A lot of people think the lizard makes a great pet, which is true if you know how to take good care of it. The animal needs a comfortable terrarium with plenty of room to walk and hide. Offer a diet rich in nutrients, necessary for the lizard's development, and be careful when interacting with it – if you handle it with respect, it can be quite sociable.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Getting a proper shelter
Step 1. Buy an aquarium of suitable size for the lizard
The bigger the better, as this reptile needs plenty of room to move around, keeping it healthy and happy. For puppies, a 40 to 80 liter tank is comfortable. If it's a larger lizard, buy an aquarium of at least 110 to 150 liters. Having space and money to buy a bigger terrarium, do this, as it is always good for the animal to be able to roam freely.
Step 2. Fill the aquarium with substrate
Substrate is a material used to coat the bottom of the aquarium. It is important to use an option that is comfortable for the reptile. It is necessary to place at least 15 cm of a good quality substrate at the bottom of the terrarium.
- In general, a good choice is a combination of earth, sand and wood chips. You may be able to find a specific substrate for lizards at a pet shop or the store where you purchased the animal.
- Don't forget to keep the substrate moist. It shouldn't get soaked, but it should have some moisture. Lizards need an environment with these characteristics.
Step 3. Keep the right temperature
The lizard needs its home to have a cool side and a warm side. It warms and cools the body by moving between these two environments.
- A part of the aquarium should have a temperature just above the ambient temperature. A few UV lamps near the edge are enough to make it fit. Be careful not to place the terrarium in a place in the house that gets too cold or too hot at certain times of the day.
- The other part should have a temperature around 30 ºC. You can buy a heater to put under the aquarium at a pet store or use an overhead heat lamp. If you install both devices, turn off the lamp at night.
Step 4. Maintain adequate humidity
The aquarium does not need to be very humid and does not need regular misting, as in the case of other reptile species. The wet substrate is enough to keep the environment perfect, but the animal also needs a bowl of water. Use a large, shallow bowl in which the lizard can lie down.
Step 5. Provide plenty of room for the reptile to dig and hide
The lizard gets bored or anxious if it has no hiding places. Go to a pet shop and look for objects that serve as burrows. Spread them out in the aquarium so the pet can have a place to stay when it needs privacy.
The substrate must be 15 cm high so that it can hide whenever you want
Part 2 of 3: Feeding the Lizard
Step 1. Give insects
The lizards' food is mainly based on insects, which can be purchased at the common pet shop or for exotic animals. In the last case, you can even order them online.
- Grasshoppers, cockroaches and crickets should be the main food in the lizard's diet. Larvae and tenebrios can be given from time to time.
- The insects must be alive, as the reptile only eats the insects it hunts.
Step 2. Complement your diet with fruits and vegetables
In addition to insects, lizards like various fruits and vegetables, which can be used to complement the animal's diet, providing additional nutrients.
- Some cool options to offer are: carrots, vegetables and peas.
- Lizards are very fond of fruits such as blueberries, mangoes, raspberries, papayas, melon, strawberries and figs.
Step 3. Avoid certain foods
Always read the label information before feeding your pet as it cannot eat foods with pesticides. Also avoid items that contain artificial colors. Do not give bone meal.
Step 4. Change the water every day
Lizards often heavily soil the water with sand and other debris. Place a sturdy bowl that the reptile cannot easily turn over and change the water every day as it is constantly contaminated.
Part 3 of 3: Socializing the Lizard
Step 1. Avoid placing a terrarium companion
Most of the time, the lizard doesn't get along with a companion, so leave it alone. Being a territorial animal, one or both of them can end up with bite marks or one of their legs if they share the same space.
Step 2. Only place aquarium companions if they are similar in size
If you are determined to have another lizard, whatever the cost, be very careful. Make sure the companion is the same size as the first lizard, as it attacks smaller animals.
- If the lizards start fighting, there's nothing to do: leave each one in their own terrarium.
- Depending on the species, the lizard can be very territorial, in which case it is a bad idea to try to put a companion in the same space. Do research before taking any action.
Step 3. Handle it carefully
The lizard can learn to be sociable, but you have to handle it the right way. The essential thing is to treat your reptile with respect whenever you touch it. If you make a mistake, it can bite and become aggressive.
- Never catch a lizard by surprise, much less when it's sleeping. The animal needs to know you are there before any attempts to approach and caress.
- Support the lizard's body by holding it.
- Do not turn the animal upside down as it becomes very uncomfortable and in pain.
- Avoid making sudden movements while he is with you.
Step 4. Teach your children to handle the lizard in a safe way
Talk to the children about the right way to catch the reptile and handle it. They must understand the consequences and learn to handle the pet carefully so as not to frighten it. It is best to prevent very young children from approaching, as they lack the judgment and self-control to handle the animal safely.
Tips
- Don't worry if the lizard disappears as they often hide under the substrate.
- If the lizards fight, it's best to put them in separate rooms.
- Do not buy your reptile from pet stores. Prefer to look for creators or go to exhibitions.