Post by DaLe on May 21, 2004 6:43:18 GMT -5
The Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus collaris)
Basic Information
Size: 20-30cm 8-12inches (with tail)
Weight: Roughly 40 grams
Experience Level: Easy
Temperament: Nervous
Lighting: 12-14 hour photoperiod, UVB is Essential
Heating: Ceramic Heating Element and basking bulb on appropriate thermostats
Food Requirements: Depending on activity level, 8 - 12 medium sized brown and/or black crickets everyday, they can be offered one small pinky mouse as a treat (not regularly). To vary the diet, locusts and silkworms can be offered as well as the occasional waxworm as a treat.
Markings: Brightly coloured base with spots and cream coloured belly. Marking varies
greatly between subspecies with males always being more colourful than females.
They can come in shades of green mostly, with the addition of other colours such as blue, yellow, and white. All species have the black bands on their neck, which give the family its name.
Temperament
Captive-bred specimens tend to be less aggressive toward humans, but they may bite at first. Frequent handling when young is important, and most will soon become very tame. As for temperament between Collareds, males should never be kept together, but females get along just fine. It’s best not to keep large numbers within a colony, the optimal size being 1 male to 2-3 females.
Behaviour
Good combinations: one male and up to 2-3 females, all females, or one male, this is because males are very territorial and will fight each other, often to the death, as is common with many reptiles.
Activity Level: Very active during the morning and early afternoon.
If startled, and if space permits, this lizard will run on 2 legs to quickly get away from what it perceives as danger.
Frequent activities: observing movement around the vivarium, hunting for prey, digging, admiring self in reflection, and constantly changing location to maintain the perfect body temperature.
Housing
Wild caught Collareds often do poorly in captivity because they are not accustom to glass. They don't understand why there is a whole other cage with another lizard in it they can't get to (the reflection). They will spend large amounts of time trying to get out, and this can lead to stress and loss of appetite, this often proves to be fatal to the lizard.
Captive-bred individuals soon gave up this habit once settled into their new
surroundings. They can do this occasionally but usually for attention.
One of the most important things to consider before getting a collared lizard
is budget. They require fairly large cages, 4x2x2+, which can cost a lot to buy.
One way to save money is to build your own cage this can be daunting but can be well worth the effort. Before building a cage remember that it should be as attractive as possible, after all, you wouldn't want a beautiful lizard in an unpleasant cage. The larger cages require more lights and more heating appliances; you will also need more substrate and decorations too to fill it up.
For advice on vivarium building, please visit… www.harrogate-reptiles.com/caresheets/diy/viv.php
In the wild, Collareds roam large open areas, jumping from rock to rock. They
are not good climbers so don't bother getting a cage that is tall as it would be wasted on this type of lizard.
Decoration
When it comes to decorating, keep it simple. Try to avoid cluttering the cage. At least 60% of the cage floor should be open space. Don’t use decor capable of rolling or moving, as this will jeopardise the safety of your lizard. Avoid any unstable decorations that could pose a hazard if they fell or collapsed. The best thing to do is to place any rocks on the base of the vivarium and build up the substrate around it, making sure that it is sturdy and secure and therefore won’t fall on to your lizard. If you plan to have multiple rocks or other types of decor stacked or piled together this is very risky, and should only be done if they are securely sealed together with suitable glue.
It is also good practice to offer the lizards a water supply in the form of a bowl, this may only be small as the humidity is required to be low. It allows them to drink when they feel necessary, some do this and some do not.
Basic Information
Size: 20-30cm 8-12inches (with tail)
Weight: Roughly 40 grams
Experience Level: Easy
Temperament: Nervous
Lighting: 12-14 hour photoperiod, UVB is Essential
Heating: Ceramic Heating Element and basking bulb on appropriate thermostats
Food Requirements: Depending on activity level, 8 - 12 medium sized brown and/or black crickets everyday, they can be offered one small pinky mouse as a treat (not regularly). To vary the diet, locusts and silkworms can be offered as well as the occasional waxworm as a treat.
Markings: Brightly coloured base with spots and cream coloured belly. Marking varies
greatly between subspecies with males always being more colourful than females.
They can come in shades of green mostly, with the addition of other colours such as blue, yellow, and white. All species have the black bands on their neck, which give the family its name.
Temperament
Captive-bred specimens tend to be less aggressive toward humans, but they may bite at first. Frequent handling when young is important, and most will soon become very tame. As for temperament between Collareds, males should never be kept together, but females get along just fine. It’s best not to keep large numbers within a colony, the optimal size being 1 male to 2-3 females.
Behaviour
Good combinations: one male and up to 2-3 females, all females, or one male, this is because males are very territorial and will fight each other, often to the death, as is common with many reptiles.
Activity Level: Very active during the morning and early afternoon.
If startled, and if space permits, this lizard will run on 2 legs to quickly get away from what it perceives as danger.
Frequent activities: observing movement around the vivarium, hunting for prey, digging, admiring self in reflection, and constantly changing location to maintain the perfect body temperature.
Housing
Wild caught Collareds often do poorly in captivity because they are not accustom to glass. They don't understand why there is a whole other cage with another lizard in it they can't get to (the reflection). They will spend large amounts of time trying to get out, and this can lead to stress and loss of appetite, this often proves to be fatal to the lizard.
Captive-bred individuals soon gave up this habit once settled into their new
surroundings. They can do this occasionally but usually for attention.
One of the most important things to consider before getting a collared lizard
is budget. They require fairly large cages, 4x2x2+, which can cost a lot to buy.
One way to save money is to build your own cage this can be daunting but can be well worth the effort. Before building a cage remember that it should be as attractive as possible, after all, you wouldn't want a beautiful lizard in an unpleasant cage. The larger cages require more lights and more heating appliances; you will also need more substrate and decorations too to fill it up.
For advice on vivarium building, please visit… www.harrogate-reptiles.com/caresheets/diy/viv.php
In the wild, Collareds roam large open areas, jumping from rock to rock. They
are not good climbers so don't bother getting a cage that is tall as it would be wasted on this type of lizard.
Decoration
When it comes to decorating, keep it simple. Try to avoid cluttering the cage. At least 60% of the cage floor should be open space. Don’t use decor capable of rolling or moving, as this will jeopardise the safety of your lizard. Avoid any unstable decorations that could pose a hazard if they fell or collapsed. The best thing to do is to place any rocks on the base of the vivarium and build up the substrate around it, making sure that it is sturdy and secure and therefore won’t fall on to your lizard. If you plan to have multiple rocks or other types of decor stacked or piled together this is very risky, and should only be done if they are securely sealed together with suitable glue.
It is also good practice to offer the lizards a water supply in the form of a bowl, this may only be small as the humidity is required to be low. It allows them to drink when they feel necessary, some do this and some do not.
