Lizard Care
LIZARDS
A recreational Licence is required in QLD for keeping of lizards.
* Over 600 native Australian species of lizards
* The most popular species kept as pets are the Blue Tongued Lizard, the Shingleback Lizard and the Bearded Dragon
* There are 5 families of lizards- Skinks, Geckoes, Dragons, Monitors and Legless lizards
Blue Tongued:
Two types of Blue Tongue Lizard- the Eastern or Common & the Northern. Both are Diurnal ground dwelling lizards. (Diurnal is the opposite to nocturnal!)
The Shingleback:
A diurnal lizard that grows to 600mm, it does not tolerate the humid conditions of Coastal Qld. Bearded Dragon:
Found in coastal Qld areas, but you can also get an Inland bearded dragon- (western Qld) and a dwarf species, the Downs Bearded Dragon.
CHOOSING A LIZARD
* Check that the skin is in good condition and free of external parasites
*Check mouth for spots and sores
* Check that the lizard moves and reacts properly-not sluggish and is alert
As a general rule lizards of different species can be kept together as long as they’re of similar size and no domination occurs and most importantly not overcrowded.
A lizard needs to be restrained by supporting the tail and holding around the neck infront of the front legs so that it doesn't thrash around and hurt itself. Most lizards do not bite and none are venomous although scratches should be cleaned with disinfectant straight away.
To minimise stress allow the lizard to settle in and start eating first before handling it. Lizards should be transported in calico bags and then placed into a well ventilated box. (not Hessian) It is best to stop feeding the lizard for 2 days prior to long distance travel and during really hot weather give them a good soak in shallow tepid water and again on arrival to prevent dehydration.
FOOD
In general a lizards diet should consist of a mixture of any soft fruit or vegetable chopped or diced to about the size of the lizards mouth. (tomato, banana, cucumber, zucchini, apple, pear etc) This mix should makeup 80% of the daily diet. The remaining 20% should be high protein foods that can be in the form of frozen mice, worms, cockroaches, beetles, boiled egg, mealworms, crickets, grasshoppers or commercial products such as the Zoomed range.
They need to be maintained at the correct temperature. Failure to do so will cause illness from food being left undigested or regurgitation. They do not need feeding every day, every 2to 3 days is often enough. When feeding give as much as they can eat in a 5 minute time period and if you have more than one lizard you need to make sure that they are all eating properly. Provide several food dishes if you have several lizards.
SEX IDENTIFICATION
In general it is very hard to sex lizards. Blue Tongues- males have broader and longer tails than females
Shinglebacks- males have thinner and longer tails than females
Bearded Dragons- usually larger and have a bigger head than females.
Otherwise sexing can be done by a vet checking with an utrasound or scope.
Blue Tongues and Shinglebacks are vivparous (live young). Young are independent from birth.
LIFESPAN
Lizards live between 8-15 years and sometimes longer if looked after properly.
PROBLEMS THAT MAY OCCUR
Trauma; Lizards can get scrapes and wounds from their environment. To prevent this make sure there are no sharp edges etc in their tank. Iodine can be applied to any small wounds. Severe wounds need to be seen by the vet. Respiratory Infections: These can be caused by stress and inadequate heating methods. Lizards need to have an external source of heat as they're unable to produce body heat themselves (like snakes).
Skin Shedding defects: Skin shedding defects can occur if the environment is too dry. If you notice skin coming off around the leg/claw area soak in a bucket of shallow tepid water to soften the skin and remove it manually. Mouth Rot: This can occur from stress also. Early symptoms are red spots on the mouth, cheesy like substance forming on the gums and lack of appetite. This can be treated by scraping the excess of the gums with a small paintbrush and applying peroxide onto the area. Dermatitis: Floor coverings that are too damp can make blisters occur on lizards skins. Replace the substrate immediately and swab the affected areas with Iodine. Cages that are not kept clean can also result in dermatitis occurring on the lizards skin.
Nutritional problems;
as stated before lizards need a varied diet and it needs to be given fresh. It is also important that lizards get Vitamin D which is obtained from the ultra violet rays of sunlight. Without this calcium cannot be used by the lizard which can cause softening of the bones, fractures and bone disease.
If lizards are kept indoors they need a suitable light apart from the heat source for the UVB rays. Calcium can also be added to their diet in either a powder or liquid form. Parasites: Ticks and mites can be found on lizards especially in the leg folds or ears. They can be treated with an insecticidal spray suitable for use on lizards. The pen needs to be treated also.
TYPES OF HOUSING
Aquariums- Suitable for most species of lizards and some snakes when a secure lid has been fitted however large areas of glass do gain and lose heat rapidly. Animals can die of heat stress very quickly if not monitored.
Wooden, metal or glass and metal cages- more appropriate as easy to ventilate and provide warm and cool spots for the animal.
SUBSTRATES
This is the term used for floor coverings:
* Newspaper- good for easy cleaning ie sick animals
* Aquarium Gravel- hard to keep clean but is washable and looks natural
* Peat Moss, sterile potting mix- not easy to clean when wet
* Artificial turf- easy to clean, can be chemically sterilised and is reusable
* Desert Blend, Repti bed etc- species specific- easy to maintain if used as per directions
Please remember that fine particles can be ingested or become lodged in nasal cavities. Some artificial turfs can also be abrasive around sensitive areas such as the cloaca.
CAGE FURNISHINGS
* Hiding place- easily removable for access and cleaning. Can be any shape or size according to the species requirements eg PVC pipe, terracotta, fibreglass, real logs etc (real logs are hard to clean and sterilise and could introduce bad bacteria into the animals environment)
* Water Bowls/Ponds- essential although some species require spraying while others need to be able to submerse in the dish.
* Rocks/ Branches- if using real ones they need to be replaced periodically
Large rocks can pose a problem if they fall and injure the animal.
Furnishings should be kept to a minimum for ease of capture and cleaning. Live plants look nice but are harder to clean.
LIGHTING
* Not a necessity if kept in outdoor enclosures
* Reptiles and amphibians need access to full spectrum lighting (-especially UVB) if kept indoors. UVB is essential to Vitamin D synthesis and calcium metabolism. UVA is essential for reptiles to be able to see properly and if the correct light is not available it can affect the animals behaviour and how they visualize food.
* Full spectrum fluro tubes simulate natural sunlight and help stimulate the appetite of poor feeders.
* Light should be provided above the roof of the enclosure and based on a 12 hour daylight cycle depending on the season.
* Black night lights also have a high UV output.
VENTILATION
It is important to allow some air flow but not too much as it can mean dramatic temperature changes within the cage.
HEATING
Heating can be in the form of heat lamps, heat bulbs, porcelain heat lamps, heat pads or heat rocks etc.
Most species need a temp. range of 25-30 degrees. There must be a gradient range of higher and lower temperatures in the animals enclosure. This is so that the animal can choose where it wants to be in a warm spot or a cool spot or in between.
Temperature should be thermostatically controlled. Some species need to cool down in winter and during this time should not be fed or disturbed in anyway.
Temperature should be monitored at the heat source and at the point furthest away form the heat source also.
FEEDING
The correct environmental temperature is of utmost importance when feeding reptiles. The animals must be warm to feed and digest properly. Temperature must be consistent before during and after a meal, otherwise regurgitation and even death can occur.
WATER
Fresh water needs to be given daily and if using tap water, it needs to have a suitable chlorine neutraliser added.
APPETITES
Some species will over feed if allowed to do so. Food should be offered on a regular basis and should be fresh according to species.
PARASITES
Parasites can be either external (ectoparasite) or internal (endoparasite).
Mites:
The most common external parasite found in lizards are mites. They can be found around the eyes, body and anus. Sometimes you can see raised scales or tiny white spots on the animals. This is the mite faeces. Mites suck blood and breed very quickly. Mites can debilitate animals and also spread infection. There are safe sprays to use specifically designed to eradicate mites off lizards. The cage needs to be fumigated also.
Gastrointestinal Worms:
These are internal worms and come in the form of round, tape and tongue worms as well as flukes, protozoans and other less common ones. A vet looking under a microscope at a faeces sample can identify a case of worms.
Feeding your lizard clean food will eliminate the risk of parasites of any type.