more you can keep. Anything you keep in 15gal or below tends to be considered a “nano” tank, and it’s best to follow guides for those kinds of tanks. But also, be wary of articles trying to tell you one kind of fish CAN live in a nano tank, and every other keeper site going “okay but it should be in a 20 because it needs to be kept in a school”

My currently uninhabited tropical 11, looking a little hairy. The heater broke and I’m waiting till I can get a new one, but the plants don’t much mind since it’s in a heated room.

If you don’t have access to cheap tanks new, try eBay. Yes eBay. My 126 gal 5ft tank? £41 second hand from a downsizing cichlid breeder. It should have cost £500 or more new. You can get some insane deals on stuff from smaller businesses on there too. I’ve also been told to keep an eye on Facebook marketplace. I tried but I abhor Facebook and favoured eBay.

Equipment and chemicals:

You don’t have to go to the fancy brands but trust me it’ll last longer and probably work better. The stuff I bought from a good and mostly trusted label always stuck around. It’s also good to buy from smaller fish focused businesses, because they’re putting the work in to test and cater to fish keepers. I’ll always go to somewhere like seachem or fluval, rather than pets at home, even if it’s more expensive, because my fluval siphon still works so well two years later, and seachem prime and alert has yet to steer me wrong. If you can, invest in higher quality foods too. I’ve got so many compliments on my fish after switching to repashy gel. It’s more dear but I can prep the food and freeze it in advance, it’s much nicer on their tummies, they love it, and it comes from a company that focuses on exotic pet food blends.

If there’s one thing you don’t cheap out on, filters and heaters. They are the engines that keep your tank moving, and if they break it’ll leave you scrambling.

When you’re doing your research, make sure to look out for having emergency supplies ready. I have a make shift hospital tank stocked away, back up battery air pumps incase there’s a power outage, and a large lidded bucket should my tank fail and the fish need to be put elsewhere.

Plants:

If you’re keeping anything other than goldfish, you will probably want some tropical plants! It can be expensive to start and a bit scary looking, but they’ll help your filtration by eating up all the adverse chemicals in your tank! Plus, it’s self growing decor.

I can personally recommend Anubias, Chinese water weed, crypts, Java fern, Amazon swords, Mariano moss balls, hornwort, Java moss.

All of these are low light low tech plants that don’t take much care, and those first three are my faves. A good local fish store can help you pick some that suit you, mine did!

Finally, the bit you were probably looking for: fish

Assuming you’re going for a small nano tank, I would genuinely recommend a betta fish!

They’re generally affordable, not too much maintenance, don’t need to be kept in groups (in fact, you SHOULDN’T keep them in groups, solo only), and so pretty and full of personality. Do not follow any advice that lets you think you can keep them in fuckin vases, you can’t. But you can keep them in 5-10 gal heated planted tanks.

Please avoid buying them from anywhere that sells them in cups, I know it’s tempting to save them, but all you’re doing is encouraging that business by giving them money. I have seen people get sicker ones free, but be prepared for that potential heartache. They aren’t sold like that in the U.K. usually and you should only be buying from places that keep them in small isolated tanks. Support businesses that care for their fish, and you will get a healthy fish for it. Remember for chain stores, it can benefit their business model that your fish dies and you come back to get a new one. Not all stores are like that, but some are.

If bettas aren’t your ball game, consider nano schooling fish like raspbora or some tetra! I’m personally looking at pygmy corydora and ottos for my small tank.

And don’t count out invertebrates! Look up Amano of Neocardinia shrimp! (Aka cherry shrimp), I will be getting myself some! There’s also so many freshwater snails, and you’ll probably end up with some whether you like it or not. I have hitchhiking ramshorn and mystery snails in my nano. I couldn’t kill them if I tried! They just plod along growing in my tank without my help at all.

At the end here it’s worth just saying: you are going to make mistakes. You will. We all do. You may lose fish for it, and it’s heartbreaking. I’ve lost fish in my learning journey and it strikes you down hard. But that’s why it’s important to do your research, it reduces the likelihood of it, and means YOU know that you did your absolute best.

Got to the end? I’m proud of you! That was so much, here’s a video from last night of my boy tiger bothering me for cuddles while I was scrubbing. He won’t leave me alone till I stroke his back or tummy. If it looks like the water is low, it is, we were doing a big big clean yesterday.

[techtired]

How to Optimize Your Online Pet Shop for Maximum Customer Engagement and Sales

The pet industry is booming, and with more people than ever shopping online, your pet store has a huge opportunity to grow. But just having great products isn't enough. It would help if you had savvy marketing strategies to stand out in the digital jungle. Why is marketing so important for your pet store? Well, it's simple. Marketing activities help you reach the right pet owners looking for your store products. It's not just about getting your name out there; it's about building relationships and trust with your customers and learning their custom preferences. Let's dive into how you can use marketing strategies to make your online pet store the go-to spot for pet lovers. Understanding Your Target Market To connect with pet proprietors' customers, you need to understand them. What do they want for their pets? What are their shopping habits? Once you collect the answers, you can tailor your marketing approach and express your goals and campaigns directly to your store's relevant audience. You need to identify the needs and preferences of your store customers (pet owners): Start by gathering data, looking at your store sales and customer reviews, and maybe even sending out surveys. You'll start to see patterns that tell you what pet owners are looking for when they visit your ecommerce website and which product they would like to purchase. Personalized marketing: You need to segment your pets' ecommerce store customers; as you can guess, not all pet owners are the same. Some might be interested in organic dog food, while others look for natural cat litter or exotic reptile supplies. Segment your audience into groups based on their interests and shopping behaviour. This way, you can create marketing messages that resonate with each group. By understanding and segmenting your target market, you're setting the stage for more effective and personalized marketing campaigns to attract loyal customers to your online store. How to Attract Customers to Your Pet Store Attracting customers is all about being visible and relevant. You want pet owners to find your business while browsing and feel like you fit their needs perfectly. Here's how you can make that happen: Implementing marketing content ideas and campaigns: Start with creative ideas that resonate with pet lovers. This could be anything from a photo contest featuring customers' pets to educational blog posts about pet care, quizzes about pets and their habits, and many more. The key is to create content that adds value and encourages sharing. Leveraging social media: Social media is a powerful tool for connecting with pet owners. Use platforms like Instagram and Facebook to showcase your products and your customer's pets, share customer testimonials, and engage with your audience. Remember, it's not just about selling; it's about creating a community around your store. SEO best practices for pet businesses: Ensure your website content, titles, and alt tags target your store audience. It will help pet owners searching for relevant terms easily find your store. Remember that relevant keywords are the primary key; after that - optimize your website's content and build quality backlinks. This will help improve your search engine rankings and attract organic traffic. Using PPC and Ads for Targeted Outreach: Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising and Facebook Ads can put your store in front of potential customers who are already interested in your offer. You can target ads based on location, interests, and even behaviours. By focusing on these strategies, you'll be able to draw in more customers eager to see what your ecommerce pet store offers. Crafting a Successful Pet Store Marketing Plan A well-thought-out marketing plan is your roadmap to success. It outlines how you'll reach your customers and what you'll say to them. Here's what you need to include in your plan: Key components of a comprehensive marketing strategy: Your strategy should cover different types of marketing, from email campaigns to social media posts. Ensure you have clear goals and understand how each component will help you reach them. Integrating online and offline marketing efforts: Even though your store is online, don't forget offline opportunities. Attend pet-related events, sponsor pet-related events, or collaborate with influencers. These efforts should complement your online activities to create a cohesive brand experience. With these elements in place, your marketing plan will guide you towards more visibility, customers, and, ultimately, more sales for your online pet store. Addressing the Gaps in the Pet Industry If you want to succeed, understanding where there's room for improvement within the pet industry is crucial. By identifying and addressing these gaps, your ecommerce pet store can deliver unique value to customers. Analyzing what is lacking in the pet products store industry: Take a close look at your competitors and the market as a whole. Are there underserved niches or customer needs that aren't being met? Perhaps there's a demand for eco-friendly pet products or services that assist with pet health management. Adapting your marketing to fill these needs: Once you've identified these gaps, tailor your marketing plan to highlight how your store addresses them. If you offer unique products or services, ensure your audience knows about them. Use targeted messaging that speaks directly to these needs and make your store the best solution. By strategically positioning your online pet store to fill industry gaps, you'll attract customers looking for these specific solutions and establish yourself as an innovative leader in the pet market. Closing Thoughts This article has studied essential strategies for successfully marketing your ecommerce pet store. You can significantly increase visibility and attract potential customers by engaging with your audience through valuable content, leveraging social media, implementing SEO best practices, and utilizing targeted advertising. Moreover, crafting a comprehensive marketing plan that integrates both online and offline efforts, selecting the right products and addressing pet industry gaps will position your store for success. As you move forward, remember that building a solid community and understanding the unique needs of pet owners is crucial to fostering loyalty and driving sales. Embrace these strategies, and watch your ecommerce pet store thrive in this competitive market. Read the full article