Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all. My name's Kris and some of you probably know me from some yahoo groups. I am owned by a 4' green iguana named Eegads, a 4' ball python named Sasha, a 3.5' red tail boa named hmmm Sneaky, a tangerine honduran milksnake named Phobos, 2 dogs, 2 kids, AND!!! a new Eastern Texas Collared Lizard. I bought him at a local Pet Store last week. I have wanted a Collared for 2 years now. Originally I wanted a blue, but this little guy was just so cute he had to come home with me.

I am playing around with names for him, and today he's been "Little Dude". I currently have Little Dude in a 10 gallon aquarium with a cave, a basking rock, a piece of driftwood, a water dish, and repti bark for the substrate. The temperature at the basking area is 92 degrees and the cool side is 84 degrees. I mist him 3-4 times a day. He is shedding and I believe he may be dehydrated. His skin is very loose. He has eaten 7 crickets in 4 days and I put some greens (collard, mustard, turnip, dandelion) in his cage today. I tore them up into very tiny strips. He seemed interested, but did not eat them. I'm off to the pet store for some wax and meal worms. Someone suggested making a bug net for my outside light to catch him bugs. How would I go about doing this? Is it safe for him? Any other suggestions? I just love him to pieces I took him outside today for some UVB and will continue to do that for the summer. This fall he will have a UVB light on his cage.

Kris

Hi Kris, thats great ya got a new friend they are alot of fun, very entertaining and active, so a 10 is abit small, they need more room than that to jump around, a 20 long min. As far as temps you should increase them, collareds like the heat, and he will eat much better for you with higher temps 100- 105 basking area the rest of tank should be 85- 90 . Substrate can be washed play sand from home depot, they do well with that . As far as misting, I do spritz them when they are shedding it really aids in them getting that dried skin off, but if like you say hes dehydrated than he needs to drink, either from a saucer or some people put ice cubes on screen top above the rocks and let them melt and drip on the rock and they will drink from that. I provide water saucers , and all mine drink from them with no problem. I sure hope you post some pics we like to see pics here :0) sounds like you have a real crew, I know where your coming from with that me too !!! LOL Hey take care, & Good Luck ! Eve

Hi Eve. Thanks for your response. I've changed from a 25 watt light bulb to a 40 watt light bulb. Still seems a bit cool, but will wait till tomorrow morning to change to a 60 watt. I only have an empty 10 gal aquarium so for now, he'll stay in there, but he is still quite small so it seems plenty big enough for the next 3 seconds or so LOL

He is shedding. I soaked him in water tonight in my lap. Eegads, my ig, was very interested in what that tiny thing mom was holding was LOL

So far he likes assorted greens and crickets. I put some meal worms in there and he didn't give them a second glance, although he has eaten quite a few crickets so he just may not have been hungry.

I have not seen him drink and his skin is very loose and wrinkly, but I'm not sure if that's because he's shedding or dehydrated. I can "force" water on Eegads with a child's medicine dispenser (looks like a miniature turkey baster) he takes water quite well this way and I just do it every now and again so he is ok with it incase he ever does get dehydrated. Is there a way to do that with my collared or is that not recommended or am I panicking?

Kris