Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi Everyone,

My lizards all seem to be doing well, fortunately. I've had them now for almost 2 weeks, so they are getting acclimated and settled in. My question is about differences in male and female behavior. My females are very inquisitive and active. They eat well and actively hunt down crickets. They spend a lot of time basking but they also spend a lot of time running around, jumping and crawling all over each other, and some time digging and hiding under rocks. They also pop there heads out from their hiding places if they see me come in and they often scurry over to the edge and cock their heads and give me a look!

My male spends the vast majority of his time basking and playing "king of the basking rock". He sits there, motionless, and doesn't respond much to me or anything else around him. His eyes are bright, but he also seems to have his eyes closed often when he is basking. He eats occasional crickets, but not with the voracity that I see in the females. Also, he doesn't respond much to movement....I don't see him actively turn his head and look at me, or at crickets, or at his pretty female companions. He just seems very laid back compared to the females. He's a little underweight. I think he needs to gain some weight but I suppose that will take some time. The females already seem to be fattening up some since their arrival. Of course the male might be eating more than I know, when I'm not looking, but I don't know. I put him in a small plastic tub with some crickets and he didn't touch them. So I'm just letting him eat whatever he will eat when I put the crickets in, which is usually just a cricket or two that he eats in a very lazy manner!

The other major difference in behavior is at night. The females definitely like to crawl into a hid on the warms side of the enclosure and settle down to a nice sleep. The male often starts sleeping on his basking spot, but then often wanders off to the cooler end of the enclosure at night. I often find him sleeping on the cooler end and skulking around over there all by himself.

So, should I be concerned about this guy, or is he just a laid-back lizard? Does this sound ordinary to you all?

BTW, my temperatures are good. I have basking spots of just over 100 degrees, and a good temp gradient from about 95 degrees on one end and 78 to 80 degrees on the cool end. I have good uv lighting. Also, these collareds are from Texas, captive bred, but originating from anmals from Texas, although I don't know exactly where in Texas. They look a lot like pics I see of Texas collareds.

Any imput would be much appreciated. I think all these animals are fine. Maybe I'm just being a little paranoid. But I am struck at how much difference in the behavior between the females and this very laid-back male.

Thanks,

Hayseed

1.1 Coastal Carpets
1.3 Corn Snakes
1.0 Ball Python
2.2 Leopard Geckos
1.3 Collared Lizards
and a bunch of 5-lined skinks that sun themselves on my porch!

Hi John,
I saw your earlier post and hesitated to respond as I am fairly new to collareds. However, I don't notice much difference between the sexes except that the males head bob at the females, and other males, and at me!

Can I ask what kind of uvb light you are using?

I have a Reptisun 10 tube-type bulb which should be good for UVA and UVB, I presume. I also have a "Sunglo" spot bul that sits next to the ceramic heater at the basking spot. This one says something about UVA on the package, but doesn't say anything about UVB. I want to get a mercury vapor bulb, but need to make sure my wife isn't gonna freak out about the price. Hahahaha.

John, that is a very good florescent UVB bulb. The Megaray is better, of course. But is that sun glo tinted? I always recommend a bright basking bulb when a florescent tube is used. Some florescent UVB tubes have caused mild to severe eye problems in both reptiles and birds, and some of the issue is that florescents are less bright, period. Diernal critters need bright light to be able to see well. Your lizards might not be affected at all by what I am saying, but if they can't see as well, they might tend to be less active and hide more. You really don't need a fancy basking bulb. A regular bright household bulb or even a halogen is fine. When you get the Megaray, you don't need to worry about extra light or heat unless the other end of the tank needs more light.

Why are you using a heat emitter? Are your temps too low without it? Can you just increase the wattage on your basking bulb? Also, what exactly are you measuring your temps with?

Here is my pitch for the Megaray. Maybe it would work on your wife! LOL!

Megaray -- $50 shipped, lasts 18 plus months
cost for 18 months $50

Florescent tube -- $25 give or take, produces effective levels of UVB for 6-8 months then needs replacing. Cost for 18 months $75 or more.

So, the Megaray is cheaper in the long run and it is superior UVB.

John, you are turning off your lights at night, right?

I use a ceramic heat emitter because it gets cold up here in Ohio. Even in August, it got down in the 50's a few nights recently. We can often have 90 degrees in the day and 40's at night. So, the ceramic heater helps keep temps more even.

In the winter, much of my reptile room gets cooled down for the snakes, for brumation. This winter, I probably will try to keep the collareds warm and eatng since they are young and still acclimating to their environment.

I haven't used a temp gun yet. I know I should, and I'm planning on getting one. What I have used is 1) a really high quality thermometer that I "stole" from my lab at work, and 2) a temp gauge with a wire probe and a piece of tape that I also temporarily "stole" from work. I suppose it's not really stealing....cause I'm the boss. I do plan to get a temp gun before the summer is out.

John (Hayseed)

Then your temps are probably close to accurate. Those therms are much better than the stick on and analogues, but the temp gun is better, of course, and much faster.

Well, consider changing out that basking for a brighter bulb if there is any tint to the solar glo at all. Then please post pics! We love to see babies!