Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm buying a house that has an area of about 20'x 20' in the rear of the yard that was never landscaped. It's in a corner and a garage backs up to it so the area is walled on three sides. I'm planning on creating an outdoor pen environment for desert lizards. I live in Los Angeles so weather shouldn't be a problem. I'm wondering if anyone has any advice before I get started based on things they've tried either successfully or unsuccessfully. I'm wondering about the interior walls and making sure the lizards stay inside and how to keep cats, possums, birds etc. on the outside. Also wondered about rock formations, burrows, substrate, and other things. Any comments appreciated.

Thanks,

Matt

Make sure the area gets nice sun throughout the day...the garage bordering one side, could be too much shade.

Dig some large holes, and fill them withe pea gravel and large pieces of cinder blocks or large rocks, then backfill with dirt...you can let the lizards do the renovations. Plant it well with nice desert species...

For walls, I have used fiberglass skylight material...it costs about $14 for a 3' X 12 section. You will want to cut it into pieces, so the corrugations will run vertically instead of horizontally.

JE