u/Necessary-Line-6580

Hello all! Posting for some input on tool choices..

I've recently started layering some correction over my training with my dog. He is a four year old Miniature American Shepherd. He used to be a major wreck of a dog behaviorally, but I've got him to the point that im kind of just finishing up a few behaviors with him. 99% of his training is done through R+ methods so far.

The issues I'm cleaning up are dog reactivity/seeking conflict with dogs. He reacts because he enjoys the conflict and the "fun" of barking/lunging at another dog. He's good in most scenarios, he can go to dog shows and sporting events and work near other dogs no problem most of the time. It just seems like sometimes he wants to react out of habit or for the fun of it, and i need something to help break him out of his focus.

I've been overlaying a slip collar/leash for the past few weeks. So far he's shown improvement with it. Though, today, when I took him outside of a dog park to train, he ended up lunging once on the slip and freaking out because of the feeling of the slip. He does wonderfully on it ✨️except✨️ for when he's lunging, to which it made him very sad and "melty." 😅

So onto the main question of my post. How would you all rank aversive tools from least to most aversive? It is quite a thin slip so I wonder if a thicker one would help? I've also heard that a prong disperses pressure better than a slip, but i'm not certain if that's true.

Thank you in advance, and please be kind 😭😅

She's a yearling Albino Harquahala. I ended up paying $490 for her. She was listed as 500. What do we think, is that a worthy price? 😛😅

He is refusing all food despite having a very very thin stomach. I even tried offering the guts of a cut up bsfl, and the moment it touched his mouth he started.. almost convulsing? and pressing his face into the ground like the first image, but even more so. Unfortunately I was unable to get a video of it. He did the same when I offered him water on my finger.

I was unable to get a photo, but his abdomen was hanging completely over his back when upside down. Its red and doesn't look as straight as before. I have a photo attached showing the redness/shape from a few days ago. Hes gotten even skinnier since then.

He uses to be constantly running around his home, playing all night and day. Now he's just sitting there. I hope my guy will be okay. He's an l5 Chinese mantis. His name is Bean. 🥺

Hey all! Would love to hear some thoughts on this enclosure I set up for a future rosy boa. I personally opt to do bioactive for my reptiles. Any critiques? Is there not enough floor space? It is a bit wet right now as I wanted to mist all the plants in, but it will be dried out before I put a snake in.

What it has: 36x18x18, bioactive substrate 4" at the shallowest sloped to 6" at the back (a mix of topsoil, playsand, and a tiny bit of coconut husk/orchid bark for the cleanup crew to hide in) a "humid" hide under the large cork piece, and some hot "hides" in the cork tube. Red slate to be a basking area on the left side where the bulb will be placed. Universal rocks background, a mix of live and fake plants.

Pending: a heat cage and heat bulb, a sky hide/cool hide on the upper right corner, hygrometer/thermometer combo.

What I already plan to change: swap out the large grass for something less ugly.. 😅

This is my first terrestrial enclosure, and my first arid one. Its also my first enclosure for a larger reptile, my previous were all for tiny geckos. Thank you in advance!

Hi everyone! Wanting to get your thoughts on my l3 Chinese mantis's new enclosure. I've heard that for baby mantids their enclosures should be pretty bare, just a few climbing opportunities but leaving the top quite empty so they can molt properly. Does this look alright?

And, is it too big? I've heard that there can be issues finding food, but thats the only con I've heard to a larger enclosure. I just want to be sure its not too big that he might hurt himself or something!

It has pretty soft substrate with some soft live moss on the bottom to cushion any falls, and a plastic mesh lining one side and the top. Thanks in advance everyone! He is my first mantis 🥰

I noticed my crestie straining(?) to pee earlier. Is this anything to be concerned about? I only managed to record a smaller clench/strain, but she did a few bigger ones before I grabbed my phone to record.

I gave her a lukewarm bath, which she was VERY upset about 😅 but nothing else came out. She had eaten the day before yesterday. She isn't a huge drinker but she never looks super wrinkly, nor does her tongue look super pale. She spent her day cryptic basking beneath her UVB, didn't seem to be in any distress or pain. Does anyone have experience with this?

Hi everyone! I have a quick question on sizing of an enclosure for a trio of mice!

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So I picked up a 18x18x24 exo terra a while back. It has a custom background with cork bark and coconut fiber, which I read they would enjoy. From what I've read in the community guides and from other care sheets, a 10g is the bare minimum, while a 20 is more ideal. (Though of course they can go bigger)

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Would 18x18 be enough floor space? It comes out to 324 square inches, while a 10g is 200, and a 20g is 288. so mathematically it checks out, but I just want to see if they need an enclosure that is longer on one end, rather then a perfect square or something like that. I enjoy handling my pets so they would be getting a lot of out of enclosure enrichment, if thats something they each individually enjoy!

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I apologize if this is a silly question! This would be my first foray into rodents/small mammels so im not certain if something like this is a big deal or not. Thank you in advance!!

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+ a photo of some super cute mice an ethical breeder let me hold at an expo yesterday for tax 🥺

Hi all! Wondering if this is a short or long fin betta? She/he is pretty small size wise. Just wondering if we have an appropriately sized tank! Thank you 😊

Hi all. I wanted to ask your thoughts on if it would be okay to use either silicone, glue, or spray foam to secure some cork onto the sides of my terrarium, without removing the clean up crew. I think it would really help flesh out my crested geckos terrarium to have the sides done, but I would prefer to not have to remove the CUC.

If it can be done, i would 100% take out the gecko and keep her in a temporary enclosure while it cures,, but it is a ton of extra work to remove the entire CUC and all of the plants, substrate, and hardscape. Though if it will hurt them then I will just not do the sides. What are your guy's thoughts? Is a bit of adhesive safe to use while the CUC is inside, out of their reach?

The clean up crew is composed of powder mix isopods, temperate white springtails, and asian orange springtails. Thank you in advance!