We all assume geckos are peaceful, family pets. But have you ever tried to handle a tokay gecko? They are mean!

These guys needed moving to their new vivarium recently. Usually folk will move tockays using thick gloves, but we prefer to coax them into boxes. It’s trickier, but we find it’s a gentler approach.

The www.reptilecentre.com website has been through several changes over the years. The reason? We want it to be the best. We want it to be one of the most useful websites a reptile keeper can visit, both for information and for products.

Well, the website is just about to go through a huge overhaul to improve it further. It’s very important to us that this new site really caters to what you guys need so I have put together a small feedback form below that will help us gauge how to make the best improvements possible.

We’ll pick 10 random people who complete the form and if you’re one of them, we’ll send you a £10 gift voucher to use on the www.reptilecentre.com website!*

Don’t forget you can also use the comments section at the bottom of this post to leave additional feedback.

As I scour the internet looking for the latest reptile news, I occasionally find some reptile videos that stand out. These are 3 of my favourite videos from this week.

Hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Tiger Shark vs Loggerhead Turtle

One of the most feared predators in the water tries to eat a wily old sea turtle. Who wins?

Moray Eel vs Sea Snake

Moray eels are no push-over, but sea snakes have one of the most potent venoms in the world!

How to Build a Dinosaur from a Chicken

A real insight into the evolution of modern birds, or avian dinosaurs, from the non-avian dinosaurs that are now extinct.

Well, we’ve had the keys for Realm of Reptiles Milton Keynes for nearly a week now, so what have we been doing so far? This shop opens on 12th November 2011, less than one month’s time!

We’ve actually completed quite a lot of work in the shop already. Walls have been skimmed, windows cleaned, carpets removed and new wall cladding installed. To see for yourself how things are going check out the videos below.

You can also follow updates on the Milton Keynes store by following them on their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Here are some easy links to get following Realm of Reptiles;

Realm of Reptiles Head OfficeFollow @RealmOfReptiles

 Realm of Reptiles Milton KeynesFollow @rormiltonkeynes

A Calciworm. Yum.

After a tricky 6 months of getting the breeding strategy right, our breeders have finally cracked it and calciworms are now back in stock.

Calciworms are the larvae of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens). As larvae they store high levels of calcium for future pupation as they change into adult flies. As well as being high in calcium, they are also high in fat and protein making them an extremely rich and nutritious diet.

Most insectivores absolutely love them, so why not give them a try next time you order your livefood?

Click here to buy calciworms

The video below shows what some of our bearded dragon babies thought, the first time they tried calciworms (small size).

Thank you to everybody who entered our competition to win a King British turtle and terrapin hamper. 6 lucky people have indeed won the prize after telling us why they love turtles and terrapins so much!

And thank you to King British for donating the prizes, you can follow on Twitter and Facebook to keep up with their products.

The Prize

1x Turtle & Terrapin Complete Food - A natural blend including food pellets, ocean shrimp, freeze dried river shrimp and krill scientifically developed to meet the specific nutritional requirements of all Turtles and Terrapins when kept as pets.

1x Turtle & Terrapin Food Sticks - Complete diet for healthy, active Turtles and Terrapins. Contains all essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Optimum calcium content for healthy shell development together with Spirulina algae and shrimp shell meal to enhance natural colours.

1x Dried Bloodworms - The safe and convienent way to let your turtles and terrapins enjoy the benefits of natural live food, as they would in the wild. Blood worm is a natural worm, freeze dried immediately after harvest to retain flavour and nutritional value.

1x Dried Tubifex - Natural, high protein freeze dried food in easy to handle cubes.

1x Turtle & Terrapin Water Freshener - Tank and terrarium water treatment. Neutralises and digests organic waste produced by turtles and terrapins, helping to control odours.

Who Won?

1. Egantribe

We found our Slider in a stream. Since then we have learned a lot about turtles and been fascinated by each new behaviour. Balancing upright on one hind leg with just the tip of her nose above the water to breathe, looking as if she is doing ballet. Basking with both back legs up in the air and one front leg, quite still, drying off. Biting through carrot tops. Paddling furiously when she thinks crickets are on the menu.

2. Kevindenning

I love turtles because they are extrodernairy animals which might evolve 1 day to teenage mutant ninja turtles. they are very beautiful swimmers and just fascinating to watch could sit and watch them for days on end.

3. Alexandros

I love my turtle because he is bubbly and energetic. I can watch him for hours and it’s so relaxing to see such a wonderful, beautiful animal who ironically is very graceful and so peaceful ( except when provided with food!! ). They’ve been around for thousands of years and love their prehistoric feel. They’re truly such interesting creatures!

4. Michael Coker

i love turtles and terrapins as they are:

T-ip top
U-ltra cool
R-esponsive
T-errific
L-ively
E-xcellent
S-uper

and

T-ruly the best
E-xceptional
R-eally good looking
R-ocking
A-wesome
P-eaceful
I-ntelligent
N-ice
S-uper

5. Nikita K5813

I can honestly say I wasn’t into Terrapins or turtle’s until 2days ago when I took on 5 rescue Terrapins, there were 6 but ome sadly died from the awful conditions they were kept in. BUt after personally rescuing these I am truely amazed by them. THey are wonderful. ANd I hope I get to rescue more in the future. BEautiful

6. Michael

I love my turtles because they are so cute and always look like there smiling and when there swimming around they look like superheroes flying through the air ready to fight crime ! .. or eat in their case haha

Well done to all the winners, you will have already been contacted and your turtle and terrapins goodies are on the way!!

Our friends at King British have kindly donated 6 Turtle and Terrapin hampers for us to give away to you guys. Jolly decent of them.

To decide who gets them I thought we should have a little competition! Well, with an estimated street value (RRP) of over £20 each, it needs to be done as fairly as possible.

The Prize

1x Turtle & Terrapin Complete Food - A natural blend including food pellets, ocean shrimp, freeze dried river shrimp and krill scientifically developed to meet the specific nutritional requirements of all Turtles and Terrapins when kept as pets.

1x Turtle & Terrapin Food Sticks - Complete diet for healthy, active Turtles and Terrapins. Contains all essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Optimum calcium content for healthy shell development together with Spirulina algae and shrimp shell meal to enhance natural colours.

1x Dried Bloodworms - The safe and convienent way to let your turtles and terrapins enjoy the benefits of natural live food, as they would in the wild. Blood worm is a natural worm, freeze dried immediately after harvest to retain flavour and nutritional value.

1x Dried Tubifex - Natural, high protein freeze dried food in easy to handle cubes.

1x Turtle & Terrapin Water Freshener - Tank and terrarium water treatment. Neutralises and digests organic waste produced by turtles and terrapins, helping to control odours.

How to Enter

In the comments section at the bottom of this page, tell us why you love turtles and terrapins. That’s it! Easy peasy.I’ll pick my 6 favourites and the King British guys will deliver your hamper.

For example: “I love turtles and terrapins because they are like stealthy aquatic ninja tortoises“. Or, “I love turtles and terrapins because I saw one on Deadly 60 and they’re awesome!“.

You have until mid-night on 30th September 2011 to enter.

You can keep up to date with King British turtle products by visiting their Facebook page or by following them on Twitter. Oh, and they love feedback so write on their wall or post pictures of your turtles!

Don’t forget to click ‘like’ or ‘share’ below to share this competition with your friends on Facebook!!

Disclaimer: your prize will not arrive in an actual hamper, I just thought it sounded good and I promise you that your turtles will not care.

It’s true, we can now get frozen mice delivered to your door, and it guaranteed to arrive frozen! How convenient is that if you can’t get to your local reptile centre?

In fact, it’s not just mice, we can also deliver to you frozen rats, frozen guinea pigs, frozen hamsters, frozen gerbils, frozen chicks, frozen quails and even frozen aquatic food for your turtles and terrapins!

How can we guarantee it will arrive frozen?

Even on the warmest days our food arrives at your door frozen, we just follow a few simple steps to ensure this happens.

1. Your order will be packed late in the day to ensure as little time out of the freezer as possible.
2. Your food is packed in dry ice for the journey to keep very cold.
3. Your food is packed in an insulated box to protect it from external temperatures.
4. Your food is delivered the next morning (before noon) before the dry ice expires.

The result: fresh, frozen food conveniently delivered to your door, and fully guaranteed to be frozen.

Click on each food item below for more details or to purchase…

Frozen Mice

Frozen Rats

Frozen Chicks

Frozen Quails

Frozen Rabbits

Frozen Gerbils

Frozen Guinea Pigs

Frozen Hamsters

Frozen Aquatic Food

Note: I should also mention, that all of our frozen foods are ethically sourced. All rodents are specifically bred for reptile food in very clean and healthy conditions. Our chicks are males that are not required by the egg industry and would otherwise be wasted.

We’ve been using T8 fluorescent UVB tubes in are vivariums for several years now, they’re the ones that are 1″ (2.5cm) in diameter. No problem, they have served us well. But now Arcadia have brought out a range of T5 (5/8″) reptile UVB tubes.

I can remember when T5 bulbs were introduced to the marine aquarium hobby, they soon took over T8 bulbs due to their superior output.

Here’s what Arcadia say about their T5 Reptile Lamps;

“The new T5 lamps are available in both D3 Forest Species (6% UVB) and D3+ Desert Species (12% UVB) versions.

The D3 lamp is three times as bright as the equivalent T8 D3 lamp, with 80% more UVB, while the D3+ is twice as bright as the equivalent T8 D3+ lamp and has 95% more UVB. Without a reflector, these lamps give 31µW/cm² and 61µW/cm² UVB at 30cm respectively and both have a UVA concentration of 30%.”

There are 3 sizes of both the D3 and the D3+ tubes available. Specialist T5 starter units and tube reflectors are also now available.

Click here to see our fluorescent tubes

Click here to see our fluorescent tube starters

Click here to see our fluorescent tube reflectors

Ever put your hand into a wooden box only to find it contains an unexpected reptile? Do you squeal when you see a snake or spider?

You’re not really my sort of person, but unfortunately we all have to suffer annoying people like you near our pets from time to time.

Luckily, there are now these handy signs available to warn these people.

Click on any of the signs for more details!

Click here to buy a sign now

Thank you everybody who had their photo taken in front of the green screen at our recent open weekend. And a bigger thank you  for your donation to Sam’s Species Reptile Rescue, you helped to raise a lot of money that will be used to take care of ill-treated and unwanted reptiles.

Apologies for the delay in getting these photos back to you, it took a little longer than I thought to process them! But they are done now, and ready for you to download.

How to download your photo

1. Click on your photo in the image gallery below.
2. When the image opens, click on it with your right mouse button.
3. Select ‘save image as…’, this will save a full size copy to your computer.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

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Also…

View all the other images from Day 1 of the open weekend!

View all the other images from Day 2 of the open weekend!

The Reptile Living Room Radio show is an internet based radio broadcast that interviews people working within the reptile industry for the enjoyment of it’s fast growing fan base.

Recently, it was our turn to speak to John F. Taylor on his show. It was a late night interview, well it was for me anyway due to the 8 hours time difference between Northampton and California. I’ll confess now, before John spills the beans in the comments section, that I did say we had had some rainbow boa eggs recently. No, we haven’t created a miracle at Northampton Reptile Centre, my brain just stopped working for a moment!

Anyway, have listen to the interview, and listen to all the others on there too. Hope you enjoy.

Click to listen on The Reptile Living Room

Click to download the Podcast from iTunes