The Lizard Lady
Hi! My name is Ash, I've been keeping reptiles for over 20 years and worked as a reptile specialist for over 15 years.
Over the years I accumulated an interesting collection and have bred a variety of lizard species, including chameleons, basilisks, water dragons & some snakes.
I take reptiles to events such as:
- Parties
- Schools
- Carehomes
- Beaver/Cub/Guides/Scouts
- Cheam's biggest annual festival 'Feasty Fest' in September.
I offer holiday boarding services for reptiles when their owners go on holiday.
I also have extensive knowledge of most other commonly kept pets and have been trained on nutrition, enrichment & behaviour on many animals including cats, dogs, rodents and birds.
I currently own 5 different species of birds, my mostly free-range 'flock' currently totals 20 birds! I wrote the company staff training course for pet birds at a well-known pet retailer and am happy to provide nutrition & enrichment advice for birds as well as garden birds.
If you have a question regarding any pet, be it a cat, bird or reptile or something else, I'm happy to answer any question via WhatsApp or even pop over and visit in person for a small fee if you are local.
Planning an Event?Book me for a Reptile Experience!
Recent Help and Advice
Here is a list of my most recent help and advice articles, I also post a Tip of the Week every Monday!
Bearded Dragon Diet - Safe Food List
A list of healthy live insects, salad leaves and wild weeds/flowers that are safe to include in your Bearded Dragons diet.
Safe Leafy Greens
A non-exhaustive list of safe leafy greens to feed your bearded dragon or tortoise and other vegetation loving reptiles
UVB Lighting for Reptiles
A detailed look at different types of UVB lighting available for reptiles, their uses, advantages and disadvantages of each and the best positioning for each type of bulb. Which brands are the best to use for your reptile.
How Much UVB Does My Reptile Need?
A quick list of the correct UVB % bulbs for the most commonly kept reptiles
Best Temperature For Keeping A Bearded Dragon
Colder viv end should be no hotter or cooler than 85°F/30°C but the hottest area which is the basking spot can be anything on or above 110°F/45°C during a 12 - 15 hour period of the day.
Enriching The Life of Budgies and Other Pet Birds
A great, quick and FREE tip for enriching the life of your budgie, cockatiel and other small pet birds
Reptoboost - Why, When and How To Use it
Reptoboost is a powdered supplement that is a mixture of probiotic bacteria, electrolytes, ACE vitamins and energy. How to use and what it's useful for
Cornsnake Basics
All the basic tips you will need to keep and look after a cornsnake correctly!
Beardie Basics
A basic list of requirements needed in order to keep a bearded dragon, including temperature, viv size and uvb
Reptile Substrates - The Good, The Bad And The Unsafe
Reptile substrates - a list of various reptile substrates, which ones are safe, which are unsafe as well as what reptiles are most suited to each type
A Word About Impaction In Reptiles
A word about impaction in reptiles and a short case study example explaining why often cases of impaction can be mistaken for vitamin deficiency
Keep Your Lizard Cool In Hot Weather!
This weeks Tip of the Week describes how to keep lizards that prefer cooler temperatures cool in hot weather
Wild Treats for Bearded Dragons, Tortoises and Other Vegetation-Loving Lizards
This weeks Tip of the Week is a quick note about feeding dandelion flowers as a great treat for reptiles such as tortoises and bearded dragons
Does Your Reptile Have Mites?
This weeks Tip of the Week is a summary of my longer blog article on reptile mites providing tips about where reptile mites come from and how to prevent them
How To Get Rid of Reptile Mites
3 methods to get rid of reptile mites which include using Frontline spray, reptile mite spray and a slower, non chemical method as well as ways to prevent mites in the first place
Snake Shedding - Some Tips
A few tips and advice for snakes that are shedding their skin, potential problems that may arise and how to prevent them
Does Your Snake Bite?
This weeks Tip of the Week explains a few tips to use for prevention if your snake is biting, or attempting to bite you, particularly at feeding time
Gut Loading Feeder Insects
This weeks Tip of the week is a reminder not to forget to gut-load your feeder insects to make them more nutritious!
Is My Cat Food Healthy?
This weeks Tip of the Week is a brief indication of how to check if your cat food is healthy by what to look for on the list of ingredients and what to avoid when buying cat food for a healthier cat & to save money!
Choosing Suitable Toys for Pet Birds
A few ideas for enrichment for pet birds. Which kinds of toys and perches are suitable and a reminder that dowel and plastic perches for birds are unsafe.
Trimming Lizard Claws
A tip on when and how to trim your lizards claws safely for their general health written by someone who has trimmed the claws of numerous species and sizes of lizards.
Does Your Cat Refuse To Drink From Their Water Bowl?
A quick set of tips to help you work out why your cat might not be drinking from its current water source.
What To Feed Your Bearded Dragon
What food to feed your bearded dragon, types of leaves that are & are not suitable as well as some advice on healthy & not so healthy bugs
MBD - A Case Study
A case study of a chameleon referred to me from a local reptile vet with Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) and how I fixed the issue
Bathing Bearded Dragons
When and why should you bathe your bearded dragon
Feeding Tortoises
What to feed the most commonly kept species of pet tortoise, information comparing salad leaves and wild plants and weeds as well as answers to the most common questions
A Guide to Successfully Hibernating Your Tortoise in the UK
Step by step guide to hibernating the most commonly kept tortoises in the UK - Herman's, Horsfields & Spur-thighs.
Feeding Tips for Insect-Eating Lizards
What types of insects are best to feed your lizards & how to ensure the most nutritional diet with each of of the types of feeder insects listed for their suitability
The Importance of Vitamin A
The importance of vitamin A in lizards. Problems & symptoms of a lack of vitamin A and ways to correct them
CARE-SHEET FOR YOUNG INDIAN STAR TORTOISES
Care Sheet for Indian Star Tortoises: an informative guide regarding hatching, feeding and habitat & housing requirements for Indian Star Tortoises written by a breeder
Bearded Dragon Caresheet
Bearded dragons are a medium-sized (<18”) desert-living lizard, originally from Australia.
Bearded Dragon Health Issues
Common health issues related to bearded dragons (and other lizards) and how to prevent and cure them.