Leopard Lizard Care Sheet

[Natonstan]

Name: Leopard Lizard
Proper Name: Gambelia wislizeni
Substrate: Sand
Max Length: 25 in
Lighting - Use a full spectrum UVB light; this will output good UV rays for calcium absorption so that it can digest its food better. The UVB light should be used for 12 hours of ultraviolet lighting. This can be maintained by using a timer.
Temperature - The daytime temperature should be between 85-95 degrees. The Basking area should have a temperature from 100-120 degrees. At nighttime the temperature should be 70-75 degrees.
Humidity - Humidity should be at 30%
Food - Crickets and wax worms dusted with calcium. adults should be fed every other day, juveniles can be fed 2 times daily since they will be growing. Some will eat vegetables and if vegetables such as greens are eaten they should be offered twice a week.
Water - Misting of cage weekly will help to simulate natural water intake.
Housing - 29-gallon tank is minimum. Screen Lid required for air exchange. Hiding space, basking spot and cool area needed. The basking spot should be made up of rocks.
Number Per Enclosure - One male per enclosure.

[darkblade666]

is this ment to a bd care sheet?????????

[dgreenway2005]

good care sheet sounds very familiar to a beardies needs

[neep_neep]

Care is basically as for Collared Lizards - not sure about feeding them every other day though - mine would hate me!

Not sure about the screen lid thing either - just adequate ventilation in a wooden viv is fine

[karma]

I think the caresheet needs a good edit tbo

[Kellybee]

Originally Posted by Natonstan

Name: Leopard Lizard
Proper Name: Gambelia wislizeni
Substrate: Sand
Max Length: 25 in

These are roughly the same size as collared lizards (and anatomically almost identical). Definitely not bigger than 18 inches, half of which is tail

Originally Posted by Natonstan

Lighting - Use a full spectrum UVB light; this will output good UV rays for calcium absorption so that it can digest its food better. The UVB light should be used for 12 hours of ultraviolet lighting. This can be maintained by using a timer.

As a desert species, you should use a minimum 12% desert bulb, and this should be no more than 18 inches from the floor in order to allow for sufficient UVB absorption.

Originally Posted by Natonstan

Temperature - The daytime temperature should be between 85-95 degrees. The Basking area should have a temperature from 100-120 degrees.

Cool end temps should be 80 to 90 degrees, 95 is too high. You'll over heat your lizard at such a high temperature with nowhere to cool off.

Originally Posted by Natonstan

At nighttime the temperature should be 70-75 degrees.

Leopard Lizards live in the desert so night temps need to be cold or they lose weight if their metabolism is kept going overnight, if only being fed every other day as is suggested further down the page this will also increase speed of weight loss.

Originally Posted by Natonstan

Humidity - Humidity should be at 30%

These are not as hardy as their cousins the collareds. Provide a small water dish at all times with adequate ventilation. These are prone to respiratory infections and spraying will not help, if a large viv, a damp lay box is fine for breeding, but ensure sufficient ventilation.

Originally Posted by Natonstan

Food - Crickets and wax worms dusted with calcium. adults should be fed every other day, juveniles can be fed 2 times daily since they will be growing.

Live foods are fine, but calcium alone is insifficient. A combination of a calcium and a good nutrient supplement are essential. Hoppers and crickets are ideal however mealworms are difficult for Crotaphytidae to digest and most will regurgitate them. Wax worms as a staple are not good for them, due to high fat content and should only be given occasionally.

Originally Posted by Natonstan

Some will eat vegetables and if vegetables such as greens are eaten they should be offered twice a week.

They are carnivorous, its rare they will eat greens, but if they do give them as many as they will eat.

Originally Posted by Natonstan

Water - Misting of cage weekly will help to simulate natural water intake.

Drip water on their noses if they wont drink from a static water source, or place an ice cube on a rock in the morning so it can melt. They arent as hardy as collareds in the respiratory department (see above)

Originally Posted by Natonstan

Housing - 29-gallon tank is minimum. Screen Lid required for air exchange.

In the UK, we generally use wooden vivs. Minimum arboreal viv 3ft x 18 inches deep with air vents is fine.

Originally Posted by Natonstan

Hiding space, basking spot and cool area needed.

I think this should probably say provide plenty of hides, especially in the cool end away from the basking light as they are shy creatures, and they like to escape the heat underground by nature. See above for bask and ambient temperatures.

Originally Posted by Natonstan

The basking spot should be made up of rocks.

They climb better on rocks than wood being naturally saxiculous (rock dwelling), ensure that if you use rocks these arent stacked (they will try to dig between them), and are firmly rooted on the bottom of the tank before adding in substrate (which should ideally be sand), they like to dig underneath and accidents can happen.

Originally Posted by Natonstan

Number Per Enclosure - One male per enclosure.

A pair consisting of 2 females or one female one male can be kept in a 3ft viv. Never house males together as they are territorial even in the absence of females. They live naturally in colonies, so two or more together is recommended. If you intend to keep three to four a larger viv (4ft minimum) is recommended.

Although these are closely related to collared lizards, their territories in their natural habitats do not overlap, combining the two species will indefinitely result in fatalities through fighting, never mix collared lizards with leopard lizards.

[darloLee]

thanks for the info kellybee