I was planning to get this out before Christmas but we had some problems at the Datcenter where this server is located so it will have to serve as a general gift giving guide to those whom have reptile hobbyists in their lives.
With this time of year came much deliberation on what to buy friends and loved ones, what would really show them you care. In the spirit of giving I thought I would write a list of gift options for that reptile hobbyist in your life, Maybe you can use it next year or for a different occasion. Each of these options show that you really do care about them and their pets, that you have taken your time to do the needed research to discern truth from fiction and the good from the bad. These items would make great gifts for reptile lovers not only at Christmas but on any occasion.
1) Megaray MVB
The Megaray line of products from ReptileUV is arguably the top preforming and most complete line of bulbs designed for use with reptiles on the market today. The most common product sold by ReptileUV are their Mercury Vapor Bulbs (MVB). MVB’s combine UVA, UVB and heat into a single bulb meaning in most cases that a hobbyist can avoid using multiple lights and fixtures to satisfy the lighting needs of diurnal species kept in captivity. The Megaray MVB has been shown to produce an amount of UVB more comparable to the sun then that of its florescent tube counterparts as reported here: http://www.uvguide.co.uk/mercvapournarrowfloods.htm.
When choosing an MVB from ReptileUV you have the option of the self ballasted (SB) or externally Ballasted (EB) line. The SB line are those which produce both heat and UVB where as the EB line only produces UVB. The benefit however, of having the EB is that the life of the bulb is much longer as is the guarantee (SB’s are guaranteed for 6 months where as EBs are guaranteed for a year). The downside is that you still need an external heat source. If choosing the SB line I recommend the 100w option, if this ends up not being warm enough a regular incandescent can be used to raise the temperature where as with the 160w or higher versions it is much harder to control temperatures as MVBs can not be put on thermostats.
Before buying the SB line of MVBs or any other MVB be sure that the enclosure it will be used on has ample distance for the light to be placed. With the 100w SB this would mean no closer then 12″ from the highest point of the reptile when basking.
2) Feeders
Just like any animal reptiles need to eat and depending on what reptile and how many their are to feed it can be quite the blow to the reptile hobbyists pocket. Most lizards are omnivorous or insectivorous but their are some exceptions such as the green iguana. Captive snakes however are mainly consumers of rodents no bigger then 1-1.5 times their girth. It is important to pay attention to what the keeper is feeding each animal before buying feeders as a gift. Pay attention to not only the species of feeder but the size as well.
Depending on your location their are many great places to buy feeders, some of which I have taken the time to list below:
Canada
US
UK
3) Cricketfood
When i mention CricketFood I do not mean the junk from the local pet store filled with less then optimal ingredients. What I mean is the amazing cricket food and worm bedding from www.CricketFood.com. Though at 1st glance it seems that this maybe a high price to pay just to feed some insects you must remember, you are what you eat and the same goes for reptiles. The difference I have seen while using the CricketFood.com line of products has been amazing. Not only do my crickets have a much lower (almost non-existent) death rate but all of my reptile look much more healthy.
Not only is their cricket food and worm bedding great but they also make a salad topper which is VERY helpful in getting herbivores and omnivores to eat their greens (not to mention the salad topper is great for them). This is a unique product that would really show the reptile lover that you care.
4) Serpenco Prints
Lets say your not really into the ideas so far, that you want something thats a little more decorative. If such is the case you need to check out the photographic prints Rich Z has available over at Serpenco. These 8×10’s are stunning examples of great photography featuring some of the most beautiful animals in the business.
http://www.serpenco.com/shop/customer/home.php?cat=255
5) Temp Gun
Temp guns are, in my opinion a must have for any reptile keeper. They are relatively inexpensive and allow the keeper to get a real-time temperature reading within seconds just by pointing the device at the spot in which they wish to know the temperature of. Not only are these devices great for the reptile hobby, they also have hundreds of other uses like diagnosing automotive issues or thermal issues when dealing with PC maintenance and repair.
The most common temp gun is the PE-1 from Pro exotics which runs about $25.00 US. The PE-1 can be purchased from http://www.proexotics.com/store/product.php?productid=16211.
6) Reptiles Magazine Subscription
Reptiles Magazine is the most well respected reptile related magazine in publication today. This magazine has up to date articles and information from some of the industry’s leading experts at a great price of 14.99 per 12 issues from many different checkout sources. All you need to do is a Google search.
7) Steve Irwin He Changed Our World Memorial Tribute DVD or any of his DVDs
Steve Irwin was probably the best known reptile lover/keeper/breeder and conservationist whom has ever lived. Being as such he is an inspiration to many and will never be forgotten. A great gift for any reptile lover is the Steve Irwin He Changed Our World Memorial Tribute DVD available from http://www.australiazoo.com.au/tributedvd.php. Not only is that a great choice but really any Steve Irwin DVDs would be a great choice when you don’t know what to buy that special someone. You can’t go wrong with a legend.
Custom Enclosures
The ultimate gift for any reptile keeper would be a custom enclosure from one of the better known enclosure designers. This however is expensive and can take months to actually be built. That being said it is rather easy to construct one of great quality yourself as long as you have the tools and are just a little bit handy with a tape measure and some other basic tools by following this guide: http://www.freewebs.com/crossfireenclosures. Not only is this cheaper then the custom made option but you can say you built it from scratch and gain the admiration of that loved one whom you are gifting it to.
