[ShaunIOW]

I'd like to get a lizard, but am not in a position to be able to keep live food to feed it, so I'd like something that is vegetarian, but not too small. I currently keep snakes, and did used to have a Green Iguana many years ago, but one of those is out of the question now as it grows too big, as are monitors cause of their size and feeding requirements (although they are my favourite). I'd like something that can be got out and handled rather than a display species, so what species should I be looking at? I have room for up to a 4ft viv.

Cheers

 

[wilkinss77]

I'd like to get a lizard, but am not in a position to be able to keep live food to feed it, so I'd like something that is vegetarian, but not too small. I currently keep snakes, and did used to have a Green Iguana many years ago, but one of those is out of the question now as it grows too big, as are monitors cause of their size and feeding requirements (although they are my favourite). I'd like something that can be got out and handled rather than a display species, so what species should I be looking at? I have room for up to a 4ft viv.

Cheers

Desert iguanas
Mastigures (Uromastyx)
Chuckwallas.

 

[Arcadiajohn]

yes Uros are probably the best for you.

there are some smaller species also, so a 4x2x2 or 4x2x3 is possible.

 

[Debbie1962]

Uros.

 

[GeoHiccup]

Crested gecko's can live entirely off Repashy, a powdered food you can mix with water as they prefer fruit and can live a long, healthy life without live food.
They grow to about 8 inches once they reach adulthood and are beautiful to look at, as well as watch considering they're arboreal and love to climb. So a tall tank would be needed.
Georgia : victory:

 

[DeadLee]

If it's just live food you can't keep but you're willing to provide ground up meat mixed with veg and fruit then a blue tongue skink is an option. Mine isn't interested in live food (shame as I breed plenty). So his meat is diced chicken breast, turkey mince and good quality wet dog food (you won't be able to get it at a supermarket gotta be top quality stuff). He also has tinned snails I buy the ones on amazon meant for humans (non flavoured).

 

[ShaunIOW]

Cheers for all the replies, Uros seem a good choice.

Crested gecko's can live entirely off Repashy, a powdered food you can mix with water as they prefer fruit and can live a long, healthy life without live food.
They grow to about 8 inches once they reach adulthood and are beautiful to look at, as well as watch considering they're arboreal and love to climb. So a tall tank would be needed.
Georgia : victory:

I'll have a look at them, as I have a tall but narrow arborel viv thats empty (about 3ft high x 3ft long and 1.5ft deep).

If it's just live food you can't keep but you're willing to provide ground up meat mixed with veg and fruit then a blue tongue skink is an option. Mine isn't interested in live food (shame as I breed plenty). So his meat is diced chicken breast, turkey mince and good quality wet dog food (you won't be able to get it at a supermarket gotta be top quality stuff). He also has tinned snails I buy the ones on amazon meant for humans (non flavoured).

I'll have a look at them, as I've no problem with ground up meat, or even a lizard I can feed on dead mice or rats as thats what I give the snakes.

 

[salanky]

if its something you want to handle loads uros may not be the one for you. they can be skittish and cant be out of their viv at room temperature for long or they cool down too much. that said some of mine are really interactive but mainly in their vivs(handfeeding, climbing around etc) they can take time to settle into a new place aswell but once they are they tend to be on show for most of the day. i find my ornates and my big egyptian are always out and the ornates are generally more active than any of the others.

another suggestion was desert iguanas and they are great fun to keep. they can be out longer than uros and are total characters. mine are nearly impossible to keep in the viv at times. they love to climb and dig so if you could make them a rock wall background they would use every inch of it. they will take some live food but mine arent pushed on them at all so its veg and flowers all the way.

 

[lozmick]

As said desert iguanas would be my choice. I have a trio in a 5x2x2 and they use every bit of it so active and easy to handle can't understand why more people don't keep them. Mine love dandelion flowers and the leaves and onto crickets so fast chasing them down but I only give 15 crickets once a week I also feed them a lot of mixed leaves and fruit basically what you would feed a green iguana

 

[ShaunIOW]

Cheers for all the replies, having looked at all the suggestions, I think a desert iguana is going to be my best choice.

 

[ian14]

The various species of New Caledonian geckos can all be raised on a replacement diet which is powdered.