Lizards Care Sheets

Lizards come in a phenomenal array of colours, sizes, and shapes. For those who are looking for a reptile that has a little more personality than your typical snake, a lizard is an excellent choice. Lizards are typically more active than snakes and are also usually more visible. Fortunately, there is a wide variety of domestically bred lizards available. Most are insect eaters that will feed primarily on crickets, meal worms, and wax worms; however, some species are either partially or completely vegetarian. If you are considering a lizard for a pet remember to pay close attention to adult size, temperament, and longevity information.

Reptilia's Care Sheets for Lizards are ordered by common name. All care sheets follow our format, which is intended to provide easy reference for your convenience. When multiple lizards of the same type such as Geckos are listed, the type name is used and the species is listed afterward. An example is: Gecko, Leopard . The Latin name is provided thereafter.

 

 

 

 

Bearded Dragon - Pogona vitticeps   Rating 1 - Due to this animal’s good nature, feeding habits, and adult size. A Bearded Dragon makes a wonderful and enjoyable pet for people of all ages. Adult Size - An average adult Bearded Dragon is usually between 38 and 51 cm (15-20 inches) in total length. Hatchlings have a total length of 11 cm (4.4 inches) Longevity - Bearded Dragons typically live for 8 to 10 years if all their captive requirements are met. Diet - Hatchlings and Juveniles - Crickets, mealworms and/or waxworms. Dark leafy greens such as endive, escarol, dandelion greens, collared greens, and Swiss chard should be offered about three times a week.     Chameleon, Veiled - Chamaleo calyptratus   Rating 3 - Since they be difficult animals because they don't tolerate a great deal of handling and they are susceptible to metabolic bone disease. Adult Size - An average adult male Veiled Chameleon -  46 and 50 cm (18 - 19.5 inches) total length, adult females - 30 and 35 cm (11.8 - 13.8 inches). Hatchlings - 5.8 and 7.5 cm (2.3 - 3 inches) Longevity - Females live for 3 - 4 years while males live to be between 4 and 5 years of age in captivity. A rating of 3, Diet - Hatchlings and Juveniles - pinhead crickets, small meal worms, wax worms, other insects, and some fruits and vegetables. Adults - adult crickets, super/jumbo meal worms, wax worms, and the same types of fruits and vegetables     Chameleon, Panther - Furcifer pardalis   Rating 3 - Since this species is difficult to breed and eggs are difficult to hatch. Adult Size - A male panther can grow to over a foot in length with females reach 2/3rds of the male’s length. Longevity - Life expectancy of males is about 5 years with females averaging 3 years. Diets - Hatchlings and Juveniles - crickets, meal worms, wax worms, and other insects; Adults - crickets, meal worms, wax worms, and the occasional pink mouse.     Gecko, Crested - Rhacodactylus ciliatus   Rating 2 - Due to this animal’s good nature, feeding habits, and adult size. Adult Size - length of 11.25-13.5 cm (5-6 inches).  Hatchlings are typically 6.75-8 cm (3-3.5 inches) long. Longevity -  Are believed to live 8-10 years in captivity.   Diet - insects (crickets, mealworms, wax worms, silkworms, and butter worms) and fruit should be fed to ensure good health in this species; however, a pre-prepared powdered food manufactured by T-Rex is also available.  Fruit flavoured baby food and a fruit-honey mixture are also a favourite.     Gecko, Gargoyle - Rhacodactylus auriculatus   Rating 2 - Due to this animal’s good nature, feeding habits, and adult size. Adult Size - to a length of 16-18.5 cm (7-8 inches).  Hatchlings are typically 5.5-6.75 cm (2.5-3 inches) long. Longevity - One wild caught specimen lived more than 22 years in captivity.  As captive care of this species improves, it may be found that they live even longer. Diet - Both insects (crickets, mealworms, wax worms, silkworms, and butter worms) and fruit should be fed to ensure good health in this species.     Gecko, Madagascar Ground - Pareodura pictus   Rating 2 - Good nature, feeding habits, and adult size. Adult Size - An average adult Madagascar Ground Gecko is typically about 14 cm total length. Hatchlings have a total length ranging from 4 to 5 cm and grow to adult size in approximately one year. Longevity - This species lives to be between 8 and 10 years old in captivity. Diet - Hatchlings and Juveniles eats crickets, meal worms, wax worms, and other insects; Adults eats crickets, meal worms, wax worms, and the occasional pink mouse.     Gecko, Giant - Rhacodactylus leachianus   Rating 2 - Due to this animal’s good nature, feeding habits, and adult size. Adult Size - length of 16-22.5 cm (7-10 inches) from snout to vent with a potential total length of 30 cm (14 inches).  Longevity - Very little longevity information is available for this species as it has not been bred and raised in captivity for long.  Gargoyle geckos, Rhacodactylus auriculatus, is a closely related species and has a potential life span of more than 20 years. Diet - Both insects (crickets, mealworms, wax worms, silkworms, and butter worms) and fruit should be fed to ensure good health in this species.     Gecko, African Fat-tailed - Hemitheconyx caudicinctus   Rating 2 - Due to this animals good nature, feeding habits, and adult size Adult Size - An average adult Fat-tailed Gecko is usually between 20 and 25 cm (8 - 10 inches) total length. Hatchlings have a total length of 7 cm (3 inches) and grow to adult size in approximately one and a half years. Longevity - Fat-tailed geckos typically live for 15 to 20 years in captivity. Diet - Hatchlings and Juveniles consumes crickets, meal worms, wax worms, and other insects; Adults eats crickets, meal worms, wax worms, and the occasional pink mouse.     Gecko, Giant Day - Phelsuma madagascariensis grandis   Rating 2 - Due to its constant availability as a captive bred animal, smaller size, and overall low maintenance. Adult Size - The average adult size for this gecko is 28 cm (11"), males of this species are larger and more robust than females. Longevity - A giant day gecko can be expected to live between 15 and 20 years in captivity. Diet - Young ones eats crickets, mealworms, baby food served on a plastic lid; Same for adults, but larger sized insects.      Gecko, Tokay - Gekko gecko   Rating 3 - Due to this animal's somewhat nasty disposition and unavailability as a captive bred animal Adult Size - The average size for this gecko is 20 to 25 cm (8"-10") for females and 30 to 36 cm (12"-14") for males.  Longevity - A tokay gecko can be expected to live between 15 and 20 years in captivity. Diet - Their diets includes crickets and mealworms, (adults may take a pink mouse every once in a while). , it receives an average rating of 3.

Gecko, Leopard - Eublepharis macularius   Rating 1 - Due to this animals good nature, feeding habits, adult size, and availability as domestically bred stock it is an excellent starter lizard Adult Size - An average adult Leopard Gecko is usually between 20 & 25 cm (8 - 10 inches) total length. Hatchlings have a total length ranging from 8 and 9 cm (3 ¼ - 3 ½ inches). Longevity - Lives to be between 15 and 20 years old Diet - Hatchlings and Juveniles consumes crickets, meal worms, wax worms, and other insects; Adults eats crickets, meal worms, wax worms, and the occasional pink mouse.     Monitor, Asian Water - Varanus salvator   Rating 5 - potentially dangerous. This species is banned within the GTA because adults easily attain lengths greater than 2 meters.  Adult Size - May grow as long as 2.14 meters (approx. 7 feet) and weigh as much as 61 kg (approx. 135 lbs.). Longevity - They can live to be 20 - 25 years of age in captivity. Diet - Asian Water Monitors enjoy a meal of rodents, other small mammals, eggs (of any type), fish, snails, other seafood, and small amounts of low FAT cat food.     Monitor, Nile - Varanus niloticus   Rating 5 - Due to this animal's unpredictable nature and large adult size, it is potentially dangerous. Adult Size - May grow as long as 2 meters (approx. 6 1/2 feet) but adults are typically between 1.5 to 1.8 meters (5-6 feet). Longevity - Nile Monitors are relatively long lived animals. They can live to be 20 - 25 years of age in captivity. Nile Monitors typically lay between 6 and 30 eggs that hatch between 85 and 200 days after deposition.     Monitor, Ridge-tail - Varanus acantherus   Rating 1 - animal’s good nature, feeding habits, and adult size it receives an excellent rating; Ridge tail monitors are a good reptile pet for beginners. Adult Size - Adults grow to a length of 50-60 cm (22-26 inches). Longevity - This species lives about 10 years in captivity. Diet - These small monitors are primarily insectivores but they will also feed on small lizards such as skinks and geckos in the wild.  In captivity, they thrive on crickets, mealworms, wax worms, and silkworms.     Monitor, Rough-neck - Varanus rudicollis   Rating 2 - Due to this animal’s good nature, feeding habits, and it receives an good rating; Providing adult animals with a suitably large enclosure is difficult for some. Adult Size - Adults grow to a length of 1.2-1.5 m (4-5 feet) 2/3 of which is tail. Longevity - This species lives about 10-15 years in captivity.  However, the life expectancy may increase as husbandry improves and captive breeding becomes more common. Diet - These monitors are primarily insectivores but they will also feed on small lizards such as skinks and geckos in the wild.  In captivity, they thrive on crickets, mealworms, wax worms, and silkworms with the a weekly supplement of pink mice or rats depending upon the size of the lizard.     Monitor, Savannah - Varanus exanthematicus   Rating 3 - Because Savannah Monitors tend to become docile and are not too large, they receive a better rating than most large monitors. Adult Size - As an adult, this species is typically 1 meter (approx. 3 feet) and approximately 9 kg (20 lbs.). Longevity - Savannah Monitors can live to be 15 - 20 years of age in captivity. Diet - Savannah Monitors feed on small mammals, birds and birds eggs, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. A rating of 3     Skink, Northern Blue-tongue - Tiliqua scincoides intermedia   Rating 1 - Blue-tongue skinks are docile, moderate in size, and relatively easy to care for. Adult Size - Adults grow to a length of 45-61 cm (20-27 inches).  Newborn blue-tongue skinks are typically 9-11 cm (4-5 inches) long. Longevity - Blue-tongue skinks are relatively long lived animals.  Specimens have been known to live more than twenty years in captivity.     Tegu, Argentine - Tubinambis merianae   Rating 3 - Adult Size - Adult Size is about 1-1.4 m (39-55 inches). Longevity - Argentine tegus live for 15-20 years in captivity; however, there are reports of animals living more than 20 years. Diet - Hatchlings and Juveniles eats crickets, meal worms, wax worms, silk worms, butter worms, and pink mice.  Chicken, fish, eggs, and even cheese can also be offered. Adults eats chicken, fish, eggs, occasional rat or mouse, bananas, strawberries, cantaloupe, apples, and dark leafy greens.     Uromastyx, Mali - Uromastyx maliensis   Rating 3 - Due to this animals good nature, feeding habits, and adult size. Adult Size - Adults average 22-27 cm (10-12 inches) snout-vent length. Longevity - Mali Uromastyx live to be between 8 and 10 years of age in captivity. Diet - All adult Uromastyx are primarily herbivores, although some will eat the occasional cricket.     Water Dragon, Australian - Physignathus lesueurii   Rating 2 - Water dragons are a good starter lizard as long as you get one that is captive bred Adult Size - Most adult Australian water dragons are between 60 cm and 90 cm (24" - 36") in total length.  Males are typically 90 cm or more in length while females usually only reach lengths of about 60 cm. Longevity - They typically live for 14-17 years in captivity.     Water Dragon, Chinese - Physignathus cocincinus   Rating 2 - Water dragons are a good starter lizard, as long as you get one that is captive bred. Adult Size - Most adult Chinese water dragons are between 80 cm and 90 cm (31" - 35") in total length. Longevity - Chinese water dragons can live for 8 to 12 years. Diet - Hatchlings and Juveniles eats crickets, meal worms, wax worms, other insects, finely chopped leafy greens. Adults eats crickets, meal worms, wax worms, leafy greens and the occasional pink/fuzzy mouse.