Caring for your new Collared Lizard!

Care info for eastern collared lizards.

T. Becker

12/5/20244 min read

FIREFLII GRAPHIC DRAGONS LLC
Please feel free to contact us any questions.
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Minimum terrarium size for collared lizards:

The absolute minimum enclosure size for a single collared lizard is 36” x 18” x 18”, or a 40 gallon breeder-style tank. However, collared lizards are very active, so if you can provide larger, your pet will absolutely use the extra space!

It is possible to successfully house multiple collared lizards together. For best results, do not house multiple males in the same enclosure, but one male and multiple females can work. However, cohabitation is optional. Your lizard will be just fine having the terrarium all to itself!

Do collared lizards need UVB?

Yes! Collared lizards require UVB lighting for their survival. UVB lighting helps provide a clear day/night cycle, provides all of the vitamin D that your pet needs, strengthens the immune system, facilitates better digestion, and other benefits.

The best UVB bulbs for a collared lizard housed in a 36-48” long enclosure are:

Zoo Med Reptisun T5 HO 10.0, 22”
Arcadia Desert 12%, 22”

For best results, house the UVB bulbs in a reflective fixture. Position the lamp on the same side of the terrarium as the heat lamp. If the UVB is mounted over mesh, place the basking surface 4-6” below the lamp. If the UVB is mounted inside the enclosure, place the basking surface 6-8” below the lamp.

They are also likely to benefit from plant grow lights as part of their environment as well. Add a ~6500K LED or T5 HO fluorescent grow lamp to provide extra illumination, as well as help any live plants in the enclosure to thrive.

Lights should be on for 10 hours/day during winter and 14 hours/day during summer to simulate seasonal changes in day length. All lamps should be turned off at night.

Best temperature for collared lizards:

Collared lizards need a basking surface temperature between 105-115°F, and 75-90°F on the cool side. Temperatures should be measured via infrared thermometer. For best results, use a flat piece of stone such as flagstone, paver stone, or unpolished stone tile as the basking surface. Slate is a good option but unless it is very thick do not place it directly under the basking light as the dark color will cause it to get too hot.

Provide heat for your lizard with a halogen heat bulb placed above the basking surface. Halogen bulbs are the best way to imitate the warmth of sunlight indoors, and considered to be a superior form of reptile heating by experts. Do not use ceramic heat emitters (CHEs), red bulbs, or blue bulbs, as these are not as effective for daytime heat If you need extra heat at night (if your house temps drop below 55 degrees Fahrenheit), you can use a CHE on a thermostat to raise the heat a little at night.

Best humidity levels for collared lizards:

Collared lizards need slightly different humidity depending on which species you’re dealing with. Collared lizards from the western part of their distribution do well between 30-40% humidity, while eastern collared lizard species are more likely to prefer humidity between 50-60%.

However, humidity isn’t something to worry about too much with this species. As long as you have a humid hideout or burrow available, they should be fine. You can keep track of humidity levels with a digital probe hygrometer placed in the middle of the terrarium, and mist occasionally with a spray bottle.

Always provide a small bowl of clean water just in case they need more.

Best substrate for collared lizards:

Substrate (aka bedding) covers the floor of the terrarium and helps make the enclosure more attractive, but it also helps maintain healthy joints and provides something for your lizard to dig in (which they love to do!)

We recommend the following substrates for collared lizards:

Washed Play Sand (available at most home stores)
Zoo Med ReptiSand
Exo Terra Desert Sand

Substrate should be at least 3” deep and completely replaced every 3-4 months. Remove poop and urates daily, along with contaminated substrate.

How to decorate a collared lizard terrarium:

An empty enclosure makes for a bored collared lizard, reducing its quality of life. Keep your pet entertained and engaged with its environment with the strategic use of décor items that encourage it to exercise natural behaviors!

Since collared lizards are a terrestrial species that prefers rocky terrain, at bare minimum you will need a flat basking stone and a couple of places for them to hide. However, it’s best to include other items, such as:

Collared lizards are insectivores, which means that they need to eat primarily insects to get the right nutrition for their bodies. Live insects should be offered every morning, as many as your lizard will eat in one day. Juveniles generally eat a higher quantity of insects than adults.

Variety is the key to a balanced diet, so make sure to offer as many different types of insects as possible.

Feeder insects for collared lizards: dubia roaches, discoid roaches, red runner roaches, crickets, black soldier fly larvae, hornworms, mealworms.

Supplements

You will also need calcium and vitamin supplements to help keep your collared lizard healthy. We recommend Repashy Calcium Plus LoD, lightly dusted on all insects. It’s okay to occasionally skip a dusting.

Water

Of course, don’t forget a small water bowl for your lizard to drink from! Change the water daily and scrub the bowl with a reptile-safe disinfectant weekly, or whenever it becomes soiled.

How to handle your collared lizard:

Reptiles generally don’t appreciate petting and handling in the same way that dogs and cats do. Some collared lizards will learn to tolerate it and some love it. If you want to bond with your collared lizard, try hand-feeding it with feeding tweezers or put a meal-worm or small superworm in your hand and let them crawl into your hand to get it. With patience and time, you can get them tame enough to crawl into your hand on their own. We try to make sure our babies are hand tame when you get them if you handle them in a deep tub (13 or 14" high at least).

Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have issues or questions! I care about all my dragons and my customers!

Email me at fgdragons@outlook.com or contact via my facebook page at www.facebook.com/fgdragons

Enjoy your new pet!