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Timon Lepidus - Eyed Lizard

14K views 51 replies 10 participants last post by  Big Red One 
#1 ·
Hi all, does anyone keep these? Can you recommend some good care sheets? When my new rep room is ready in a couple of months I am considering keeping these stunning lizards and (hopefully) breeding them. Are there ever any CB ones available or are they all WC. Many, many thanks for any replies.
 
#2 ·
#4 ·
Trouble is I am just going to be SOOOOO spoilt for choice - like a kid in a sweet shop. But I want to make the right decisions so I'm doing my research now. I would like very much to be able to breed something that is often WC and hopefully become fairly expert - like you with your Tokays. I do have some restrictions as far as temps / humidity and various other factors. I will have a look at these now :2thumb:
 
#6 · (Edited)
I think it is extremely rare to find w/c ones offered for sale. Two wholesalers are offering Timon pater (c/b) to shops and I would highly recommend them to you as a very closely related species if you can't get hold of lepidus. One of the wholesalers is incorrectly selling them as lepidus despite me pointing out they are not that species. So it is possible some shops may be selling lepidus that are really pater. I know because i sold them to them in the first place !

I am not sure if Chris Davis has any left see www.captivebredlizards.co.uk

One of my Timon pater males below (not the best looking)


 
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#7 ·
Thank you so much. What a stunning lizard. I am not in a position to buy for at least a couple of months - just wanting to do my research first. Do they need hibernating if I want to try to breed them?
 
#8 ·
pater

Yes they need to be hibernated if you want to breed either species. Timon pater are from North Africa which might make you think they are not used to the cold. My adults and young are hibernated outdoors here where we get more frosts than my friend on the south coast of England.

One difference is that young pater go bright green when only a couple of months old where as lepidus stay olive/brown usually for around 6 months or more. I find the adult pater also greener than lepidus too.

There care is identical as far as I can see.
 
#15 ·
There are a few pics on my albums. I use cypress mulch / soil for substrate and a water dish about 6" diameter and 1.5" deep.
 
#21 ·
Dont use bark or mulch,gravel or sand are best .Otherwise they will develop respiratory problems.
Not necessarily. I keep mine on cypress mulch/soil but they are kept relatively dry (although they do have a large moist hide that they can use if they feel they need to). I mist them very lightly in the morning to replicate early morning dew. Perhaps a little more so when they are shedding. But the substrate is not damp. I have also massively increased the ventilation in the vivs by cutting out almost a third of the cool side end and replacing it with mesh. In my experience it is high humidity in the air of the viv, rather than dampness of the substrate, that can lead to respiratory infections. I have found that they like to burrow and I feel that my substrate enables them to do that. However, mine are only in their inside vivs during spring and autumn. In summer (unless it is particularly bad) they are outside, and in the depths of winter they are hibernating.
 
#18 ·
Sorry I don't keep Pater. But my lepidus only drink from their water bowl. I have never seen them soaking in it.
 
#22 ·
Sorry I dont agree.Over the years I have kept lots of Lacertids and I have found that there are problems when you keep them on wood based substrates, usually respiratory.
The ones that I keep inside are kept on either sharp sand or pea gravel.these are easy to clean and dont hold the moisture,although it is often good to have a damp patch of sand.The ones that I keep outside I keep on sharp sand mainly.If you look at their natural habitat most species(certainly the ones from southern Europe) are found on rocky or sandy areas.
 
#23 ·
You obviously have far more experience with this species than me and I am always willing to learn from other keepers :2thumb:

The vivs are empty ATM, so when I bring the Eyeds out of hibernation I shall take on board what you have said and try a sandy mix. I'm not sure about pea gravel though - my Eyeds are so greedy they lunge at anything that moves - I would be worried about impaction TBH.
 
#24 ·
I have been keeping these animals for a long time but that doesn`t make me an expert by any means and I am willing to learn too..

The other thing with sand or gravel is that its better for their claws.Hopefully they shouldn`t grow too long but I guess that yours will not anyway with them being out in the garden .Natural sunlight definately is the way to go,much better than any ultraviolet bulb.Their colours are much better,the greens often turn from a bluey green in captivity to an emerald green outside.
 
#28 ·
Not yet - but the first decent day today and I have been at work!

I'm crossing everything that they pop up soon....
 
#26 ·
Mine are up - but that is my doing. I hibernate mine in RUBs in an unheated shed and in spring bring them into their vivs. They go outside during the sunny, summer months. Cheating a bit I know - but living on top of a mountain (our mean temps are at least 3C lower than sea level and we are quite northerly) I am too scared to risk outdoors all year round. They were brought out of hibernation a couple of weeks ago and are all looking great. The two pairs have both been mating ( one male has had a hemipenal prolapse today - vet fortunately was able to pop them back in - so no more nooky for him for the time being!)
 
#29 ·
Yep, she's out again today for a brief period. I got an unexpected surprise as well. One of my Bilineata which I had not seen since last summer appreared. I thought I had lost it (got out or died) so a magnificent bonus. I have taken it indoors and under a lamp, had a good soak and looking good but rather skinny.

The sun is very low but was quite warm in sheltered areas like outdoor vivaria.
 
#30 ·
Yep, she's out again today for a brief period. I got an unexpected surprise as well. One of my Bilineata which I had not seen since last summer appreared. I thought I had lost it (got out or died) so a magnificent bonus. I have taken it indoors and under a lamp, had a good soak and looking good but rather skinny.

The sun is very low but was quite warm in sheltered areas like outdoor vivaria.
That must have been such a thrill for you - I can imagine how I would feel.
 
#32 ·
Hmm,
Some good some possibly not so good news.

I popped home at around 1pm today as we had temps of around 16c here, I checked the enclosures and saw movement, but only in one enclosure. Surprisingly it was the male Timon Pater, after watching for a while I saw another bit of movement and that was his lady. So both Pater are 'ok'. They were actually darting about looking for food, one chased after a spider but seemed to miss it.

On the flip side in the second enclosure, no signs whatsoever of the Timon Lepidus. My worry is that the underground chamber may have been washed out somehow, as I'd have expected those guys out at least as quickly as the pater, if not before.

Anyway I'll continue I monitor but temps are due to drop a little again over the next few days, but we'll see. Fingers crossed for the Lepidus now!
 
#33 ·
Still very early. Strange as it may seem, the female that was up has not been today. It has been extremely hot here and I measured 35c plus at the lizard enclosure. I think it was just too hot and they know to keep at a lowere temperature till later on.

Re your Pater, were they hibernating outside? I cannot believe they would be chasing food to eat. It will probably be end April or May before they will eat, otherwise it would kill them if they went back under.
 
#35 ·
Hey can you believe I saw a eyed lizard in the wild in northern spain. It was fabulous and since then I have always had a facination with them. It was chasing a green lizard across the road, hunting?? Territorial?? Anyway we jumped out of the car and got a nice close up view. I have pics somewhere. I'll try and dig them out. It was fabulous even with a new grown tail.
What are they like as pets, can you tame them? They would make a fabulous exhibit.
 
#37 ·
They are a protected species out there and can no longer be kept as pets. However, I do breed them very successfully here in UK and we don't need CITES for them at the moment. They make excellent pets especially the males which are very handsome but they do much better living outdoors, where most of mine are in an outdoor vivaria 10ftx10ft.
 
#39 ·
Come to think of it, it could have been a female he was chasing. She was the size of a adult green lizard but did seem a bit bulkier. Didn't get a pic of her though, just him. This would make more sense.
Are they egg layers of live bearers?
 
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