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The ownership of a lizard brings with it certain responsibilities regarding nutritional and management requirements.

A natural diet and environment should be duplicated as closely as possible for the pet lizard. However, lizards are a very diversified group of reptiles. They can be meat-eating, plant-eating or both, they can be land dwelling, water dwelling, both or even tree dwelling.

Because of the many differences among the species, it is very important to find out the specific needs of your particular type of lizard as to diet, environment, and housing guidelines.

The following is general information regarding lizard care and is not specific for any type of lizard.

The cage for a lizard should be large enough to allow for exercise if the animal is to be always confined. A common choice for a small, single lizard is a glass fish aquarium. Lizards are cold-blooded animals so an external source of heat is necessary to regulate its body temperature.

Lizards in their natural environment generally bask in the sun or on sun-warmed objects during the day and then go into a period of inactivity at night. As mentioned before, you will want to duplicate this environment as closely as possible. Good external heat sources are a heating pad under one end of the cage or a “Hot Rock” (available at most pet stores) in the cage.

Heat sources should be placed at only one end of the cage so the lizard can pick the most comfortable temperature for any particular time period. Be sure to monitor the heat sources regularly as they can sometimes develop areas of greater heat that can accidentally burn the lizard.

Except for geckos, which are nocturnal and thus do not need it, artificial or natural ultra-violet (UV) sunlight should be provided. UV light is necessary for a lizard to properly absorb and use dietary calcium. A “grow-light” should used to provide a wide spectrum of light rays.

The light should be placed so that the lizard cannot be burned. Lights can provide an additional source of heat, but should not be the sole source. It is best to supply ten to twelve hours of light per day.

Other objects to add to the cage to help simulate a natural habitat are tree limbs, rocks, logs and artificial plants. These will provide a place to hide, to bask and to exercise.

Choosing a cage lining poses other problems for lizard owners. Many of the common cage liner materials available today can cause health problems in pet lizards. Cat litter and corncob shavings can be ingested and cause intestinal obstruction and impaction, and wood shavings do not absorb very well. The best bet is probably newspaper, butchers wrap or artificial turf.

It is important to clean or change the lining regularly as many of the bacterial and fungal infections that are commonly seen on pet lizards are caused by contact with damp or dirty cage materials.

For most types of common pet lizards, relative humidity in its environment should be 50%-70%. Increasing the humidity when the lizard is shedding it’s skin will make the process easier for it. Ways to increase the humidity include misting with a spray bottle, placing a damp towel near the heat source, or bathing your lizard in shallow warm water.

Improper diet and refusal to eat are the most common causes of illness and death in pet lizards. Failure to eat can be due to many different factors including lack of acceptable food, prolonged feeding of inadequate food, too frequent handling by owner, and improper environmental conditions.

Many lizards will also not drink out of containers of standing water, but prefer to lap drops off of misted leaves; others will drink out of containers of fresh water. Being able to provide food and water properly is one of the biggest reasons to research your type of lizard thoroughly.

Signs of illness in lizards may present as:

• improper shedding
• lack of activity
• loss of appetite
• abnormal coloration
• vomiting or regurgitation
• swellings

Lizards, like other pets, can benefit from an annual examination by a veterinarian.

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