Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi All, I am the proud new owner of a horned lizard for fathers day. I am an experienced reptile keeper but never a horned lizard. I need all of the info on food and feedind I can get. Any advice on web sites etc. nwould be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
bob

Hi Bob,

Sorry, I can't give any advice. I'm very very new to it as well. But I did want to give you the web site some of these guys have put together that's very helpful. Just don't know when they'll be online with Father's day and all and thought this would give you something to read.

I do know that when they respond. They'll want to know what particular type of Horned Lizard you own. That makes a difference. If you don't know but have access to a digital camera and can take pictures they can tell you from that.

I'm pretty amazed at the knowledge these guys have. just looking back and reading their posts will help you a lot.

Good Luck and Happy Father's Day!!!!

http://www.Phrynosoma.com (Not sure who, but a couple of the guys on this site put that web site together. Lots of info on it) Get ready to hear . . . ANTS, ANTS, ANTS!!!!!!!

as stated below it wold be helpful to know the specie. Probably a Desert HOrned LIzard as these are legally sold in the pet trade. If it was woild caught then I need to know what state your from and where it was caught. Please go to www,phrynosoma.com, there is a lot of info and your may be able to identify your lizard by the pictures posted there. YOur lizard needs about 70% of it's deit to be ants, the rest can be wax woprms, 1/4" crickets, and mini-mealworms, depending on wether this is an adult or young then that picture changes. Please look under husbandry as a 20 gal long aquarium for one horned lizard is fine. YOu woill need a flourescent UVB bulb and a basking bulb on one end of the cage which will be the hot side and depending on the specie can be from 85 degrees to 105 while the cool side of the cage needsa to be in the vicinity of 85 degrees. YOu can use home depot play sand, very cheap and works well (comes in a 50lb bag) and add some rocks and wood but not enough to cramp the floor spece too much. Add a few desert looking plants that are silk or you can buy them from a pet shop. You'll need to order ants for your lizard, they can eat anyplace from 50 to 100 or more dpending on specie and size. A lot of info can come from our site. Please explore--and realize in order to keep these healthy there is a commitment on your part to provide the right stuff or its a sure thing you can kiss your lizard off. Poor husbandry even in the short time can be a problem. Let us knwo what you have and what your keeping it in etc. Cheers!!!
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Phrynosoma.com

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signature file edited. [phw 11/14/04]

After research I think it is definitely a p. platyrhinos, Desert Horned Lizard. It was purchased at a reptile show and we were told that it was captive born. It is approximately 2-1/2" STV. I'm not sure if it is a male or female. It is living in a 15-gallon tank in 2-1/2" of Home Depot play sand with a rocky basking spot. I have a 50-watt desert spotlight for basking and a Supercoil UVB light on the hot side of the temp. gradient, no plants yet though. We raise bearded dragons so I used one of there setups.

It ate three 1/4" crickets and a small mealworm yesterday afternoon and dug in last night. It reappeared this morning and started to bask. It seems to be healthy and in good condition.

I checked out Phrynosoma.com, allot of good info there. Where is the best place to order ants and find out how to care for them for extended periods? Let me know if there is anything I have left out. Any other information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
bob

about the only place right now to get bulk ants. let me know if you find somewhere else. I've been looking.

www.infowest.com/life/hornfood.htm

did you disinfect the beardie setup before using with the HL?

what UVB % is the supercoil? These are pretty inefficient on UVB transmission due to their compact coil nature ( makes them convenient and compact-but blocks maximum radiated energy ), If this is a high desert dwelling Platyrhinos, it probably will not be very useful unless it is a 10% UVB (10.0) and used in a dome reflector.

Platyrhinos looks similar to a couple of other species to the uninitiated, so a picture would help. If you can also post pics of the vent area sex can be determined. it's easier than going into detail if you've never seen something to compare and reduces chance of misidentification. you can look at these examples though.
www.repticzone.com/forums/HornedLizards/messages/356241.html

Mick

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"When tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign foe."

James Madison

I did disinfect the tank prior to moving him in.

The UVB is a 20-watt ESU Reptile brand Desert 7% Super Coil flourescent bulb. I also have 7% strip lights. The bulb is in a reflector hood. I'll take some pictures tonight and post them tomorrow.

Bob

OK, that's fine if you using straight florescent tubes along with it. do you have a UV intensity meter? I'm just curious what kind of UVB levels you're getting from that.

Mick
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"When tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign foe."

James Madison

Here are two pictures of "Spike" After doing my reading and looking at the enlarged scales at his vent I'd say he is a male. Was I right on classification?
Thanks,
bob

Yup, he's a DHL alrightie. Do you know where ( who ) he came from, if he is captive bred?

Mick
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"When tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign foe."

James Madison

He was purchased from a wholesaler at a reptile show. I ask the wholesaler and he told me that the four that he had there were captive bread., although he did not tell me who bread them. He looks to be full-grown and knowing that and knowing most wholesalers I would not be surprised if he was wild caught.

My kids knew I liked him and he showed up the next morning gift wrapped for father’s day.

Bob

I don't think he is full grown. Looks to me like he is pretty young! Maybe Mick or Cable has a better opinion on this.
Nice looking lizard though!! Good luck with him!
Ryan

that's a cute story. got a "horny toad" for father's day...very original gift. who ever thunk of that one before

yah, I doubt very seriously he's really a captive bred, but he looks good though. Ryan is right I think. This guy looks like a juvie. Not real meaty yet, and his horns ( occipital spines ) are not pronounced yet very well. You say he was around 2 and something inches or so SVL didn't you? that's a young 'un yet ( presuming his growth wasn't inhibited by diet or something ). He'll probably get a bit closer to 4" SVL if you feed him right.

Mick
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"When tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign foe."

James Madison

post a picture so species can be determined.

Mick
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"When tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign foe."

James Madison

www.phrynosoma.com
www.zo.utexas.edu/faculty/pianka/phryno.html
uts.cc.utexas.edu/~varanus/phryno2.html
www.digimorph.org/resources/horned.phtml
[urlhttp://bio.research.ucsc.edu/~barrylab/classes/herps/Classwebpages/Dana/Dana's Phryno/NaturalHistory.html[/url]
hrynosoma*]" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://srs.embl-heidelberg.de:8000/srs5bin/cgi-bin/wgetz?[REPTILIA-Specieshrynosoma*]

there's a bit of reading

Mick
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"When tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign foe."

James Madison

http://bio.research.ucsc.edu/~barrylab/classes/herps/Classwebpages/Dana/Dana's Phryno/NaturalHistory.html

http://srs.embl-heidelberg.de:8000/srs5bin/cgi-bin/wgetz?[REPTILIA-Specieshrynosoma*]

can't get those to link...just have to do it the hard way

Mick
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"When tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign foe."

James Madison