If you’re looking to purchase lizards or reptiles, stover-reptiles.com offers a wide selection of lizards, geckos, snakes, turtles and more. Before acquiring any lizard or reptile, it’s important to understand their needs to keep them healthy and happy.

Housing

Lizards and reptiles require an appropriately sized enclosure with heating, lighting, and other habitat elements to thrive. An enclosure should be at minimum 2-3 times the length of the animal. Reptiles are coldblooded, so under tank heating pads and UVB bulbs are necessary to maintain a proper temperature.

Diet

Most lizards and reptiles are insectivores or omnivores, so an appropriate diet is essential. Feeder insects like crickets, worms and flies should be gut-loaded before offering to ensure maximum nutrition. Pelleted food and some fruits can also be provided. Always have fresh, clean water available.

Handling

While some lizard and reptile species can become quite socialized and enjoy interaction, many species are better suited as display animals only. Excessive handling can stress the animal, especially for nocturnal species. Always support the whole body since their limbs are fragile. Never grab by the tail, as it can detach.

With the proper enclosure, heating, lighting, diet, and limited handling when needed, lizards and reptiles can make interesting and rewarding lifelong pets. Be sure to do plenty of research on any species before acquiring one to determine if it will fit well into your lifestyle. The expert staff at stover-reptiles.com can also provide guidance to help you choose a healthy pet.

Are lizards reptiles

As a lizard owner, it is important to understand that lizards are indeed reptiles. Reptiles are air-breathing vertebrates covered in scales or bony plates. They are cold-blooded, meaning they rely on external heat sources like sunlight or heat lamps to regulate their body temperature.

Characteristics of Reptiles

Reptiles share several characteristics that set them apart from other animal groups:

•They breathe air and lay shelled eggs on land.

•They have scales covering their body, unlike the moist skin of amphibians.

•Reptiles are ectothermic, relying on external heat sources to warm their body.

•Most reptiles have a three-chambered heart.

•They have a backbone and internal skeleton.

Your lizard exhibits all of these reptilian traits. As a reptile, your lizard will need access to UVB light and heat, a warm environment, and proper humidity to thrive. Always provide a heat lamp and UVB light to ensure your lizard can bask and synthesize vitamin D. Monitor the temperature in the enclosure to keep it within your lizard’s optimal range. Mist or provide a humidity hide when shedding is near.

With the essentials of heat, light, and humidity provided, your cold-blooded companion will live a long and healthy life. Understanding that lizards are reptiles means you can anticipate their needs and properly care for these fascinating creatures. By meeting their basic requirements for survival, you’ll enjoy the rewarding experience of caring for a reptile.

Caring for Your New Lizard or Reptile

Once you bring your new lizard or reptile home, you’ll want to make sure its enclosure is properly set up. Provide an enclosure that is large enough for your pet to move around freely and engage in natural behaviors. Include heating, lighting, and other necessary habitat furnishings to keep your pet healthy and happy.

Heating and Lighting

Most lizards and reptiles are ectothermic, meaning they rely on external heat sources to maintain their body temperature. Provide an overhead basking light and under-tank heater for your pet. Place multiple thermometers in the enclosure to monitor the temperature in different areas. The overall enclosure temperature should be 75-88 F, with a basking spot of 95-110 F. Use a timer to regulate the day/night cycle to 12-14 hours of light and 10-12 hours of darkness.

Substrate and Habitat Furnishings

Choose a substrate that is appropriate for your specific lizard or reptile. Reptile carpeting, cage liners, aspen shavings and play sand can all make suitable substrates. Provide habitat furnishings like climbing branches, platforms, hides and plants. Adding foliage, vines and other greenery will give your pet places to climb, bask and take cover.

Feeding and Watering

Feed your lizard or reptile a diet of live or prepared feeder insects, commercial pelleted food and some vegetables and fruits. The specific diet will depend on your pet’s species and age. Always have a shallow water bowl available so your pet has constant access to fresh, clean water. Change and refill the water bowl daily and mist your pet with lukewarm water or give it opportunities to soak in shallow baths.

Health

Take your new pet to a vet experienced with reptiles for a checkup. Discuss a schedule for routine wellness exams, fecal tests and other necessary care. Watch your pet closely, especially at first, to make sure it is eating, drinking, and passing stool normally. Quarantine any new pets for at least 30-90 days before introducing them to others. Proper care and husbandry are key to keeping your lizard or reptile healthy and happy in its new home.

Habitat and Diet Needs for Different Lizards

Habitat and Diet Needs for Different Lizards

As a responsible lizard owner, it is important to understand the varied habitat and dietary requirements of different lizard species to keep your pet healthy and happy. Lizards have diverse natural environments and eating habits that must be replicated in captivity.

The housing requirements depend on the lizard’s native habitat. Lizards native to arid, desert climates, such as bearded dragons and leopard geckos, require a warm enclosure with a heat lamp, as well as areas for basking. Tropical lizards, like anoles and chameleons, need higher humidity so misting the enclosure with lukewarm water is recommended. For all lizards, the enclosure should be at least 2-3 times the lizard’s adult size, include places to climb, hide, and bask, and have a secure mesh or screen lid.

Lizards have different diets in the wild that you must accommodate. Insectivorous lizards, such as geckos and anoles, require live gut-loaded insects like crickets, mealworms, and waxworms. Omnivorous lizards, such as bearded dragons, consume both insects and plant matter, so you must provide fresh chopped fruits and vegetables in addition to live prey. Strictly herbivorous lizards, such as iguanas, need a variety of chopped fruits, vegetables, greens, and commercial pelleted food. Always have fresh, clean water available for your lizard as well.

By providing the proper heating, lighting, humidity, housing, and diet for your lizard’s needs, you can keep your pet healthy, active, and thriving. Do research on your specific lizard species to determine the ideal conditions for its wellbeing. If you have further questions, consult a veterinarian experienced in caring for reptiles. With the right habitat and nutrition, your lizard can live a long and enriching life as your companion.

Frequently Asked Questions About Owning Lizards and Reptiles

Frequently Asked Questions About Owning Lizards and Reptiles

When purchasing lizards and reptiles from retailers like stover-reptiles.com, prospective owners will likely have some common questions about proper care and husbandry. Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions:

What type of enclosure or habitat will my lizard or reptile need? The specific enclosure required depends on the species. In general, an aquarium or enclosure with a secure mesh or screen lid, heating and lighting elements, and habitat furnishings like branches or plants are recommended. The size of the enclosure should allow for exercise and proper thermoregulation.

What kind of heating and lighting does my lizard or reptile need? Again, this depends on the species. Many lizards and reptiles require overhead heating and UVB lighting to synthesize vitamin D and maintain a proper temperature. Under-tank heating pads can also be used, but overhead heating is typically more naturalistic. The ambient and basking temperatures should be within the proper range for your specific lizard or reptile.

How often do I need to feed my lizard or reptile? Feeding frequency and diet vary significantly between species. Some insectivorous lizards may need to be fed live insects 2-3 times a week, while some reptiles only need to eat 1-2 times a week. Do research on your specific lizard or reptile to determine the proper diet and feeding schedule to keep it healthy.

Do I need to provide my lizard or reptile with water? Yes, most lizards and reptiles should have constant access to clean, fresh water. The water bowl should be shallow enough that the animal cannot drown, and should be changed daily. Some lizards and reptiles may also require misting or access to a humid hide.

What are some common health issues I should watch for? Look for symptoms like lethargy, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, discharge from the eyes or nose, diarrhea, or visible injuries. If any symptoms are observed, take the animal to an exotic animal veterinarian as soon as possible. Quarantine any new animals for at least 30-90 days to watch for signs of illness before introducing them to other pets.

With the proper enclosure, heating, lighting, diet, and veterinary care, many lizards and reptiles can live long and healthy lives as pets. However, they do require daily maintenance and a serious long term commitment to responsible ownership. Be sure you are able to properly care for your new lizard or reptile before acquiring one as a pet.