The Lizard Keeper's Handbook E-Book

Philippe de Vosjoli

• Herausgeber: CompanionHouse Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 226

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2007

Beschreibung

The Lizard Keeper's Manual by Philippe de Vosjoli intends to provide real detailed information for all devoted lizard owners who wish to provide the very best of care for their pets. The author states in the foreword, "In terms of the herpetoculture of reptiles, the keeping of lizards is probably the most challenging." He explains that "Lizards demonstrate a great diversity of adaptations and specializations," and thus keepers need the very best advice and soundest information possible, which is what The Lizard Keeper's Manual provides to its readers. In over 200 pages, this colorful volume analyzes the needs of insect-eating lizards, of which there are literally thousands of species. Some lizards (the ones with generic housing and dietary requirements) are easy to maintain, though others have very specific needs (in terms of temperature, diet, humidity, etc.). As stated in the introduction, "The purpose of this book is to give herpetoculturists, both beginners and those more experienced, as well as pet industry personnel, a broad base of knowledge that will allow them to successfully keep a variety of insect-eating lizards." Colorfully illustrated, The Lizard Keeper's Manual provides chapter-length coverage on the following topics: selecting the right species of lizard, locating and purchasing a healthy lizard, quarantine and acclimation, types of vivaria, enclosures, vivarium design, heating, cooling/hibernation, lighting, humidity/ventilation, feeding/nutrition, handling, shipping/receiving, and diseases and disorders. The author recommends a number of excellent species for keepers, including geckos, chameleons, skinks, agamids, monitors, anoles, basilisks, as well as other large and miniature species. The chapter titled "Essential Concepts" is a crash course in herpetology, offering the reader an overview of the ontogeny (life stages), climatic and landscape factors, diet, water, and diseases of the lizard family. The chapter "General Guidelines for Popular Insect-Eating Lizards," which covers over thirty different lizards in terms of their requirements and descriptions, is an outstanding resource for lizard keepers looking to expand the population of their vivaria. Appendices and index included.

Leseprobe

June Kikuchi, Editorial Director

Jarelle S. Stein, Editor

Karen Julian, Publishing Coordinator

Tracy Burns, Jessica Jaensch, Production Coordinators

Joe Bernier, Designer

Cover and layout design concept by Michael Capozzi

Indexed by Melody England

Front and back cover photos by Paul Freed.

Paul Freed: 11, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 28, 31, 34, 37, 40–42, 44–46, 51, 53, 54, 57, 59, 60–64, 67, 68, 70–72, 83, 88, 101, 109–112, 114, 116, 135, 140, 148, 157, 159, 161, 163, 166–171, 173–187. Roger Klingenberg: 75, 76, 93, 97, 126, 138, 141, 144, 146, 147, 149–153. Bill Love: 7, 8, 13, 17, 21, 25, 33, 39, 52, 56, 102, 104, 107, 115, 117, 121, 131, 136, 164, 165

Copyright © 2007 by Advanced Vivarium Systems®

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Advanced Vivarium Systems™, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

LCCN: 96-183295

ISBN: 978-1-882770-96-0

eISBN: 978-1-620080-24-5

An Imprint of I-5 Press™

A Division of I-5 Publishing, LLC™

3 Burroughs

Irvine, CA 92618

Printed and bound in the China

13 12 11 10 09      2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

CONTENTS

Foreword

Introduction

1: Obtaining Information about Insect-Eating Lizards

2: Things to Consider Before You Buy

3: Some Recommended Insect-Eating Lizards

4: Selection of Insect-Eating Lizards

5: Quarantine and Acclimation

6: Essential Concepts

7: Types of Vivaria

8: Enclosures

9: Vivarium Design

10: Naturalistic Vivarium Design

11: Heating

12: Cooling

13: Lighting

14: Relative Humidity and Ventilation

15: Feeding

16: Handling

17: Diseases and Disorders

18: Shipping and Receiving

19: General Guidelines for Popular Insect-Eating Lizards

Appendix I: Some Useful Herpetocultural Terms

Appendix II: An Overview of Lizard Families and Subfamilies

Appendix III: Rehoming Lizards

Appendix IV: Products

Resources

About the Author

FOREWORD

When I wrote the original Lizard Keeper’s Handbook in 1994, my goal was to provide beginning hobbyists with the concepts that I considered to be essential knowledge for good keepers. Since then, the rise of the Internet has changed the hobby dramatically: on one hand, spreading some important information; on the other hand, contributing to the dumbing down of the hobby. Instead of introducing the public to the rich ecology of ideas associated with reptile keeping, the current trend on the Internet is quickie answers about the care of newly acquired pets. This information is usually disseminated through posting on one of the many online reptile forums now available. However, few lizards have simple enough requirements to fare well when their keepers follow simple formulas without giving thought to the many factors that contribute to success or failure. To my surprise, many beginner lizard keepers no longer bother learning the scientific names of their pets or their pets’ geographical origins.

In-depth information is one of the great advantages of books. Books often provide more information than you bargained for and consequently help expand the limits of your awareness. I have found that the field of herpetoculture becomes more complex and consequently more fascinating with daily lessons that lead to a more enlightened philosophy of life.

In terms of the herpetoculture of reptiles, the keeping of lizards is probably the most challenging. Lizards demonstrate a great diversity of adaptations and specializations. In addition, the habits of smaller species, unlike those of most snakes and turtles, make them ideal candidates to keep and display in naturalistic vivaria. Utilizing naturalistic vivaria adds landscaping and horticulture to the hobby, raising it to the level of an art form. Aesthetic compositions are created by combining live plants and natural materials, such as wood and rock.

In this updated version of the handbook, I decided to add new essential concepts that I developed with my friends Susan Donoghue, VMD, and Roger Klingenberg, DVM, in the course of coauthoring a series of articles that appeared in Vivarium Magazine in 1999 on the Multifactorial Model of Herpetoculture. This model explains how the health, welfare, and fecundity of a species are the result of several interacting factors such as age, temperature, and diet that can vary within certain parameters and still lead to success. One reason for this inclusion was to oppose a new righteousness that seems to have emerged in Internet forums by self-made overnight authorities. These so-called experts parrot the work of others and make indignant claims against those who do not follow their husbandry formulas. Almost a half century of reptile keeping has made me more humble and aware that there can be several ways to successfully keep a species. This is the basis of a multifactorial model. For example, the type of diet and supplementation provided a reptile will determine whether a UVB source is required or not. The temperature gradients will determine growth and maturity rates, but both will also be affected by diet and social factors.

Although the field of herpetoculture has made great progress in recent years, it is still in its infancy. Many of the neat, beautiful, most mind-boggling lizards (e.g., most true chameleons and tree dragons of the genus Gonocephalus) have yet to be established in captivity. There remains much innovation to explore. There is also great ground to cover to assure that a direct experience with these species, made possible through herpetoculture, remains available to human societies. The conservation of a diversity of reptile-human interface through responsible care and captive propagation is the primary goal of herpetoculture and a legacy we hopefully will leave for future generations.

Because herpetoculture is rapidly expanding, new information is becoming available every year. Some of this information will make a significant portion of our current knowledge obsolete. Ongoing research on lizard diets and nutrition will result in new approaches to feeding lizards and insects and the development of better vitamin and mineral supplements. Because of this rapidly changing base of knowledge, this manual will likely be revised over the years to include updated information.

INTRODUCTION

Insect-eating (insectivorous) lizards, an arbitrary grouping based on dietary preference, account for a great majority of the more than 3,800 recognized species of lizards. They comprise one of the most successful groups of vertebrates; they have evolved a great variety of forms and adaptations and colonized a wide diversity of habitats.

In many areas, insect-eating lizards are extremely abundant, accounting for a significant percentage of the animal biomass. Primarily because of this relative abundance, several species of insect-eating lizards are collected and sold by the thousands annually in the pet trade. Some of the most common are anoles, long-tailed lizards, skinks, and some geckos. With proper management, which should include establishing collecting seasons for respective species and annual quotas based on field studies, many of the populations of insect-eating lizards have a high recovery rate and are good candidates for sustained field culture. This method is also called ranching, and it consists of managing populations in the wild through controlled harvesting and, to varying degrees, through reduction of predators and possibly supplemental feeding. The current philosophy in herpetoculture strives toward establishing viable, self-sustaining, captive-breeding populations through managed field culture or more controlled systems of indoor and outdoor vivaria or both. A number of lizard species, such as some of the geckos, bearded dragons, and more recently veiled chameleons, have proven very adaptable and economical to breed in large numbers in captivity.

There are many exciting insect-eating lizards now available in the pet trade.

Generally, the lizards that are easy to maintain in captivity are the species that are the most adaptable to the relatively simple setups and limited diets provided by most keepers. Species that are very specialized, either in terms of their environmental requirements or in terms of their dietary needs, require a much closer duplication of those conditions and requirements to survive in captivity. Because of the diversity of adaptations and consequent requirements of insect-eating lizards, any prospective lizard keeper will need to acquire a sound base of information on lizard husbandry, as well as basic information on the particular species to be kept. A lizard maintained under the wrong conditions and offered the wrong diet cannot survive for very long in captivity.

Leopard geckos are among the easiest to keep and most popular of available reptiles.

The purpose of this book is to give herpetoculturists, both beginners and those more experienced, as well as pet industry personnel, a broad base of knowledge that will allow them to successfully keep a variety of insect-eating lizards. Although the emphasis of this book is on husbandry, all herpetoculturists should strive to captive-breed the species they keep. This helps provide important information on the captive-breeding and -rearing of a wide variety of species; it also plays an important part in assuring that these species remain available for years to come. Remember: species that are inexpensive and readily available today can become valuable, rare, and highly in demand in the future. As a herpetoculturist, you’ll find that opportunities for acquiring an important base of knowledge abound. Indeed, relatively little is known of the life history, social behaviors, husbandry requirements, and reproduction of the great majority of lizards. A continually improved base of knowledge, combined with the involvement of herpetoculturists, could one day play a critical role in the conservation of many of these species.

CHAPTER 1

OBTAINING INFORMATION ABOUT INSECT-EATING LIZARDS

I cannot overemphasize the need to acquire information about the insect-eating lizard (or any reptile) you are considering buying. Keeping lizards is very different from keeping dogs, cats, or birds, and considerably more attention needs to be given to environmental and dietary factors. Although this book offers methods for determining the requirements of most insect-eating lizards, whenever possible you should strive to obtain accurate species-specific information.

Finding Information on Your Lizard

Because different lizard species have specific requirements, it is critical that you research their care prior to purchase. Fortunately, there is now a wealth of literature on reptiles available from book dealers, specialized reptile stores, and a variety of Internet sites.

Obtain as much information as possible from the seller at the time of purchase, including the correct name of the animal and its country of origin. Whenever possible, obtain the scientific name of the animal. Common names of reptiles in the pet trade often have little resemblance to the names used by herpetologists; this may confuse your search for information. Exporters are required to list animals by scientific name, and this has become standard procedure in the mail-order reptile business. However, scientific names may sometimes be inaccurate or outdated. Once you learn the scientific name and the country or area of origin, you can search the Internet for sources of information—either sites that specialize in the group of lizards you are interested in or sources of books on herpetoculture. In addition to finding information on the Internet, buy books on the lizards you are keeping to obtain as broad a base of knowledge on the subject as possible. A number of publishers, including I-5 Press (Advanced Vivarium Systems), produce species-or family-specific books that provide most of the basic information on husbandry you will need. If you can find no information that specifically addresses the husbandry of your reptile species, some valuable guidelines can be derived from field guides and other books on the herpetology and natural history of reptiles. Although only a few specialized reptile dealers have an extensive selection of the herpetological works available, there are many mail-order natural history book dealers who offer a good selection of reptile-related literature. Check herpetocultural publications such as Reptiles, Reptilia, Reptile Care, and herpetological society newsletters for sources. A few of the larger herpetological societies also sell a selection of herpetological books.

There is plenty of information available for common lizards, such as this bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps). However, information on less common lizards may take some searching.

If you cannot locate useful information from those sources, information can often be found in the herpetological publications and books available at a local university library, particularly at universities with herpetology departments. Another course is to search through scientific literature on herpetology. For example, going to a university library and consulting the Zoological Record, as far back as twenty years, can produce potentially valuable references. Ask a librarian for assistance in helping you learn to use the Zoological Record. These sources of information, scientific articles, will yield additional sources—consult the references mentioned at the end of the article.

Common Sense

One problem with literature research is that it takes time. Because time may be at a premium when you have a newly obtained species, common sense also plays an important role in initially designing a vivarium and determining a dietary regimen.

One approach is to examine the form of an animal for clues to its habits. As an example, many flattened lizards are rock dwellers. Laterally flattened lizards with long tails are usually arboreal. The long tails provide stability for arboreal lizards when climbing and resting on branches. Lizards with vertical pupils are crepuscular (active around dawn and dusk) or nocturnal (active at night), while lizards with round pupils are usually diurnal (active during the daylight hours). Lizards with flattened snouts (shovel-nose appearance), smooth, very shiny scales, and reduced limbs are often fossorial (they bury in substrate). Lizards with toe pads, such as geckos and anoles, are climbing lizards; they climb on bark, rock, and plants. With experience, you will learn to take cues from a lizard’s appearance and behavior when assessing its requirements.

Look at your lizard for clues to its needs. Close up, you will see that this leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus fimbriatus) has toe pads, indicating that it requires branches to climb on.

When in doubt about a lizard’s requirements, the easiest way to assess them is to design a vivarium rich in topographical and microclimatological diversity. This type of vivarium should include a variety of shelters, climbing areas, substrates, temperature and humidity ranges, and light. When a lizard is introduced into this type of environment, it usually chooses what it prefers. By observing the lizard’s behavior, you should be able to determine its preferences. Remember that some lizards, particularly species from mountain areas, may require cooler temperatures, so allow for a cool gradient in an experimental vivarium if you suspect you may have such a species.

You may also want to experiment with diet. Several species of insect-eating lizards (day geckos, veiled chameleons, bearded dragons, and swifts) also eat some plant material and even baby foods. Others may feed on nonliving foods, such as lean canned dog food, fine strips of beef heart, or chopped boiled chicken. These may include many of the small teiids and skinks, some of the larger agamines, some of the lacertids, and small monitors. Lizards that are frequent tongue flickers often feed on nonliving food. Your observation and experimentation may prove to be the best source of information for determining your lizard’s preferences. As long as an animal is healthy at the time of purchase or collection, you should have enough time to determine its requirements by experimentation. Remember that information from non-specialized or inexperienced people can often be wrong.

CHAPTER 2

THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE YOU BUY

Several factors should be considered before buying insect-eating lizards. Many first-time buyers make initial errors in selection that eventually result in disappointment or failure. Consider the following issues before purchasing a reptile.

Who Are the Lizards For?

Are the lizards for you or for your children? Except for the larger, easily handled species such as leopard geckos, bearded dragons, Sudan plated lizards, and Schneider’s skinks, insect-eating lizards are not recommended for children unless their parents can provide close supervision. Parents must be willing to assume responsibility and supervision for proper maintenance and handling. Although lizards should not be considered children’s pets, they are highly recommended for responsible adolescents.

Do You Want a Display Lizard or a Pet That Can Be Handled?

If regular handling is a consideration, then inquire about species that have an established reputation as pets, such as bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) or Sudan plated lizards (Gerrhosaurus major). Leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) and African fat-tail geckos (Hemitheconyx caudicinctus) can also be handled on occasion; however, the great majority of insect-eating lizards are best considered primarily for display.

If your new lizard is for your kids, buy something hardy and easy to care for. Leopard geckos and bearded dragons are especially good.

Other lizards outside of the insect-eating group, such as green iguanas, Australian blue-tongue skinks, and some of the monitors, are better candidates for a relatively high level of human interaction.

Avoid Buying on Impulse

Do a little research or reading on the species you are considering buying. Many impulse buyers are sorry later when they realize they can’t readily accommodate the needs of their animal or if the animal doesn’t meet their expectations. Their animal also may not fare well, become ill, and die. Many impulse buyers of horned lizards, true chameleons, and some of the Chilean lizards have been discouraged because they were unaware that these species tend to be difficult to keep in captivity.

Be Willing to Pay for the Appropriate Setup

Many people buying a lizard for the first time attempt to save money on essentials, such as a properly sized enclosure or adequate heating and lighting. However, you will find the cost of an adequate vivarium is usually several times the cost of the animal(s) you are purchasing. This is the same cost relationship one encounters with the tropical fish hobby. Skimping on the purchase of essentials such as a tank that will accommodate a growing animal or the right heat and light sources can end up harming the health of a new pet or make it necessary for you to spend even more in the near future.

Be willing to invest in the right vivarium for the lizard you plan to buy.

Consider Your Lizard’s Feeding

You must also consider whether you will be able to adequately and regularly feed the animal(s) you purchase. With insect-eating lizards, this usually means making a once-a-week trip to a local pet store, raising your own insects, or having them delivered by mail order. Take into account the time it takes to provide an adequate diet for these lizards.

Consider Sex When Making a Selection

If you are considering buying a single lizard, a male is generally preferable to a female. In my experience, male insect-eating lizards tend to live longer in captivity than females do. In addition, females without males will not be given the opportunity to breed. If they are not bred when they are ovulating, they may have an increased chance of becoming egg-bound. The wisest decision is to buy a sexual pair or a trio (one male, two females), when possible, and to provide your animals with the opportunity to reproduce. However, keeping animals singly will eliminate social competition and is the best method if your goal is to have a show specimen.

Understand the Commercial Selection of Lizards

Many nonspecialized, relatively inexperienced pet stores base their lizard inventory more on potential profit than on how well specific lizards fare in captivity. This was the case with several types of Chilean lizards imported in the past. They were inexpensive and pretty, yet seldom survived more than a few months. Some pet store owners lack basic knowledge about reptiles and often try to minimize losses by selling cheap wild-collected species. Unfortunately, inexperienced customers who want to save money often select inexpensive wild-collected species that do not fare well in captivity. It cannot be emphasized enough: do your homework before you buy a lizard. There are specialized stores with personnel who know reptiles well; they can help you select a species that meets your specific needs. There are also many good books available and herpetoculturists who are willing to share their knowledge.

CHAPTER 3

SOME RECOMMENDED INSECT-EATING LIZARDS

There are several insect-eating lizards that do better in captivity than others. The following sections highlight those that are recommended for keepers, followed by a list of those that are difficult to keep.

Geckos (Families Eublepharidae and Gekkonidae)

Overall, this diverse group of lizards of more than 900 species is very adaptable to captivity. More species in this family are captive-bred than in any other. However, some of the terrestrial species and tropical forest species can be delicate and may need specialized care.

Leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius) are now selectively bred in a variety of colors and patterns.

Some geckos rank among the most beautiful of lizards; others have bizarre and interesting forms, such as the leaf-tail geckos. Their eyes are some of the most remarkable in the animal world. Among popular favorites there are leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius), African fat-tailed geckos (Hemitheconyx), day geckos (Phelsuma), Tokay geckos (Gecko gecko), flying geckos (Ptychozoon), prehensile-tailed geckos (Rhacodactylus), and frog-eyed geckos (Teratoscincus).

Agamid Lizards

No generalizations can be made about agamine lizards; they comprise a very diverse group of lizards. Some species are very adaptable to captivity, such as inland bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps), the clown agamas of the pet trade (Laudakia stellio brachydactyla), and green water dragons (Physignathus cocincinus). Other species, such as members of the genera Gonocephalus, Draco, and Calotes are best recommended for specialists because of their narrow environmental constraints. Some species are especially difficult, such as toad-head agamas (Phrynocephalus) and several species in the genus Agama.

Water dragons (Physignathus cocincinus) adapt fairly easily to captivity.

The veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) is the easiest of all the chameleons to keep in captivity.

True Chameleons (Family Chamaeleonidae; subfamily Chamaeleonidae)

Most true chameleon species are best considered moderately to highly difficult to keep in captivity. Even the longevity of many species in the wild is quite short. However, the veiled chameleon from Yemen (Chamaeleo calyptratus) has proven very adaptable to captivity and is now being bred in increasing numbers by herpetoculturists in the United States. The panther chameleon from Madagascar (Furcifer pardalis) has also proven quite adaptable. Major breakthroughs in the care and breeding of chameleons have recently led to increasing success with these fascinating lizards.

Basilisks (Genus Basiliscus)

Basilisks are generally hardy once they are established. They have a few basic requirements such as large enclosures, preferably including plants. The brown basilisk (Basiliscus basiliscus) and the spectacular green or double-crested basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons) are now bred in some numbers.

Anoles (Genus Anolis)

Many species of anoles, including the popular green anole (Anolis carolinensis), fare well in captivity and breed regularly. The green anole and the brown anole (Anolis sagrei) are highly recommended for beginners and display well in naturalistic vivaria. The knight anole (Anolis equestris), introduced into Florida from Cuba, is the largest of the genus. It is very adaptable to captivity and is regularly available. This genus has generally been neglected by American herpetoculturists because of their small size and low commercial value. However, many species make outstanding vivarium display animals.

Basilisks, such as this Basiliscus vittatus, are generally hardy in captivity.

Curly-Tailed Lizards (Genus Leiocephalus)

The terrestrial curly-tailed lizards (Leiocephalus) are generally hardy and highly recommended as vivarium lizards.

Girdle-Tailed Lizards and African Plated Lizards (Family Cordylidae and Gherrosauridae)

Members of the genera Cordylus, Pseudocordylus, and Gerrhosaurus are generally hardy captives, as are some of the larger Madagascar plated lizards (Zonosaurus), such as Zonosaurus maximus and Zonosaurus quadrilineatus. Some of the Gerrhosaurus, such as Gerrhosaurus major, become quite tame.

Lacertas (Family Lacertidae)

Many of the lacertids adapt very well to captivity, particularly species of Lacerta and Podarcis. Several species have been bred in captivity. Beyond making good display animals, many become tame.

Skinks (Family Scincidae)

Many species of skinks fare well in captivity if provided the proper type of vivarium. Desert-dwelling burrowers, such as ocellated skinks (Chalcides ocellatus) and sandfish (Scincus scincus), should be provided with sand to burrow in. Tropical forest skinks and temperate forest skinks should have a substrate to burrow in, as well as climbing areas of cork bark. Obtaining information on a species’ habitat will be important in determining the proper vivarium design.

Legless Lizards

These are the limbless members of the family Anguidae. The two European species are easily maintained in captivity. One slow worm lizard (Anguis fragilis) allegedly lived in captivity to the ripe old age of fifty-four years. The largest species, the sheltopusik (Ophisaurus apodus) of southeastern Europe and southwestern Asia, is occasionally imported and very hardy. However, these two species should be cooled down in the winter to do well long term. The U.S. species are somewhat more difficult to keep in captivity.

Although often dismissed by hobbyists, green anoles (Anolis carolinensis) make excellent vivarium subjects.

Monitor Lizards (Family Varanidae)

Smaller species of monitors are insectivorous and are occasionally offered by specialized reptile dealers. Australian ridge-tailed monitors (Varanus acanthurus) and other dwarf monitors are now readily available as captive-bred specimens. Green tree monitors (Varanus prasinus) and Timor monitors (Varanus timorensis), currently imported in small numbers from Indonesia, are primarily insectivorous. Nearly all the larger monitor species start off as insect-eating lizards before graduating to become vertebrate-eating carnivores.

Difficult Species

The following species are difficult to keep alive long-term in captivity and are recommended for specialists only:

• Australian moloch (Moloch horridus)

• Butterfly agama (Leiolepis belliana)

• Horned lizards (Phrynosoma)

• Toad-headed agamas (Phrynocephalus)

The following are moderately difficult and are not recommended for beginners, primarily because of their environmental requirements such as higher humidity combined with ventilation or the need for a UVB source:

• Bent-toed geckos (Cyrtodactylus)

• Prehensile-tailed iguanids (Polychrus marmoratus)

• Casque-headed lizard (Corytophanes cristatus)

• Tree dragons (Gonocephalus and Calotes species)

• Whip-tailed lizards (Cnemidophorus species)

• Many Chilean species, such as Liolaemus)

• True chameleons, except Chamaeleo calyptratus and Furcifer pardalis

Captive-Bred Versus Wild-Caught

Regardless of species, captive-bred lizards generally fare considerably better than wild-caught lizards because they are less likely to be infested with parasites or have diseases. Indeed, captive-bred lizards that have been established over several generations have a proven history of adapting to captivity. Unfortunately, relatively few species of insect-eating lizards are currently bred on a large commercial scale. Of these, the best known are the leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) and crested gecko (Rhacodactylus ciliatus), possibly the easiest of all lizards to keep in captivity. The Australian inland bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps), a delightful and personable species, is now being bred in increasing numbers (a few thousand annually), and its availability is expected to increase. Although bearded dragons are somewhat delicate as hatchlings, subadults and adults tend to fare well. Efforts are also being made to captive-breed the veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) on a large scale. There are many other species of insect-eating lizards that are bred on a small scale, including many kinds of geckos, basilisks, and water dragons.

When possible, always purchase captive-bred rather than wild-caught lizards.