Reptiles:

How old should my child be to keep a reptile?
What's the best reptile to keep to begin with?
Do reptiles smell?

Ponds:

Why is my pond green and what can I do about it?

Reptiles

How old should my child be to keep a reptile?
Reptiles are very easy to keep once you have the correct set-up for them to live in. Snakes are probably the easiest as they generally only need feeding once a week, so a sensible 8 or 9yr old should be able to manage a snake.  However, if lizards are the preferred pet then Bearded Dragons are definitely the most popular because they are easy to handle and very friendly.

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What's the best pet reptile?
This is a question we are asked all the time and it is impossible to answer because it's all a matter of opinion, but as a rule of thumb, snakes such as CORNSNAKES, or Lizards such as BEARDED DRAGONS are great choices for first-time reptile owners because they have both been successfully kept and bred as pets for many years.  There are plenty of books and care-products available for both and lots of proven advice can be offered by us as we have also kept and bred them for many years.

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Do reptiles smell?
Another favourite, and again not a straightforward answer. NO, REPTILES DON'T SMELL, But their FOOD and their DROPPINGS and their BEDDING CAN SMELL!! Basically, reptiles are pretty clean creatures. They don't sweat and are covered in a scaly skin which they 'shed' regularly, so they don't really have an odour. However, their droppings and their food, if left uneaten, combined with the heated environment they need to be kept in, CAN STINK!!  So, for your own good, as well as the good of your pet, KEEP THEM CLEAN!! Take out any droppings and uneaten food as soon as you notice it and this will save you time and money because you will not have to totally clean out their housing as often and will prevent any unpleasant odours.

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Ponds

Why is my pond green and what can I do about it?
If we had a pound for each time we're asked this we'd all be sitting on a beach somewhere hot...!! Basically, sunlight causes green water by making the millions of algae-cells in your pond bloom, giving the appearance that the pond water has turned green! 
This is a totally natural and healthy process, and causes no real harm except making it difficult to see your prized fish!! There are two ways to deal with this: Number 1 is to purchase a pump & ultra violet/filter of the correct size for your pond. These should come with a 'clear-water' guarantee, so you know you will get results for your money! The algae is killed off when it is pumped past the uv light and the dead algae is then filtered out of the water by the filter.  Or option 2.  Plant your pond with a good selection of marginal & submerged plants, such as waterlilies & oxygenators, and also a selection of floating plants which spread quickly in the sunshine. This is often preferred as a more natural approach and works by the more dominant marginal plants & lilies out-competing the algae for the available nutrients in the pond.  It may take longer but it does work.

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