Animal-World > Reptiles and Amphibians > Selecting Your Lizard

     With approximately 3000 distinct species of lizard, it is not surprising that there are so many pet lizards available!

     You can see a wide variety of lizards at your pet store to choose from. You may also find a few lizards running around in your back yard, in an open field or woods, or just about anywhere that there is a natural outdoor environment.
     Each type of lizard has its own unique needs, requirements, and behaviors. So take a little bit of time looking at and learning about the different types of lizards and choose the right one for you!

Pet appeal - Why lizards make good pets!      Lizards make ideal pets because they can take up a relatively small amount of space and their care is not particularly time consuming or expensive. They are not very noisy or messy, and they don't have to be fed everyday. See Basic Reptile and Anphibian Care for more information.
     Lizards are as different in their personalities and nature as people are. They can be very intelligent and have the ability to learn. For example if a lizard escapes it will often return for its food, and if recaptured it will remember how it escaped and do it again. Lizards can also get used to a routine. You may find that after keeping your pet for a while and maintaining a regular feeding schedule, it can become very excited when you come to feed it. Lizards demonstrate their awareness with excitement.
     If you are willing to learn about them and take good care of them you will find them to be amazing pets. As your skills and knowledge increase, you will gain an even greater appreciation of these incredible animals that are so different from ourselves.

There are a wide variety of lizards to choose from for a pet.

How to Choose Your Lizard      When deciding which lizard is for you, keep the following basic considerations in mind:

• How much do you want to spend?
• How much space do you have for it?
• What type of disposition do you want in your pet?
• How hardy is it and how easy is it to feed?
• What color, shape and size do you want and is that lizard readily available?

   Many reptiles are protected so check with authorities in your area on laws governing your selection.

Handling Your Lizard    Handle your lizard only when necessary, generally this is only to move it to a place where it will get some exercise. Be gentle so as not to bruise or hurt it. Never pick it up by the head or tail. The majority of pet lizards are small and incapable of any real harm if they bite. However if you have a lizard that is prone to biting or is large, you can use gloves. Some lizards such as iguanas have sharp claws and can cause deep scratches.

Safe handling is knowing how to grab a lizard:

Always wash your hands before and after handling!

Lizard Characteristics      Lizards come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, colors, temperaments, and habits. They range in size from 1" (3cm), like the tiny gekkonids to 11 feet (3.5m) or more in the Komodo dragon, the largest lizard.
     Generally speaking small lizards can live 3 to 5 years while large lizards can live upwards of 20 years.
     All lizards have two lungs, unlike some snakes which have only one lung, and amphibians which breathe through their skins as well as through lungs. Their skin structure, a thick horny layer, provides them protection from heat, dryness and sunlight. They will molt or shed their skin generally in patches on an ongoing basis, though occasionally some will shed their whole skin at one time.
     Lizards thermoregulate their body temperature by following the sun. As "sunseekers", they seek out warmth for hunting and digesting and choose cool hiding places when they are too hot.

Lizard Movement      Many lizards are great climbers, even able to walk across walls and ceilings. With muscular wiry legs, they are great jumpers and they use their long tails to orient their direction. The lizards trunk and tail often work together in a lateral body and limb movement for a forward and jumping motion.
     Some lizards will use their tail as a means of defense or will practice autotomy where they simply shed it. The tail will regrow, though usually it will be shorter and not as elegant at the original tail.
     There are some lizards are so terrestrial that their bodies are snake-like. They use a wriggling or swimming motion for forward movement. They have very little development in the legs, and there are even some lizards with no legs at all. Ground lizards are often heavy with short legs and short stumpy tails.

Housing      Understanding your lizard's characteristics will help you determine what type of housing your pet will need to keep it happy and healthy. Your pet's housing is what provides its sense of security.
     See the Basic Reptile and Amphibian Care: Housing for different types of terrarium set-ups and find the one that suits your pet. Also check on the page describing your particular lizard to find its particular housing needs. Keep in mind the lizards size, they need to stretch out to full length and be able to move around. Keep the decor simple and suitable for the type of lizard you are housing. The enclosure needs a secure, escape proof top or access opening. There must to be fresh water for the lizard to drink and occasionally bathe in. For most lizards that are not nocturnal, you will need full spectrum lighting 10 to 12 hours per day so they can absorb and utilize calcium and vitamin D. Good ventilation and air circulation are important to prevent excessive humidity. Humidity can cause bacterial and fungal growth, and these can lead to infections. The material on the floor, the substrate, should be absorbent (like bark or rabbit pellets) or else use a reptile carpet. It is not recommended to use gravel, stones, soil or dirt as they are hard to keep clean. Provide sand in a plastic box for burrowing lizards. All lizards need a hiding place of some sort. A climbing limb with vining, a bark slab, a piece of splinter-free driftwood, a box or a ceramic log placed on the cool side of the cage, all these can work well as hiding places. Plants are fine for some lizards, but not so good for large ground dwelling lizards like monitors.

Heating is essential for lizards.
     Below a certain temperature the lizard's body simply does not work. Above a certain temperature their bodies will go out of control. Either extreme will kill a lizard, and each type has its own temperature requirements.
     Lizards have a temperature sense controlled by a gland located under a special scale on the top of their head called a "third eye". The lizard will move from area to area to regulate itself, this is called "behavior thermoregulation".
     For detailed information on providing adequate heat for your lizard, see the Basic Reptile and Amphibian Care: Housing requirements.

Diet - Feeding Your Lizard Lizards are commonly insectivores with some of the larger species being partially or totally vegetarians. Their digestive systems are designed to eat whole animals for a complete diet. Good food sources include crickets because they contain very little chitin (the shell or indigestible exoskeleton in insects). Mealworms can be offered occasionally, though they are not as good because they have more chitin than meat. This can eventually block the lizards gut if this is the only food they are offered. Soft larvae foods like waxworms and butterworms, pinkies for larger lizards, and occasionally a good quality, meaty dog or cat food are also good choices. Bright green and yellow vegetables and various fruits are good, even offered occasionally to the confirmed insectivore lizard. Iceberg lettuce is not recommended due to its lack of vitamins and food value, only providing mostly liquid and some fiber. It is very difficult to duplicate a lizards natural diet, so in captivity we need to add vitamin and calcium supplements to prevent deficiencies. Provide your pet lizard with a bowl of fresh water daily, or water that drips on plant leaves for those who need to lick up dew drops.

     See Basic Reptile and Amphibian Care: Diet for more complete feeding information.

Social Behaviors      Lizards don't need companionship unless you are breeding. They don't get lonely and are not by nature social creatures. Most are territorial, owning their own piece of turf.
     Occasionally lizards of the same size that don't fight can be put together, but they see other lizards as competition for food so they are unwelcome. Putting two together causes stress and can keep them from feeding properly.
     Separate means better quality care for each lizard and better environmental control.

Breeding and Reproduction      Sexing lizards can be difficult with many species. This can involve either sexing with a probe or using an internal endoscope, and should be done by a professional. A blood test can also be done but they are not always reliable
     There are a few distinctions that may be found during breeding with some lizards that can be used as guidelines. Males usually have brighter coloration on their heads and more ornamentation. Males often have larger pores along the legs just above the anus and the edges of the anus are more swollen. Males may be stimulated by a higher temperature and the scent put off by a female. Males will show themselves off to interest their mate and often appear to become violent, biting and butting the female. Generally the female is not hurt, though sometimes she can be.

     Once they mate, the eggs are fertilized internally. The textured shell protects the developing infant from dehydration. Some species give live birth where the egg is held in the females body until they hatch. Other species lay clutches of eggs. The young emerge from the eggs as miniature adults rather than in a larval stage. They are immediately ready to be on their own!

     Also, see each individual lizard for their breeding information!

Availability      Beginner lizards are generally available and inexpensive. You can buy lizards at a pet store or from a breeder and you can collect lizards where allowed.
     Wild caught lizards are seasonal due to their breeding times and can be difficult to adapt to captivity. Captive bred lizards, though more expensive, are generally easier to get. Captive bred lizards are generally healthier than wild caught lizards, they adapt easily to cage conditions, and they are relatively parasite free.

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