Lizard Housing

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Lizards require enough space to crawl, climb and stretch out their full length with plenty of room to spare. They need water to drink and bathe in, as well as plenty of fresh food. The enclosure needs to be secure, with an escape-proof top.

If your lizard is diurnal, it is awake during the day. He will need at least 10 to 12 hours of full spectrum lighting a day. This will help him to absorb plenty of calcium and vitamin D, a necessity for their health.

The bottom of the enclosure should be absorbent like bark or rabbit pellets. You can also purchase a reptile carpet at your local pet store. Gravel and dirt are hard to clean and are not your best choice. If your lizard burrows, provide it with a plastic container of sand. Your lizard will love places to hide, such as limbs, bark or ceramic logs. There are attractive objects you can purchase that will not only beautify your housing, but please your lizard as well.

The temperature of your habitat is extremely important. Your enclosure should remain between 75 to 85 degrees (NOTE! Different lizards may require different temperatures. Be sure to research the temperature requirements for the particular lizard you are purchasing). There should be a basking area on the side heated to 90 to 95 degrees. Purchase two high range thermometers, placing one near the basking area and one at the opposite side.

Lizard Diet

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Maybe yech to you, but yum to them! Small to medium lizards are often insectivores, with the larger sometimes partial or total vegetarians. Lizards are accustomed to eating whole animals. Crickets are the best, with less shell or “chitin,” which is indigestible. Mealworms are good, but they have more chitin than crickets and can eventually block the gut. You can also feed waxworms, butterworms, pinkies (for larger lizards), green and yellow vegetables as well as fruit.

Calcium is very important to the lizard diet. Again, be sure to fully research the requirements of your specific lizard. You can purchase calcium supplements, including a calcium powder that you can shake your crickets in before you place them in the tank. If your lizard has a thin to normal body weight but his legs begin to look chubby, take him to the vet immediately. This is a symptom of calcium deficiency, which can eventually kill your lizard.