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Tobias, my Collard Lizard, has been acting a little odd lately... I'm going to describe his terrarium, and any hints on what to fix would be of help...(I just bought a backdrop for the tank, it hasn't been setup though, as you'll see in the picture I've included)

1) Some kind of lizard bark chips as substrate
2) A long, high, hollaw plastic log
3) A shallow water dish (Question about this in just a second)
4) A UVB bulb across the back of the tank
5) A heat lamp hanging above the tank at the left end

Now, here are some questions I have... Lately, his skin has become darker... and even a little orange around his face. Is this normal? I've also noticed he's been spending a lot of time basking, but then even more time in his shallow water dish.... He's even been sleeping in it!

Another question about foods... Lately, I've been having trouble getting ENOUGH crickets! He just loves to eat, and I have to divide them among my two gluttonous Cuban Tree Frogs as well! So lately I've been experimenting, and noticed that Tobias will eat Letuce, and a lot of it! What other veggies will he go for? I tossed two baby diced carrots in there about five minutes ago...

Any replies would be MUCH appreciated!

(Here's a picture of the setup... the plastic bag is a home-made dripper for his water dish... and the paper towel contains the diced carrots...backdrop not setup yet.)

This is all my opinion and anyone is free to tell me i am an idiot.

1) Some kind of lizard bark chips as substrate

i am not really big on the bark, it seems that sand is better and less abrasive and more natural to me. every night i pour some water onto one side of their sleep spot to dampen the sand and they can choose to burrow into it or not and most of the time they do. they also like to dig around in it when they are running around

2) A long, high, hollaw plastic log

does you lizard have the ability to sit at different heights on this log to bask? and is this where he sleeps and is there a place for him to hide warmly and hide cooly?

3) A shallow water dish (Question about this in just a second)

sometimes they will sit in their dish but maybe try the thing with the sand and he will burrow. the lizards do live in the desert but they can have more moist microclimates under their rocks and whatnot. i don't know any good articles on micros but i know i have read them.

4) A UVB bulb across the back of the tank

i think you are talking about the strip lamps? those are good for them but do you have any spot lamps for him too? the heat lamps are good for maintaining temps at night but i always feel they like the spot lamps to bask under.

5) A heat lamp hanging above the tank at the left end

is there anything on the right end? does he have the ability to escape heat. they like to bask at 100 degree, not live in 100 degrees constantly

Now, here are some questions I have... Lately, his skin has become darker... and even a little orange around his face. Is this normal?

not sure about the orange but sometimes the skin is darker before shedding
i would not feed him normal lettuce, i don' think any reptile can eat that and have it be good for them. i have heard of them eating veggies there, the collareds that is. mine just don't because they cannot see it move. there are websites that can tell you some veggies and once again i don't know any off the top of my head

hope this helps somewhat and just remember that this is my opinion.
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vonnie
***One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries. - A. A. Milne***

... I had the sand for a while, and it was a MESS! He did like to bury himself in the moistened sand, but since I have just had back surgery, I wan unable to clean the sand... so that's why I chose bark chips.

I thought the darkening of the skin would have to do with shedding, too. I figured it was about time he shed that old nasty skin.

Yes, he can get to different levels of height in the tank, yes there is a cooler end of the tank. Sorry, I'm in a bit of a hurry to reply to this- I'm headed out on a dinner date very soon.

Just got him some crickets today, and he ate up. The carrots didn't seem to appeal to him.

If I forgot to respond to anything you mentioned, please reply again! Thanks!
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~Shopunke

well i am not sure how you were cleaning it but was it with the sifters? like they have pooper scoopers for lizards and it only takes me like 5 minutes to scoop the whole cage. i am not really sure about the wood chips and how they work. maybe someone else can recommend something for you.
have fun on your date and i hope your back is getting better and i hope tobius does ok. they require extra moisture to shed so maybe he is just trying to get the skin to come off.
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vonnie
***One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries. - A. A. Milne***

I think with all the lighting going on he may be a little frantic if the heat builds up too much. You have a tall cage, collareds need lenght not height. And if it were me I'd give up on 90% of the veggies collareds are almost completely carniverous. And most collareds can spell better than me!

As far as the dark skin, I think it may be 2 things. Color from the substrate, and he needs to shed but he doesn't have a moist hide (maybe why he's in his water a lot)
I would do my best to increase the temp gradient and provide a moist hide spot to see if he'll shed for you.

just my .02

that is probably true about the bark rubbing off on him, never really thought about it. i am glad you put your two cents in because i know what i do but i am never 100% sure if it is what i SHOULD be doing
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vonnie
***One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries. - A. A. Milne***

trade in the plastic log for a nice sturdy rock for him to sit and bask on.

Much more natural to his habitat and ways.

Put the log in a corner or something for him to jump on or climb through if its hollow.

I have a real wooden log in a big tank for some of mine they like to run along it. Nothing wrong with logs, but they like a rock to bask.

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Eve