Most Popular Bearded Dragon Morphs

April 20, 2016April 19, 2016 ~ BackwaterReptiles

Bearded dragons are extremely popular pet lizards. Not only are they well behaved, moderately-sized, trainable, interactive pet lizards, they’re also available in a multitude of morphs. We aim to list the most popular Bearded dragon morphs in the world for you.

Many morphs means you can essentially “customize” your bearded dragon to suit your personal aesthetics. With careful, selective breeding, bearded dragons have essentially become designer lizards.

Some people might feel overwhelmed by the vast number of bearded dragon morphs available on the market today. What do all the descriptive terms mean and how do you choose which lizard you want?

In this article, we’ll lay out the most popular morphs and describe them in detail. Keep in mind that because these are all the same lizard, temperament, personality, and care requirements are all the same. These animals are only different in physical appearance.

Normal Bearded Dragon

Normal or standard Beardies are not necessarily one specific color. They can be a mixture of yellow, brown, red, orange, and tan.

Genetically, they are the result of a breeding between two dragons with different traits. In other words, they come from breeding a “normal” with a “pastel” or a “red” with a “normal.”

normal bearded dragon — This normal hatchling is a bit on the yellow and red side. As it grows and matures, it could become more tan or brown.

As far as price point goes, these are the most inexpensive beardies since no special genetic pairings are required to produce a normal.

And don’t let the name “normal” fool you. They can be quite stunning in coloration and markings just like any of the other morphs.

Pastel Bearded Dragon

A pastel Beardie is lighter in color. They are bred to have reduced pigmentation in their scales with fainter patterns and high lights. Often times, this morph’s nails are translucent too.

This means that a pastel red bearded dragon will express muted red tones in its scales. Similarly, a pastel yellow Beardie will be much less of a vibrant yellow.

This morph is also known as “hypo” which refers to the lack of pigmentation present in the lizard’s skin.

Leatherback Bearded Dragon

Leatherbacks are interesting because in addition to being very vibrant in coloration, they actually have a different texture than a normal bearded dragon.

The name “leatherback” actually comes from this Beardie’s smooth back. It has no spikes on its back like a normal dragon, although it does have a fringe of spikes along its sides and on its head.

leatherback bearded dragon — Leatherbacks have smooth backs, but are not as scale-less as the silky back morph.

The scientific reason leatherbacks have smooth backs is because they actually have smaller scales on their backs which makes them feel smoother. Because the scales are smaller, they also seemingly pack more pigment in, thus making the Beardie appear more vibrant.

Silky Bearded Dragon

Out of all the bearded dragon morphs, silkies or silkbacks are the most unique in physical appearance and the easiest to distinguish at a single glance.

Silkies are essentially smooth, hence their morph name. They almost feel and look like they have proper skin instead of scales, although this is not the case. In reality, silkies are the result of a cross between two leatherbacks with the end result being a lizard that is doubly smooth because its scales are doubly small.

Although silkies can be bred to be a variety of different colors, they will almost always be more bold and vibrant than most other morphs.

Red Bearded Dragon

A red bearded dragon is exactly what it sounds like – a red lizard. The red color can be bright like a tomato or duller like a brick. Just keep in mind that the more outrageous the red color of the Beardie, the more costly it will generally be.

It should also be noted that the red morph term can be combined with other morph traits. For example, you can have a Beardie that is a “red leatherback” or a “red silky” or even a “red translucent.” The red name is mostly a modifier, although it can also be the main descriptive element in the type of Beardie.

Conclusion

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what color or morph your bearded dragon is. All beardies are great pet lizards that enjoy interacting with people. Which morph you end up choosing will be largely based on your personal preference and budget.

Made a decision which morph you want? Or are you ready to check out more morphs than the ones listed in this article? Head to the Backwater Reptiles website and check out all the bearded dragon morphs we sell!

Red Tail Green Rat Snake Care (Gonysoma oxycephala)

April 15, 2016April 14, 2016 ~ BackwaterReptiles

Are you in the market for a colorful, mid-size snake with a reasonable temperament? Then we think a red tail green rat snake might be for you.

red tail green rat snake care — Red tail green rat snakes are sleek and limber snakes.

As its name suggests, the red tail green rat snake sometimes has a red tail. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes the tail only has a slight hint of a red tint to it and sometimes it’s not even red at all. The body of the snake itself is usually a brilliant green color, but variation exists and some snakes are grey, silver, or brown.

Green rat snakes will grow to be anywhere from sixty to seventy inches long and are considered mid-size snakes by reptile hobbyists, even though they are actually the largest species of rat snake. Because they are arboreal, their bodies are very limber and strong to enable them to navigate tree branches.

Red Tail Green Rat Snake Housing

An enclosure that is at least 36 inches long and 30 inches tall is recommended for a single green tree rat snake. Because they are semi-arboreal, a green tree rat snake’s home will require things to climb on such as wooden branches and either real or fake foliage.

As far as flooring is concerned, we recommend a traditional snake substrate such as aspen shavings or coconut fiber. A good substrate for a green rat snake is something that holds moisture but doesn’t remain too wet. Just like any other snake species, you’ll want to be sure that there is adequate moisture inside the snake’s home, but also avoid keeping things too wet as this could foster respiratory infections. Choosing a good substrate is the first step to respiratory health.

Cage décor for red tail green rat snakes need not be elaborate, although there are two things that you want to be sure not to exclude. The first item is a large water dish. Humidity is important when keeping reptiles of all species and water dishes help to maintain proper moisture levels. We also want to recommend that some type of ground-level hide be placed in the cage, even if your snake does spend a lot of time climbing. Replaceable toilet paper rolls, bark hide spaces from pet stores, and even homemade hideouts are all acceptable options.

The temperature in your green tail rat snake’s enclosure should stay in the range of 77 to 84 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use reptile heat tape, heating pads, or lamps to maintain this temperature. It’s also wise to invest in a thermometer so you can monitor this closely and make sure it doesn’t fluctuate too much.

Red Tail Green Rat Snake Feeding

Although red tail green rat snakes eat lots of small animals in the wild, they will take to eating frozen/thawed mice pretty quickly, even if your pet snake happens to not be a captive bred animal. It might take some training, but green rat snakes will readily accept pre-killed food. We recommend feeding around every seven to ten days for adults and bi-weekly for hatchlings.

Red Tail Green Rat Snake Temperament

While red tail green rat snakes are not known for being particularly docile, they are also not known for being on the defensive or aggressive side. We’ve found that if you handle your green rat snake regularly and teach it to associate time outside the cage being handled with good things, it will take to human interaction quite well.

handling your green rat snake — Be calm and confident when handling your red tail green rat snake and it will respond to you well.

As far as handling is concerned, the only word of advice we have when it comes to picking up your green rat snake is to be wary when you first remove it from its cage. Like many snake species, it’s not uncommon for a green rat snake to be a bit nervous and fidgety, which can translate to a bad experience for both owner and animal if caution is not exercised. Just be calm and confident with your snake and it will cooperate with you.

Conclusion

Red tail green rat snakes make exceptional and rewarding pets. We recommend them for hobbyists with moderate levels of experience due to their habitat requirements and somewhat flighty nature.

Think you’re ready to purchase a red tail green rat snake of your own? Backwater Reptiles has got you covered!

Weirdest Reptile Adaptations and Behaviors

April 12, 2016April 11, 2016 ~ BackwaterReptiles

We sell some pretty fascinating and bizarre animals at Backwater Reptiles.

In this article, we’ll talk about our favorite five weirdest reptiles and amphibians and discuss everything from strange physical appearances to peculiar adaptations.

Desert Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos)

The desert horned lizard AKA the horned toad is definitely an interesting little lizard. Due to its flat body, squat face, and spiked “crown,” the horned lizard certainly has a distinct physical appearance.

But, this seemingly ordinary lizard is known for a far more macabre behavior. When a horned lizard feels threatened, it can actually squirt a stream of blood out of its eyes up to a distance of five feet! This serves to surprise and disgust predators and hopefully keep the horned lizard from being eaten.

Although it might seem like a cool trick to get your pet horned lizard to squirt blood from its eyes, we definitely don’t recommend trying it. This is because it means you must put the lizard under extreme stress as this behavior is sort of a last ditch effort by the lizard to save its own life.

Desert Horned Lizards are available for sale on the Backwater Reptiles website.

Surinam Toad (Pipa pipa)

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out why the Surinam toad makes our list of strange reptiles and amphibians. In fact, you can tell just by looking at this frog that it is unusual.

As far as physical appearance is concerned, the Surinam toad is extremely flat with beady little eyes and it resembles a leaf. It also has a strange triangular-shaped head and moves about in a very awkward fashion when it’s out of the water.

In addition to looking very outlandish, the Surinam toad has some bizarre reproductive habits. Rather than laying eggs like most amphibians, the Surinam toad hatches its babies from the skin in its back!

After a series of elaborate mating dances, the female winds up with fertilized embryos that develop into a honeycomb shape on her back. Eventually, fully formed froglets will hatch from the honeycombed skin.

Backwater Reptiles has strange-looking Surinam toads for sale.

Toad Head Agama (Phrynocephalus mystaceus)

These lizards appear pretty normal at first glance. They resemble a cross between a bearded dragon and a horned lizard with pug-like faces.

However, if you make a toad head agama angry, they unfold skin flaps on the sides of their head to appear threatening. The result is reminiscent of something out of the movie “Predator.”

We think this bizarre defense mechanism alone gives good reason for these lizards to make our list of weirdest adaptations.

Want your own “Predator” agama? Backwater Reptiles sells healthy toad head agamas.

Mozambique Rain Frog (Breviceps mossambicus)

We’ve put the Mozambique rain frog on our list of weirdest reptiles and amphibians for two reasons.

First of all, this is one grumpy looking frog. Not only is it squat, and flat-faced with a balloon-like body, but its feet point inwards which we think makes it resemble a bulldog. When it walks, the rain frog is pigeon-toed and the resulting waddle is quite comical.

Aside from being physically awkward, rain frogs don’t have a traditional frog’s voice. In other words, instead of croaking, rain frogs emit a high pitched squeak or squeal akin to that of a kitten mewling for its mother. It can be quite humorous to listen to, so long as the reason for the frog’s cry is not distress.

Interested in a pet Mozambique rain frog? Buy one from Backwater Reptiles.

Egg Eating Snake (Dasypeltis sp.)

Even though physically, the egg eating snake appears very ordinary, it possesses an adaptation that is just bizarre enough to land it on our list.

As its name suggests, the egg eating snake does in fact, consume eggs for meals. Unlike “traditional” snakes which eat mostly small rodents, the egg eating snake feeds exclusively on eggs.

These species of snakes swallow eggs whole, which is quite a feat in our opinion. Once the egg has been swallowed, the snake uses muscles and bony protrusions on its spine to crush the egg and suck out the liquid inside. The final step is regurgitating the crushed egg shell after the egg’s insides have been swallowed.

Quite a strange way to eat, don’t you think?

If you’re ready to welcome an egg eating snake into your home, you can purchase one from Backwater Reptiles.

Conclusion

Each of the animals on this list possesses at least one unique or strange behavior or adaptation that we find endearing. We also think each of these critters make good pets!

Whip Spider Care (Amblypygi sp.)

April 7, 2016April 8, 2016 ~ BackwaterReptiles

Wondering how to care for a Whip spider? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Whip spiders are arachnids also known by the name tailless whip scorpions. They belong to an order of arthropods named Amblypygi and are not to be confused with whip scorpions and vinegaroons, which are similar invertebrates that belong to a different order.

Although these arachnids are commonly known as tailless whip scorpions, they do earn their name, as they are indeed tailless. In fact, the word Amblypygi actually means “blunt rump” and refers to the fact that these animals don’t actually possess stinging scorpion tails or silk saks.

They do, however, have pinching pedipalps (AKA pinchers) that can grab your fingers if the scorpion feels threatened. But they aren’t venomous, nor are they usually aggressive, so they aren’t considered dangerous pets.

tailless whip spider care — Whip spiders are harmless, even though they might look rather intimidating. Caring for them as pets is very easy.

Tailless whip scorpions are flat, wide invertebrates with eight legs. Only six of these legs are actually used for walking and the scorpion has a somewhat sideways gait similar to that of a crab. The front appendages are modified into long, thin segmented feelers, which the scorpion uses to orient itself and find prey. These feelers, which just happen to resemble whips, are also what gives these arachnids their common name.

When their legs are not stretched out, most whip spiders will average around two to three inches in length. However, it has been reported that these scorpions can stretch out to make their leg span as long as twenty three inches.

Tailless Whip Spider Care

When it comes to feeding, tailless whip scorpions are sit and wait predators. They will patiently wait and feel around with their long “antennae” until they sense that prey is nearby. Once the scorpion detects that prey is close enough, it will pounce and grab the prey using its pinchers and immediately begin chewing.

In the wild, whip spiders are insectivores primarily. In captivity, we give ours meals of crickets, roaches, and occasional wax worms. Sometimes, if your whip spider isn’t too shy, you can even get it to accept an insect from tongs.

amblypygi — A close up of the whip spider shows its pincers that it uses to snatch prey.

Like all arachnids, whip spiders molt as they grow. However, unlike most spiders and scorpions, they require a place to hang from while molting. Most arachnids will molt on the ground, but whip spiders need a vertical space to hang from while they wriggle out of their old exoskeleton. Therefore, it is absolutely imperative that owners provide a surface that the scorpion can cling to in order to perform this behavior.

Directly following a molt, your whip spider will be a white or green color and will be far more vulnerable. This means that prey items such as crickets or roaches that can bite your whip spider need to be removed immediately from the cage if they are not eaten.

Believe it or not, prey can actually injure the whip spider while it is green or white. But not to worry – after a few days, your whip spider’s new exoskeleton will harden and you can resume feeding as normal.

Whip spiders are fairly active arachnids, so we recommend a decent sized enclosure. A ten gallon tank should suffice for a single scorpion, but if you add additional house mates, a larger home will obviously be required.

As previously mentioned when molting was discussed, be sure to have multiple angled surface with various textures that your scorpion can cling to and hang from while molting. And as far as substrate is concerned, anything that holds moisture will do just fine. We recommend coconut fiber, peat moss, or organic potting soil.

Be sure to maintain high humidity levels in your whip spider’s enclosure. These are animals that are naturally found in wet caves with naturally collecting water. They need humidity to thrive and go through proper molting.

A good way to maintain humidity is to mist your whip scorpion’s enclosure. This is also helpful because the scorpions won’t drink from a standing water dish, but they will drink water that has naturally collected on cage décor.

Notice the long “feelers” on the tailless whip scorpion that help it detect prey.

Caring for Tailless Whip Spiders – Conclusion

We think that whip spiders make excellent pets and are simple to care for, especially for people who want an arachnid but don’t want to be bitten by a spider or stung by a scorpion.

Best Pet Tarantulas

April 5, 2016May 3, 2022 ~ BackwaterReptiles

Welcome to our list of the best pet tarantulas in the world. Pet spiders are very polarizing – people either love the idea of keeping a large spider in their home or they hate it. At Backwater Reptiles, we take care of spiders destined to be people’s pets every day, so we understand the appeal of arachnids.

Our goal for this blog article is to describe and detail our picks for the top four best pet tarantulas. Read on to find out which species we chose.

Mexican Red Knee Tarantula (Brachypelma smithi)

Red Knees are one of the most commonly kept pet tarantulas. They are readily available in chain pet stores and most people probably think of this species when they imagine what a tarantula looks like.

As you’ve probably surmised, Mexican red knee tarantulas are dark brown or black with distinctive red knee patches on the joints of their limbs. They grow to have a leg span of approximately seven inches. Males will live for around three to six years old, while females can live for around twenty five years.

best pet tarantulas — Although we don’t necessarily recommend putting any tarantula with urticating hairs on your face, red knees are so docile that most owners feel comfortable enough to take the risk. Here’s one of our employees (Amanda) with her favorite Red knee.

Known for their reasonable temperaments, red knees usually don’t mind being handled. Although there is always some danger of being bit or getting urticating hairs in your skin, you don’t usually need to worry about this behavior with red knees. For the most part, although they can be skittish at first, red knees would rather hide from you than attack you.

We highly recommend a docile Mexican red knee tarantula if you are interested in acquiring a pet tarantula.

Rose Hair Tarantula (Grammostola rosea)

Rose hair tarantulas get their common name from the color of the hairs on their bodies. Some are more brightly colored than others with semi-metallic pink hairs, while others just have more of a dull pink tinge to them.

The rose hair is another species of tarantula that is known for its docile disposition. Many rose hair owners play with and handle their spiders on a regular basis without fear of being bitten or getting irritating hairs embedded in their skin.

If you purchase a spiderling rose hair, it will take approximately three to four years for it to reach maturity. A spiderling that starts off life around the size of a pencil eraser will eventually grow up to have a leg span between four to five inches.

Purchase your own pet rose hair tarantula from Backwater Reptiles.

Brazilian Black Tarantula (Grammastola pulchra)

Many people label the Brazilian black tarantula as the “ideal” pet spider. This is because they are a bold, jet black color with highly docile attitudes. They have simple care requirements and healthy appetites. They actually make great pet tarantulas for beginners and we’d even recommend them as a classroom pet.

Brazilian Blacks are terrestrial spiders, so although they don’t require a massive amount of space, we do highly recommend that your spider live in an enclosure that is wide and not super tall.

brazilian black tarantula spiderling — Pictured is a baby Brazilian black tarantula. They start out small, but they grow quite large.

Interestingly enough, we do recommend keeping a water dish in the Brazilian Black’s enclosure. Even though you might never see your spider drink water, both spiderlings and adults need humidity, and a water dish helps to maintain that.

Ready for a classroom pet? Or just want a friendly pet spider? Backwater Reptiles has healthy pet Brazilian Black tarantulas for sale.

Golden Blue Leg Baboon Tarantula (Harpactira pulchripes)

We’ve included the rare golden blue leg baboon tarantula on our list because it is almost a “collector’s” spider. Because it is so hard to find in the U.S., it becomes a highly sought after spider for arachnid enthusiasts. Keep in mind that because it is so sought after, it does come with a fairly steep price point.

Although it begins life as a relatively unremarkable spiderling with a tinge of blue to it, the golden blue leg baboon tarantula matures into a beautiful, large spider with metallic blue legs.

golden blue leg baboon spiderling — This spiderling is a very rare. When this little spider matures, it will have brilliant blue legs.

Like all the spiders on this list, the golden blue leg baboon will happily eat crickets and other appropriately sized invertebrates. Spiderlings can eat a small cricket every day, whereas adults are perfectly happy eating once or twice a week.

If you’re a spider enthusiast, Backwater Reptiles does sell rare golden blue leg baboon tarantulas.

Conclusion – The Best Pet Tarantulas

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading our guide to the best pet tarantulas in the world. Indeed, tarantulas aren’t for everyone. But, if you’re not an arachnophobe, then we would recommend any of the spiders on this list as a pet. Most are pretty friendly and all of them are very easy to care for in captivity.

Backwater Reptiles Blog

Over 250 Articles for Herp Enthusiasts

Most Popular Bearded Dragon Morphs

Red Tail Green Rat Snake Care (Gonysoma oxycephala)

Weirdest Reptile Adaptations and Behaviors

Whip Spider Care (Amblypygi sp.)

Tailless Whip Spider Care

Best Pet Tarantulas

Best Pet Tarantulas

Mexican Red Knee Tarantula (Brachypelma smithi)

Rose Hair Tarantula (Grammostola rosea)

Brazilian Black Tarantula (Grammastola pulchra)

Golden Blue Leg Baboon Tarantula (Harpactira pulchripes)

Conclusion – The Best Pet Tarantulas