Jan302019 by Stuart DodsworthNo Comments

T5 or T8? Which is better?

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There is a lot of confusion regarding fluorescent tubes in the reptile keeping world regarding T5 and T8. So what is the difference? The original out of the two, is the T8 tube. They have been traditionally known as a 1 inch diameter tube. They have been available for a couple of decades in three “grades” for reptile use; 2% or full spectrum – very low UVB output, but gives a similar colour spectrum to natural sunlight. 5-6% or rainforest power, ideal UVB tube for species that require UVB, but at a lower level, often found where forest species live. 10-12% or desert power, ideal for species requiring higher levels of UVB, for species that bask in intense levels of sun. The method of use is to pick a UVB…
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Jan302019 by Stuart DodsworthNo Comments

Care Of Morroccan Eyed Lizards

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There are two species of Eyed or Ocellated lizard commonly kept in the hobby, Timon lepidus and Timon pater. The former is the larger of the two, reaching around 60cm, and is the hardiest of the two species – it is often kept in secure outdoor enclosures even in Northern Europe (with supplementary heating), and is usually provided with a true period of brumation (hibernation). It naturally occurs in and around the Iberian Peninsula, mainly Spain and Portugal. Timon pater does not grow as big, around 30-40cm and is not a hardy species, it originates from the more Southerly geographical region of Morroco. For this reason it is more suited to indoor vivaria, the smaller size and lack of hardiness lending itself well to the average sized indoor enclosure in a centrally heated home.…
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Jan302019 by Stuart DodsworthNo Comments

Care of Livefood in Cold Weather

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Crickets, mealworms and Locusts are still the number one best sellers where livefood is concerned. The following information mainly concerns these, however much of it can be used for other livefoods. One of the main problems when dealing with livefoods is when they have been sent through the post when delivered via mail order. The temperatures are very low during transit during the winter months. It also stands when the livefood has been left in the cold (say in the car when going shopping). One of the main issues causing loss is change of temperatures, it’s inevitable during the winter months, but must be done carefully. Do not warm the livefood quickly by applying an external heat source (for example placing in the vivarium, above a radiator etc). Place the…
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Jan92019 by KevStevensAdminNo Comments

Australian Outback

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    This part of the field trip to Australia takes us to the more exciting and herpetologically interesting red centre – Alice Springs and Uluru. Last months instalment brought some interesting reptiles, but of course the further north you go in Oz, the more reptiles there are to wet our appetite! I stayed in a small holding just outside of Alice springs, around 40 miles away down a sand road, out there it is very remote and even the main roads are very sporadically paved or tarmacked. The little hut I had managed to track down was perfect for anybody hunting reptiles and amphibians, remote and pretty much undisturbed (although a local rubbish dump proved very favourable hunting!). On the first morning it had been raining, and one of…
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Nov72018 by KevStevensAdminNo Comments

Australia Fieldwork Trip – Part One

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On my way to Australia I stayed in Singapore for a few days. Singapore is known as an urban jungle, it is very green with lots of lush vegetation – not just parks and open spaces but also on top and sides of the buildings. I visited Singapore Botanical Gardens, a large park like expanse of trees and tropical plants. The first reptile I saw in Singapore was……. Wait for it………….. the Red Eared terrapin (Trachemys scripta elegans) – a once common pet species in the UK that originates from the Southern states of North America. Presumably they were, and maybe still are, a popular pet in Singapore and like the UK many have been released into the lakes in parks. The big difference is the climate allows this species…
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Jul12018 by CoastToCoastAdminNo Comments

Our role in helping the future reptile keepers – our fitment of vivaria at Myerscough Croxteth College

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Educating the keepers of tomorrow is a priority for the future of the hobby and key to this is the provision of quality learning environments. Coast to Coast Exotics enjoyed playing an active part in this when it was asked to fit a full animal care unit in 2016 at East Durham and Peterlee College. This was then followed by completing two reptile rooms, an aquatic room and a reception display at a college in Croxteth, Liverpool in 2018. Myerscough Croxteth College contacted Kevin in February 2017, with a view to installing new vivaria, aquaria and associated equipment into their new animal care unit at the Croxteth campus. This followed Coast to Coast Exotics previouse involvement in the fitting of equipment at their Preston campus, several years ago, and after…
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Jun12018 by CoastToCoastAdminNo Comments

Interzoo 2018

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Interzoo is the largest gathering of pet trade manufacturers and suppliers in the world. Held in Nuremberg every other year - usually in May. Nuremberg is a beautiful city (if you can forget that 90% of it was destroyed during the war, and rebuilt in a similar medieval style) and the Expo centre is easily reached on public transport from the city centre. It is a trade event only, no members of the public, and caters for those in several pet industries ranging from reptiles to equestrian, dog grooming to general pet supplies and almost everything inbetween. It attracts several thousand visitors over three days, and takes up the whole of the Expo centre, covering over a dozen large halls. The city of Nuremberg, during Interzoo, is full of pet…
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