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Collared Lizard Care Sheet |
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~diurnal, terrestrial (good
climbers),
insectivorous~
Housing:
An all-glass aquarium with a wire cage top is the best
type of house for your collared lizard. Cages made of all
wire will not hold heat or sand! It is generally said that a
20 gallon terrarium is large enough for a pair of collards
and a 30 for a trio. However, if you choose to place more
than one collared together, make sure you have no more than
one male per terrarium. Otherwise, the males will fight. If
you can keep it heated well, the larger the terrarium, the
better for your lizard. They enjoy running, so avoid
cluttering the cage with a lot of terrarium plants, etc.
Placing a photo backing or some other opaque material on the
back and sides of the terrarium will reduce cage stress.
Substrate:
When choosing a substrate for your lizard, a sand-like
mixture is best. I recommend Calci-sand. It keeps the
humidity down, is similar to sand found in the lizard's
natural environment, and is even available in fun colors!
There is no need to purchase bark like materials or reptile
litter. In fact, substances such as those or ground walnut
chips can easily become compacted in your lizard's system if
eaten. Sand is much safer and is actually good for your
lizard's gizzard. Basically, look for a material similar to
what would be found in the collared lizard's natural
environment. It is debated whether or not play sand (the
type found in a child's sandbox) is acceptable. If you
choose this substrate, make sure you wash the sand to reduce
the amount of dust your lizard will encounter. Also,
sterilize the sand by baking it at 450 degrees Fahrenheit
for several hours. This step is crucial to ensure that your
lizard doesn't develop a bacterial infection from the
microbes in the sand. A sloping floor of the terrarium is
also a good idea. It resembles the lizard's natural habitat.
This can be accomplished by placing bricks or something
similar under the substrate. They like to dig, so make sure
there are no crevices in which the lizard can get stuck.
Also, it is very important that these furnishings, as well
as basking rocks, be placed securely on the bottom of the
terrarium. Do not simply place them on the surface of the
substrate, as your lizard will probably dig, and such an
action will increase the likelihood of an accident. In
addition to mimicking the lizard's natural environment, a
slope in the substrate is also useful in providing easier
access to the basking spot, which is presented in the next
section.
Heating and
Lighting:
These are two of the most important
elements to caring for your collared lizard. Though they are
directly related, they are separate considerations. There
are several things you'll need to purchase to ensure that
your collared lizard has the proper climate and lighting.
This is where most of the cost of setting up a home for your
lizard comes into play.
First, you'll need at least one reptile
thermometer. These are capable of measuring higher
temperatures than a regular fish tank thermometer. You
should place one on the side of the terrarium under the
basking area. You may also want to put one on the other side
of the terrarium. The basking spot should be 95-105
Fahrenheit . The cool end of the terrarium should be about
80 F. Nighttime temperatures should stay well above 60F,
and daytime high temperatures should always stay above 85
F. If these temperatures are not provided, your collared
will have poor feeding habits, and will eventually die. This
is one of the most common mistakes beginner collared keepers
make. However, overheating must also be prevented.
Background temperatures greater than 110 F cause swift
death of collards. This is why thermometers are so
important.
An under-tank heating pad is a good way to
heat the lizard's environment. These can be purchased at any
pet store. Make sure there is a sufficient depth of
substrate, or the lizard could get burned from the hot glass
bottom of the cage. NEVER purchase a heat rock for your
lizard. They seem like a great idea, but they can easily
short out. They are also not an even heat source, meaning,
they provide extremely hot spots which will burn your
lizard. AVOID HEAT ROCKS!
You will also need to purchase a basking
lamp. This can actually simply be an incandescent light bulb
in a reflector lamp sitting on top of the wire lid. You will
need one basking spot for each lizard in the terrarium. A
higher elevation, whether it be through a sloping floor, a
driftwood branch, or other climbable item, should be
provided under the basking spot. This way, the lizard can
get closer to the light if necessary. Do not put these items
too close to the lamp. Allow at least 9 inches in between
the lamp and the item. The basking light should be left on
for approximately 12 hours during the day.
An ultra-violet light bar is also
necessary for your lizard. Your collared needs both UVB
(Ultraviolet B) and UVA (Ultraviolet A) wavelengths. Fish
tank lights, plant lights, or other UV bulbs do not provide
both wavelengths. Only specially made reptile fluorescent
bulbs provide both. This full-spectrum fluorescent lighting
mimics the rays from the sun and provides needed nutrients.
If you are using a short UV lamp, place it close to your
basking light. However, a longer light tube is recommended.
This lamp should also be left on for approximately 12 hours
during the day.
At night, you cannot leave the UV or basking lights on.
This would disrupt the lizard's sleep cycle. Instead, a
nighttime reptile light bulb may be purchased to maintain
the temperature in the tank (along with the under-tank
heating pad). A purple bulb to mimic the moon's glow is a
good choice. However, these tend to burn out after only a
month or two. Another color, such as red, is also
sufficient.
Feeding:
Crickets, mealworms, super worms, and roaches are all
good for them. Dust with calcium every three days and D3
once or twice a week. All insects should always be captive
bred, and Orange Spotted Roaches (Blaptica dubia) are
the best roaches to feed any insectivorous herp.
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