Caring for your lizard

CARING FOR YOUR LIZARD

Feeding

Lizards have a wide variety of food preferences, as might be expected in a group of animals that differ considerably in their habit preferences, size and form. To provide a suitable diet for reptiles, take the following points into account:

1) Obtain or replicate the food that the animal feeds on in the wild

2) Present food items of a suitable size and presentation

3) Ensure foods such as insects and snails have not been in contact with any insecticides

Most smaller species are insectivorous so a wide variety of insects, preferably live, should be offered. The insect diet can also be supplemented with Wombaroo reptile supplement. eg Feed crickets on 80% cricket food and 20% calcium carbonate (which should be added 2-3days before feeding to your lizard)

Some omnivorous lizards may also eat clover, dandelion, mulberry leaves, milk thistle, watercress, chopped fruits and vegetables (such as banana, apple, pawpaw, pear, lettuce and tomato), as well as snails, slugs and mealworms. Small amounts of moistened dog kibble and canned dog food may also be given.

Feeding frequency is approximately every two to three days. Lizards are active animals with a metabolic rate that is higher than snakes and they therefore require regular, small meals - in warm weather every two days, in colder weather every three days

Digestion in reptiles depends largely on the temperature at which the animal is housed. The temperature must be maintained at optimum levels after feeding. A sudden drop in temperature after feeding may lead to regurgitation or decomposition of the food in the stomach.

Housing

Before feeding reptiles it is essential that the animal is housed correctly and the ambient temperature is suitable for the species.

TYPE OF LIZARD	PREFERRED BODY TEMPERATURE
Common Bluetongue Lizard	28-32⁰C
Shingleback Lizard	33⁰C
Bearded Dragon	35-39⁰C

These temperatures are best achieved through the use of 60watt blue light globes or infrared spotlights in, or over, one end of the enclosure, which is ideally constructed of wood and perspex. Glass aquariums are often used but heat is constantly lost though the walls so maintenance of a suitable temperature can be difficult to achieve.

Provision of branches or rocks placed under the heat source allow the lizard to sit at varying distances from it and a hollow log or upturned flower pot provide a cool retreat.

Ultraviolet light, either through exposure to unfiltered, natural sunlight, or an artificial UV light source, is also neccesary to prevent Vitamin D deficiencies and skin and bone disorders

All care has been taken to ensure that the information contained on, and accessed through, this web site is correct but Bird Veterinarian accepts no responsibility nor liability for, and makes no representations with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the information on this web site. The information contained on the Bird Veterinarian web site is intended as a general guide only and should not be relied on in place of professional veterinary consultation.