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Collared Lizard Care Sheet
- Common Name
- Collared Lizard
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- Scientific Name
- Crotaphytus collaris
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- Native to
- North America
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- Size
- 12 - 14" (30 - 35cm)
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- Appearance
- A long tailed lizard, green or fawn coloured with bright speckles, with 2 black bands around the neck.
The males also have a brightly coloured throat (usually blue or green)
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- Enclosure
- Collared lizards require a large enclosure. The bigger the better, as they are extremely active during the daytime.
Branches should be provided for climbing, and rocks for basking. Do not put rocks on loose substrate,
because your lizard may try to burrow underneath and may get crushed! Also provide a hide spots on both the hot side and the cool side of the enclosure.
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- Environment
- Daytime temperatures should be kept between 84° and 88° F (28° - 31° C)
with a basking temperature of 95° to 100° F (35° - 38° C). Night time temperatures
should be kept a little lower, at 75° - 80° F (23° - 27° C).
The ambient temperature can be maintained with basking bulbs, infrared bulbs, heat mats or ceramic emitters.
Ensure that the heat source is controlled by a thermostat, and that
the heater itself is screened off with wire mesh so that your lizard cannot come into contact
with it, as they can get extremely hot.
Collared lizards require UVA and UVB light,
which can be provided with various available fluorescent bulbs commercially available.
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- Feeding
- The Collared lizards diet consists mainly of insects, and should be fed crickets and mealworms,
which should be gut-loaded by feeding them fruit and veg, and also dusted with calcium (phosphorous free).
This will ensure your lizard will get all the nutrients required.
In addition to this, a supplement of vitamin D3 should be given once a week.
Be careful not to overdose on D3, as too much will make your animal sick.
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