The fact that insects, like crickets and grasshoppers, comprise a large portion of their diet, Texas Spiny Lizard are a welcomed visitor for many gardeners. Thanks to Dr. Travis Laduc of the Herpetology Collection for his edits.
Biodiversity Blog. Nicole L Elmer. Biodiversity Center biodiversity backyard biodiversity Texas Spiny Lizard herpetology lizards. Nest building isn't just for the birds. About the author. Nicole L Elmer View author's profile More posts from author. On ExpressNews. A Lone Star lizard from Oklahoma to Mexico. The Texas spiny lizard Sceloporus olivaceus inhabits much of Texas, with a range from Oklahoma well into Mexico.
The arborial lizard spends most of its life in trees. They do, however, also perch on fences and poles and will hit the ground to feed and to lay eggs. The Texas spiny lizard is a master of camouflage, thanks in large part to a black, white and red-brown chevron pattern on its back, which blends in with the trees in its habitat.
The ladies wear black and the guys sport blue. Pelke said one way to determine the sex of a Texas spiny lizard is by their backs. Another distinction: Males usually have blue patches along the edges of their belly.
Big lizards with short lives. Texas spiny lizards grow to around 8 to 11 inches long from snout to tail end, pretty big for such a lizard species. But Texas spiny lizards live only around four years in the wild, if they successfully avoid patch-nosed snakes and other predators.
Texas spiny lizards are insectivorous, meaning they eat mostly insects such as beetles, grasshoppers and pill bugs. They are also arboreal, meaning they need to climb.
Cover the bottom with cage carpet. To cover the bottom of the cage, you can use either cage carpet, sand, small rocks, or powdered walnut shell. Cage carpet is generally recommended, however, as lizards might consume alternative floor types, which can lead to digestive issues. Cage carpet can be purchased online at PetSmart or Amazon. Call your local pet store to see if they sell cage carpet. Add plants to the terrarium. Plants will make your lizard feel more at home in its terrarium, and also give the lizard something to climb in.
Put as many plants, vines, branches, and sticks that you can in the cage so that your lizard will have ample climbing material. The Texas spiny lizard prefers a drier environment. Put a piece of an old log into the cage once every few weeks to give the lizard a nice activity. Provide a hiding place.
Lizards like to have a place to hide themselves every so often. Add a log that can accommodate the length of your lizard to the cooler side of the cage. You can buy a hollowed out log at most pet stores. Try to put this on the opposite side of the cage from the hiding spot. Give your lizard ample light. Texas spiny lizards are diurnal and like to bask in the sun, so will need full spectrum UVB cage lighting to stay healthy and happy.
Part 2. Feed your lizard a mix of insects. Texas spiny lizards require a diet of live insects, and will thrive if you provide them with a variety of species. Giant mealworms, crickets, regular mealworms, silkworms, and non-noxious caterpillars are all great choices.
If your lizard is active and healthy, feed them as much as they can eat over a minute time period. If they are overweight, talk to a vet about a diet plan that will keep your lizard healthy.
Otherwise the lizard may suffer digestive problems. Cut the insects yourself if the pieces seem too large. Dust food with vitamin D3 and calcium powder. To ensure that your lizard is getting proper nutrients, dust its food once a week or every other week with vitamin D3 and calcium powder. To dust the insects, place the insects and a little bit of dusting powder in a glass jar and shake until the insects are coated with the powder.
Then feed to your lizards immediately. Change the water regularly. Provide fresh water for your lizard in a shallow dish. Be sure to change the water every day to keep your lizard healthy. Mist the cage. Lizards like to lick water off plants, and misting the plants and vines in your cage will give them extra opportunity to hydrate.
Instead, lightly mist any surfaces that your lizard likes to climb or play on. Part 3. Clean the cage. Clean the cage thoroughly once a week. This is an involved procedure that will take some time.
You will need rubber gloves, disinfectant, and hot, soapy water for cleaning. You should also check daily for spilled food, feces, or other hazardous particles. Remove all decorations from the cage and clean with hot, soapy water. Clean the food and water bowls with hot, soapy water. Clean cage surfaces with hot, soapy water. Then clean again with a disinfectant.
For disinfectant, use a bleach solution containing 1 part bleach to 16 parts water. Provide proper cage mates. Texas spiny lizards are perfectly happy to be alone in a cage, but if you do decide to have more than one in a cage, make sure you pair them correctly. You should never have two male spiny lizards in the same cage. However, two females will get along well in the same space. Texas spiny lizards should be treated as a display species.
If you hold them for too long and try to play with them they are likely to bite.
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