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Accepted Answer
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11/19/2008 11:34:00 AM
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aaron
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Cresteds for sure... They won't require any additional heat, and they'll be fine over weekends... You won't need to feed crickets, just baby food.
Although bringing baby food to work and putting it in the fridge might look a bit odd.
Personality wise, they are absolutely fun to watch them leap around.
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Member Comment
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11/19/2008 12:26:07 PM
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Saffleur
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Cresties ftw. Seriously those little guys are awesome and maintance is small. If you are embarassed about the baby food get Repashy's Crested Gecko Diet. That would be all they need for food as well.
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Member Comment
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11/19/2008 12:46:32 PM
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Jeffriey
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Snakes do frighten a lot of people but for security reasons and if you want people to leave you alone then you put a big huge pythonin there!! ......Ok I'm kidding about recommending that but I did have one experience at my last company. The place was broken into and for two reasons I knew it was an inside job. First they went straight for my engineering department and stole all the computers I had in there knowing we had the best equipment. Second reason I know it was an inside job, although my office door was unlocked they didn't even enter it knowing I had a 12 foot burmese sitting in a tank right beside my desk. It was strange how so many people would call me out of my office during the day to ask me something LOL.
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Member Comment
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11/19/2008 12:50:23 PM
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Nilloke
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Definitely cresties. They're easy, adorable, and have huge personalities for how small they are. And you could have a couple in the terrarium as long as they're not both male.
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Member Comment
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11/19/2008 1:03:10 PM
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Member Comment
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11/19/2008 1:08:04 PM
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FyreFocks
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Arent cresties nocturnal? That could present a viewing issue. Also, the baby food or pre made mixtures, IMO, are more of a hassle than criskets. I would recommend a female colony of grandis. Giant day geckos are colorful, easily kept, have great personalities, and most importantly, they are diurnal.
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Member Comment
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11/19/2008 1:51:17 PM
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Kaiyudsai
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If I were say Donald Trump rich, I would probably have a huge glass desk with Emerald tree boas in it.....and one wall of the office would be a retic enclosure....... But on a more reasonble budget, I would have a planted terrarium with a Solomon Isle(Candoia ssp) tree boa
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Member Comment
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11/19/2008 1:54:18 PM
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FyreFocks
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Ive only had 1 experience with the solomon island boas and it wasnt the nicest snake ive ever seen. It had eating issues and shedding issues. It took over a year to sell it.
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Member Comment
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11/19/2008 2:12:23 PM
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Jeffriey
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I worry about my animals just leaving for work and the kid is at school. I guess depending on what your situation is whatever you choose, it would have to be something you feel comfortable leaving alone especially over the weekend if thats what you have to work around hourly wise.
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Author Comment
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11/19/2008 3:46:14 PM
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JohnJohn
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Wow Jeff. You really kept a big burm in your office? I think I'd get in some trouble if I tried to do that! I wanna come work where you work.
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Member Comment
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11/19/2008 5:30:34 PM
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Joseph Jenkins
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Frogs are the way to go, they have slow metabolisms, so they can go a few days without eatin, and they are small and don't require heat-----The perfect office pet.
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Member Comment
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11/19/2008 5:55:55 PM
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dalvers63
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Cresteds are great, or if you want something a bit cooler and just as easy, go for a gargoyle gecko.
No baby food though, it's the WORST thing you can feed them (like feeding candy to kids all day). Feed them the Crested Gecko diet from Repashy and you'll be just fine as it includes all the nutrients. I don't see how you can think that the CGD is more of a hassle than crickets, Nate. You mix it with water and put it in the tank..pretty darn easy. Crickets need to be gut loaded, dusted and Goddess forbid they get out in the office 
yes, they're more nocturnal but if you have a nicely arranged terrarium with places to "hide" that are actually better for viewing, it would be nice.
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Member Comment
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11/19/2008 6:04:03 PM
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FyreFocks
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My bad about the baby food. Youre right. I think crickets are easier. I fed my day gecko once a weeks and it took 2 minutes to do. The liquid diets have to be more often than once a week in most cases and ive had it go moldy over night. Maybe it was something i was doing it wrong, i dont know.
I think day geckos are more visually stimulating than crested geckos. Sure crested given the right color red or orange really pop, but no cresty morph (IMO) will ever glow like a neon green gecko with blues and reds on top. Its just my preferences.
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Member Comment
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11/19/2008 6:09:13 PM
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dalvers63
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Good point, and you're right, there is nothing as spectacular as some big Phelsuma in a nicely planted vivarium.
If insects aren't an issue, and you can get UV lights on timers, etc, I have to agree with Nate that Day geckos would be stunning.
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Member Comment
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11/20/2008 3:19:59 AM
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amarilrose
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BTW, double check your office temps. I really like this idea of setting up a pretty little terrarium... but my biggest concern is that most places of business that I see go way overboard on the "environmental control" (heating and air conditioning). Lots of places seem to think they need to air condition to 60 F in the summer, and heat to 85 F in the winter... and then complain about the power bill! *sigh* oh, humans....
I really like the idea of either day geckos or crested geckos. I am personally fascinated with both and have been for a long time, but haven't kept either. I did get the impression though (please somebody with experience comment) that the cresties seem to have a lot more personality than the day geckos, and that cresties can be handled readily, while day geckos seem to be best with a "hands-off" approach.
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Member Comment
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11/20/2008 8:25:39 AM
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FyreFocks
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Cresties are more easily handled but as for more personality, i dont think so. My only grandis was actually a rescue who was in pretty bad shape when i got him. He never did get used to handling but he was still very friendly. Always wanted to put on a show for people, he readily took food from my hand or tongs and he always hunted for food like he knew he was being watched. I was also able to feed him pesky bugs that got into my house (i know this is a no no). He ate a full grown luna moth once. It took him 3 days to do it, but it was awesome.
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Member Comment
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11/20/2008 12:26:47 PM
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constrictorman
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SNAKES ARE A GREAT CHOICE. I MANAGE A AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND IN OUR WAITING ROOM WE HAVE 5 SNAKES,3 CORNS 2 KINGS. DID HAVE 1 TIMBER RATTLESNAKE LOCKED CAGE OF COURSE AND ELEVATED WHERE NOT EASILY ACCESSED BY PUBLIC 2 RAT SNAKES. WE DO HAVE A FEW THAT ARE FRIGHTENED BUT THE MAJORITY ARE FASCINATED AND ASK MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THEM.
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Member Comment
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11/20/2008 2:24:08 PM
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FartherAway420
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" WE DO HAVE A FEW THAT ARE FRIGHTENED BUT THE MAJORITY ARE FASCINATED AND ASK MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THEM."
This is what I would think would happen as well.
Sounds like a great opportunity to educate. As long as your boss has no problems with snakes/spiders give it a go!
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Member Comment
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11/20/2008 6:33:50 PM
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Joseph Jenkins
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Frogs!!!!!????
Come on show some love for our little jumpy friends, get a frog....u know u want to ; )
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Member Comment
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11/20/2008 7:16:08 PM
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Ophiuchus
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Many good suggestions have been made so far. Exactly how much space do you have to dedicate to this venture?
One could always go with the "poor man's" emerald tree boa...the Amazon tree boa. Yeah, they're snappy, but if its just a display animal, who cares? I have a terrarium set-up at work, and our ATB does very well in it.
There's also chameleons, Mt horned dragons, collared lizards, desert iguanas, cone-headed lizards, etc...
Pretty much any amphibian could work.
Really...the only limitations are space, price and frequency of maintenance on your part.
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Member Comment
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11/21/2008 8:37:06 AM
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manunited1
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You also need to be careful on how your building manages pest control. If they do it after hours it may present trouble if spray drift goes into the tank. Especially if you go with an amphibian.
Just my .02
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Member Comment
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11/21/2008 11:00:17 AM
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Hannebuddika
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Great question! I work at a Bank on the Teller Line and so far all I've managed to get permission for is a Betta Fish. He's in a huge glass vase with bamboo and a little light to keep him comfy. Heat is not an issue. He is Gomez the Teller Fish and a lot of our customers like him. My boss jokes about me bringing in a snake but I just know if I show up with one he'll send me right back home. The topic of other types of reptiles came up but during discussion they we're all nixed because of heat lamps and tapes were a fire hazard.
But after reading this I just may have to convince him about geckos :)
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Author Comment
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11/21/2008 1:03:24 PM
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JohnJohn
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Thanks all you guys! Great suggestions! I'm a professor at Miami University and I have students in and out of my office so I thought a terrerium would be fun for some of them to see. Maybe I should decorate it with an IHerp logo to spread the good word of IHerpers. But, in any case, I'm afraid that someone would complain and get me in trouble if I try to keep a snake there. I'm either gonna go for some lizards or some poison dart frogs. I'll have to think hard about day geckos vs. cresties.....that's a tough choice. Maybe I should just get TWO terrariums!
Thanks for the suggestions. If I ever set it up I'll get some pics on here.
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Member Comment
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11/22/2008 1:48:25 AM
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Joseph Jenkins
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be careful with the dart frogs, though beautiful, they are harder to care for, especially if this is your first frog. The big thing is that u will need fruit flies to fed them. If not, then i would go with say a dumpy or grey treefrog, somethin ppl could hold to spark interest.
Good Luck
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Member Comment
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11/22/2008 5:34:03 AM
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Riain
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Derts or mantellas would be awsome, but do take more care then many of the other frogs, and have faster metabolisms, I'm not sure how well they would do over the weekend.
As for dumpys and grays, greens and whatnot, Most tree frogs really don't make the best display animals, due to being nocturnal, One of the coolest tree frogs out there (Red eyed) Pretty much look like bright green blobs all day long.. At night, awsome, but during the day.. eh
There is always the Common green anole, Don't underate them, In a well planted and lighted vivarium with a nice suited colony they do great, and can be a blast to watch.
I think cresteds are awsome... If you want something to play with, But if you want a display tank, i'd go with an animal that will be more active and Out..
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Member Comment
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11/22/2008 10:02:24 AM
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AAS
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I've struggled with this one myself. I'm a pediatrician, I really want a reptile in my office, I love reptile-keeping, but it's not a simple decision at all. Here's how I break it down...
- Anything "reptile" will be of interest to most people coming into the office.
- Snakes really do make MANY more people than you might realize VERY uncomfortable. Don't underestimate this with typical reptile-lover's assumptions. You'd be very surprised at some reactions in your office, and only takes one to ruin it for you.
- Ditto for tarantulas.
- The animal should be easily visible to the casual observer during the time observers are likely to be there. So nocturnal species are out, and not species that hide a lot. Basking species would seem appropriate.
- The animal should not be easily stressed, a more "social" choice not bothered by hands and faces and movement outside the glass would be good.
- Cage maintenance should be easy and minimal, so you don't have to clean more than daily and it looks well-maintained all the time. So a "spot cleaning" reptile that is terrestrial and unable to muck up the glass would be a good choice.
- The animal should be able to easily handle a couple days without food.
- Vegetable eaters are preferred over insect eaters in your office for obvious reasons. Some visitors might be offended watching insects being served as prey, the insects require care and occasionally escape, etc.
- Available cage space would determine species.
So, I don't think any of the suggestions made are optimal frankly. I think you have two really good choices, I've kept both. Best would probably be a uromastyx. No water dish to clean, vegetarian diet, loves to bask, totally unusual, cool and non-threatening looking, easily handled, nobody knows what the hell they are so you have stuff to teach. If you get a friendly pair they are even more cool. Second choice, blue tongued skink. Same issues but needs a water dish, so less ideal. Both need UVB, but that's a easy with timers. Both can go a few days without eating if you load them up before you leave for a long weekend. Both are readily visible in the cage and totally safe to take out and show. I've not yet met any curious but squeamish visitor to my reptile room who didn't find the uro's really appealing. ("What is that? What a cute face! Look at that tail, like a dinosaur. What does it eat? Vegetables, really? (etc.))"
That would be my choice. I think I'll try it with my BTS or Egyptian uro. Great question by the way, made me hone down my thinking and come to a conclusion on something I've been considering a while.
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Member Comment
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11/22/2008 11:54:59 AM
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dalvers63
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Just a comment on Joseph's post above - Frogs and toads have permeable skins. Because of this they should only be held with gloves on as anything on your skin can go through the frog's skin.
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Member Comment
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11/26/2008 9:53:09 AM
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Joseph Jenkins
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Actually, as long as you haven't come into contact with any harmful chemicals, and you have wash your hands in like the past 4 hrs, just wet your hands with water from your spray bottle, and u'll be fine. I really don't think i've ever heard of anyone using gloves to hold frogs, the gloves likely r more harmful to the frog.
as far as frogs being nocturnal, most of mine r perfectly fine with hopping around during the day...for an extra cricket or 2 ; )
Like Rian said though, a green anole would also be a great viewing choice, but you wouldn't be able to hold it.
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Member Comment
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11/26/2008 3:41:28 PM
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CnS Exotics
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Personally I think a green tree frog or even a crestie in an exo terra cage would be perfect and less contraversial...
However... If you are the boss... or your boss or his boss doesn't mind.... NOTHING DISPLAYS BETTER than a GTP or ETB!
And unlike a crestie where someone might want to try to hold when you are gone.... Nobody wants to get bit by a chondro... LOL!
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Member Comment
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11/28/2008 12:29:48 PM
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balor223
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if your setting up an office enclosure id go for cresties, leopards, or tokay geckos, also a relatively cheap alternative would be green anoles.
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Member Comment
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11/30/2008 4:55:34 PM
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Riain
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Another Great choice I completely forot about until after a member posted a question about there care is Japalura Splenda, Chinese Tree Dragons.
They Do well in a planted vivarium, eat insects, are active and dinural, and are really cool looking.
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Member Comment
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11/30/2008 5:34:45 PM
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wiccabrat
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I agree with Riain (being the question asker he refered to, lol). He is really cool looking and very active. He's also very into people, he runs over to see what you're doing when you get close.
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