Collard lizard questions and worries (please take time to read :(

creed398 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-12-2007, 09:11 PM

Okay so 2 weeks ago i got 3 collard lizards

they are very active and love running and jumping about their tank

as far as i can see and i am aware they r 1 male and 2 females

however the colours look queit similar on the big male and one of the wee females but her scales would indicate she is a she

There is no fighting or dominating or compotition for food they live happily together often sharing the same bed =]

My temps are sitting at about 95 over the basking spot on a 100 watt light bulb. i cant get them any higher!!! i myt need a higher watage bulb? cold end is at 74, these ok? At night they drop to 70 maybe 67 this ok?

also one of the females like to sleep more than the rest however she still gets up and fly about all over the tank happy as the others

They eat fine but not alot? they would eat about 3 crickets a day is this unusual? (the female sleeping eating the most) and the male doesnt seem to fused on his crickets but loves his wax worms

(fed 1 a day maybe twice a week) any ideas?

They are on play sand which is wash but i baked it in the oven also and sived it just to be careful. They ocassionaly like to walk about slowly and taste the sand every 3 or 4 steps? strange?

Lights on 12 hours aday. In 46"long by 21"deep by 18" wide viv so size semms to be fine. they are 7 or 8 months old i believe but the male is quiet big and they have plent of hiding spaces ( i asume male as he is amazingly colours and the other 2 quiet dull and dont have blue necks which the male does)

Also the male has a few purpley distorted scales on his back just where the tale starts which is not growing any bigger and not getting smaller (he is very active and im not concerned that he is ill just curious) would take to the vet but its a long while away. You can see it a bit on the first and last photo

Last concern is they dont drink alot. Ive only ever seen the sleepy female drink from the bowl. How do i know if they r dehydrated? i do mist the viv ocasionally but they dont drink from the water drops? Any ideas guys?

Also i shud mention be4 this tank they were in a 2.5 ft by 1ft by 1ft tank for a while (wat the pet shop had them in and was a temp for me while i built the big tank, the wee tank is now for the snakes)

Thanks you so much for taking ur time to read

any advice would be greatly apreciated

Craig

Rex (male) up on the big branck (see tail?)

Their tank

Tank again

The sleepy female (i called her sleepy)

The wierd scales on rex'x tail (possibley bad shed?)

Wee kaa isnt pictured here as he was hiding under the sand (he shed 5 days ago so hes doing very well ( hes called wee kaa coz hes the smallest) =]

DeanThorpe · #2 (**permalink**) 10-12-2007, 10:37 PM

they look fine but your basking temp needs to be atleast 120.
Either a higher wattage bulb, or raise the basking log closer to the log or both.
Also, what are you using for uv?

signs of dehydration are sunken eyes, dull colouration. lethargy etc..
keep that water bowl full of water and you shouldnt have any probs as they should drink from it.
you could always pick one up at a time and sit them in it occasionally to let them know its there if you are concerned they are unable to find the water.

creed398 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-12-2007, 10:55 PM

ah right ill get a 150 watt bulb tomoro and a digital thermometer

they have a bowl of fresh water but dont see them drink it lol they dont look dehydrated lol but the sleepy one i think is shedding possible reason for lethargic behaviour

i have a repti sun 5% 36" uv tube i will be getting a 10% one and they can get up high enough to bask if them need it

they get a calcium supliment every other day

can u tell me how much they shud be eatting a day and if that bit on rex's tail is anything to worry about?

thanks alot for reading the long list of stuff dean

craig

DeanThorpe · #4 (**permalink**) 10-12-2007, 11:16 PM

hi.
Perfectly fine choice with the uv tube id say, only beaten by the same brands 10% bulb but imo a clear second best.

You could still lower the uv tube to hang half way down the back wall so when the collards are in more general positions in the viv they are getting a good coverage.

Instead of a higher wattage bulb as id think 100w would be good for a viv that size, id raise the wood thingy so its sloping upwards towards the warm end rather than the cool and/or have another bit of wood over it as it is now near the bulb so it raises the surface where the collards can get to just directly under [position wise] the bulb about 9 inches below the bulb face.

remember the larger the area of the basking site under the bulb the more heat it will attract and hold.

I wouldnt worry about the tail as what is done is prolly already done and it wouldnt get any worse or be a sign of illness..Atleast i doubt it.

creed398 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-12-2007, 11:28 PM

thanks again for replying

yeah id say itll clear up next shedd

well i think the wattage of bulb and the heat not being right is down to the ventilation of my tank being on the roof (see pics) so it myt let the heat out more

i myt get a 150 and try it coz i need the rest of the tanks temp to be rasied also

any idea about the eating?

thanks

Craig

DeanThorpe · #6 (**permalink**) 10-12-2007, 11:39 PM

I think 3 suitable sized crix a day for sub adult 7-8 month old collards may be about normal.
we have a wc adult western that really doesnt eat much but has always been fine.
but 2 juvi easterns who eat a good 4-8 decent size insects a day.

but i do think the female sleepy looks a bit skinny, does she seem it if you inspect her closely? her face looks a bit skeletal BUT it could be the pic, does she seem skinny to you?
might be worth making sure you know she is eating and maybe try offering her a pinky?
or deos anyone think that would be a bad idea? maybe just a good portion of waxies to other insects for a week or 2? well covered in calcium of course..

reptiles rule · #7 (**permalink**) 11-12-2007, 12:30 AM

Our male collared doesn't really seem bothered with food, but he does love locusts and wax worms, but he wouldn't eat them each day. Originally we were concerned that he wasn't eating enough but he is doing fine and spends his days jumping around like a kangaroo. One of the females is just the same but she does eat alittle bit more than he is

She is at the moment being a little quiet, however we discovered when the male shed that he also went quiet and very dark in his skin colouring. She has also gone very dark so we think she is going to shed soon.

Our other female is very sick at the moment as dean knows - just keeping fingeres crossed for her.

As for drinking I think we've only ever seen ours drink twice. Generally they jump in it etc so get wet and therefore do get water. One of them loves to lie in it.

creed398 · #8 (**permalink**) 11-12-2007, 12:52 AM

yeah she does look very boney in that pic but shes fine in person
ill get another pic of ehr tomoro sure and post it (shes sleepign atm) :P emm yeah shes the best eater of the lot

i think they r eating about 3 or 4 a day coz i put the crickets in then they will eat one and show no interest in the others but when i come back u can see the crickets have magicaly disapears and i have checked the tank for them so they seem to be eating them when they are ready

ill get yous a couple more pictures tomoro

Also all 3 have a wee bit of a crooked tail its like nobely i know it not a calcium deficency i think it ould just be maybe a bit of damage when they were wee or bad nutrition or something like that because they definitly rnt fighting (i watch them regularly bcoz they r in my bedroom and i regularly check them for signs of desease and injuries)

thanks again

anyone else please feel free to share about your collareds

Craig

creed398 · #9 (**permalink**) 11-12-2007, 12:33 PM

yeah they do jump in it alot :P

very sorry to hear about ur collared

they r such great pets i hope she pulls threw for u

they do jump about alot and do seem to be very active generaly

think im gonna get a bigger basking bulb as the vents on my tank r on the roof so itll need alot of the heat it can get

failing that ill move the vents on the tank

Craig

DeanThorpe · #10 (**permalink**) 11-12-2007, 09:08 PM

glad she isnt skinny in actual person.
Best of luck with them.
And yes liek i said with the crooky tail, whatever is done is done and it shouldnt get bettter or worse regardless of what you do.. nothing wrong with the odd quirk.
We have a berber skink with a similar looking tail and our male western collard has a wonky jaw from mbd again before we obtained him, apparently it wouldnt get better just with proper care not get any worse..BUT it has improved loads in the last..er..9 months, its still noticable if you look carefully..but like i said..quirks are all good...he's very pretty anyway.
As our yours.

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