Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello, I have been reading the posts on this forum for several weeks. I can tell you guys really love your lizards. On a whim, I bought a male collared lizard at Daytona. They were so cute and friendly, I couldn't resist. He doesn't seem to be eating enough, tho. I'm accustomed to my son's geckos and beardies who gobble up every cricket immediately. 'Preacher' never seems to eat his crickets, tho they do seem to eventually disappear or die and get mixed into the sand. I keep food for them in the cage. I mist him every day or so and he has a water dish. He has rocks to climb on or under and a heat lamp under which to bask. Unfortunately, right now he's only in a 10 gal until I can free up a 29 gal. I'm just concerned, tho he still seems to be doing well. Daytona was a month ago now. If he wasn't eating wouldn't he be pretty skinny by now? Any ideas on what else I could try to get him to eat?

I love the little guy - he loves for me to hold him wrapped in my hand or against my chest holding on to my shirt. He closes his eyes and turns blue. He lets me know he wants out by climbing upside down on the lid of his cage.

Thanks, ShadyLady, in sunny Florida (hurricane central)

Congrats on your new collared! I am pretty new to them also, but I do think Preacher would be pretty skinny if he had not been eating all this time. I wonder if you are putting too many crickets in at a time since you said you you have cricket food in the lizard cage. I keep and feed my crickets in a seperate container and feed my adults what I think they will eat in the morning. I didn't like the crickets crawling all over them while they sleep (and I also read the crickets could bite them!) and this leaves a few to remove in the evening. Right now I clean the cage and remove uneaten crickets in the afternoons while they are on their outdoor cage getting sun. My male gets mad if I clean the cage or move stuff in there around while he is still in it. The adults LOVE mealworms. I understand they are hard to digest and plan to change to superworms after my current supply is gone. It took a while for them to start eating worms from a bowl but they eat quite a few of them now. I use a small, very slick sided plastic cup that the worms cannot crawl out of. They perch on it like birds and munch away. I'm glad you chose this forum, I am new to it and everyone has been very nice and helpful. Valerie

Thanks. So far all I have tried to feed him is crickets. I usually try to only put two or three in there, but this time I think I shook in too many.

I also kind of keep an eye on poop! Poop says to me that they are eating, and how they are digesting. And the white crystal part of it tells me they are not dehydrated.

Real nice to have ya with us! Yep, we all love these colorful, cute and friendly little lizards, around here.

If you are handling him so easily and hes friendly I dont think your problem has to do with him being a wild caught. They are sometimes difficult to get eating in captivity.

Sometimes new lizards take their time acclimating to new surroundings. You say you have had him for a month that should be plenty of time.

Next thing I would ask is are your temperatures HIGH enough?

Its difficult to get a good temp gradient in a 10 gallon.
But normally the basking area should be 100- 105 (sometimes in late afternoon mine goes to 110 The rest of the tank should be in the high 80's to 90

Another question is your collared a juvey (little guy) or an adult ? Is he on the skinny side?, If so may want to check for parasites (worms) this sometimes will decrease their appetite.

Its also getting into late summer which means fall is approaching, sometimes they begin to slow and sleep more, starting to brumate.

Let us know his temps, and if hes a young guy or older, may help to answer.

These are just a few possibilities. Have to start somewhere

Glad your here Shady, and when ya can post pics of your new friend we love pics!

Also try a moth, put a light on outside tonight and see if you can attract one, they love them. May help stimulate his appetite

Enjoy
-----
___

Eve / PHEve

Thanks for the welcome. Preacher is an adult, male. I will check the temps and get back to you. He alternates between lying on the sand beside the rocks and lying on the top of the rocks right under the lamp. I turn the lamp off at night, usually about 10 pm, and turn it back on about 6-6:30 am.

Do these lizards like company or are they preferably solitary?

ShadyLady

Yes check the temps, that can make all the difference in the world in their activity level and appetite !

Also if you dont have one you need a uvb light to guard against MBD
When you do get him to eat make sure you dust his crickets with calcium,and suppliments.

They are fine alone but they do well with another lizard too, most of the time. But if ya have a male he will NOT get along with another male. They can really do harm and even kill one another. They are very territorial.

** You would have to get a female.

In which case you have to prepare for the whole lovers, and then babies thing, hehehheh (breeding)

Ya may want to get this guy situated and eating first!

Here are 2 very good sites for info to read up on. The one site belongs to Will Wells, a forum buddy here , has alot of cool pics also.

I think you will get alot out of each. Any questions just give us a holler, great bunch here, always willing to help.

http://www.mountainboomer.com/crotaphytus/

http://www.collaredlizard.com/articles.htm
-----
___

Eve / PHEve

Yes, Preacher has a UVB light as well as his heat light. The temps seem to get up to about 100 at the top of his rock and 80's down below. I saw him eat a cricket Saturday while I was sprucing up his cage. Yea! I do have calcium to dust his crickets with, tho I've only dusted them once so far. Thanks so much for your advice.

Amy C.