Reptile & Amphibian Forums

We inherited a lizard from a friend who is a vet tech. Apparently he was turned into the clininc where she works by his owner when they had to move cross country. He is in good health, a bit snarly when handled ( something we will need to work on later)but my main concern is creating an enviroment he can enjoy living in. He was in a small tank - 15 gal I think - with a cross tank platform at one end where they put his food dishes. They are pretty sure he is full grown yet he is only 10" snout to vent so he seems tiny compared to my male who is at least 12-14. He hunts I put him in a larger tank 35 gal when we got him but with only sand no branches etc because I was not sure of how much the missing toes would affect his movement. He seems to be fine, a very energetic hunter, but I am sure he would probably prefer to have something to reliev the unending "flatness" of his cage. I have LOTS of trees around me (1.5 acres) so acquiring branches is not a problem but do need advice on sterilizing them and how best to srrange them. Any help is HUGELY appreciated.

elaine

Hi there...nice of you to take the poor little thing...he has some growing to do,feed him crix twice daily[along with turnip,mustard and FINELY shredded collards{they are tougher to chew for babies}and ad calcium powder every other day.As for branches,find ones that are a bit wider than his body,preheat oven to 225 and put in for half hour or so.Position the branches so they are sloped up to his basking area...he won't need alot..[don't use very smooth ones if he has no front toes to grip with]You can also use a slightly sloping rock...rinse off any excess dirt,then soak in a soapy tub...if you are a germaphobe you can add red-wine vinegar[it's 100 times stronger than bleach and can be used diluted to clean anything instead of poisonous chemicals]He may surprise you with his agility...are all his toes gone?Best wishes for your little guy

We think he IS full grown .. he was this size when he arrived at the clinic and he was there 6 mths before they decided not to keep him as the clinics resident lizard. So that said I am wondering just how many cricks he should get since I know I was told with ours that I should keep them to a minimum when the lizard was no longer actively growing as they were very high in fat. Is it possible to use a micrwave to sterize small branches?

elaine

How much does he weigh? How long is he in total length?

It seems risky to put branches in the microwave. Another advantage of the oven is it will dry them out so no fungus can form later. I can make a food recommendation better if I knew his weight or a picture would be very helpful. For now I would feed him crickets once per day until he reaches his proper weight and then I would feed him every other day. Pinkies and waxworms are high in fat, crickets are not. Just be sure to feed the crickets before you feed them to your dragon. Much of the nutrition is what in in a bugs stomach. I use a grain food but you could use salad and vegs. to feed the crix too.