Reptile & Amphibian Forums

are western fence lizards illegal to collect in idaho? if not, will one tame well for me(wild caught)? Also, are they particular in what their cage is like or is the desert with basic lizard needs enough?

Hey there,
I'm not sure about Western Fence Lizards being protected in any state, but You should make sure you're within the law before you go collect anywhere. You wouldn't want any fines. Assuming that its Ok though, I'm not sure that a Western Fence will tame down in the sense a Bearded Dragon will, but It will definately get more used to you as time goes on. It will probably come to recognize you as food provider and come running when it sees you, which is pretty cool, but I've never "tamed" one. These guys are a hardy bunch, but to truly thrive, you need to provide an enclosure that simulates his home as best as possible. In CA, Western Fences aren't desert lizards at all. They live on the foothills of local mountains, and in riparian areas, where there is lots of cover, and temps aren't so extreme. They need a special UVA/UVB bulb to ensure correct heat, too. My opinion is that if you collect your Lizard, study the area you found him in, and make his home like that, and you almost can't go wrong. These guys drink by misting almost exclusively. So spray the sides of his home and he'll drink that way. Provide a water dish, just in case though. These lizards are also not to particular about what they eat, so almost any bug is okay, except for ants. Good luck with your endeavors.

-Phil

i want to know more about their care if possible. here they are in the desert and i am working on the enclosure. i have a sagebrush skeloten, water dish, several hiding and basking areas made from rocks, and i am gonna get some fake cactus(in a 29 gallon)hope its big enough for a pair yes 1.1 is what i plan on. i based their surroundings on their habitat(and got most of the stuff for the enclosure there too, the rocks and sagebrush skeloten. and how hot should the basking place be? thanx

I baked my sand AND wood. I even boiled the dirt. (Hey I know I am paranoid but I don't want worms again.) It should be big enough. My lizards don't use a water dish. They won't even drink mist off of the side of the tank. I make sure my crickets are gut loaded and every other day or so use an eyedropper to drop water on their head or infront of them on a rock. If they are thirsty they drink then. Sometimes if they are really thirsty they even raise up to the eye dropper.

Other than that your setup sounds fine.

Let me know how you go about catching them...

Sarah