Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i have a juvenile horned lizard that is still less than 2 in. and was wondering if the ordered ants are small enough for him. it wont eat the big red ants that live in south texas but eats smaller ants that dont sting but are hard to come by. i am a dedicated feeder attending college and still finding time to muster enough ants to keep it happy and healthy, so the ordered ants would help alot if they are small enough.
Also i have been looking for places to buy adult horned lizards preferably solare but will do for short horned or desert but cannot find it anywhere on the net. i am very dedicated but havent been able to find them anywhere. maybe its because im in texas.
the posts on this website and phrynosoma.com helped a great deal in the beginning and want to continue.

You didn't say what specie, so it's hard to give info, but a two incher should be eating ants, the big red ants, as I live around San Antonio and know exactly what your talking about. Try feeding some 1/8" circkets or a small moth, or even some of the small grasshoppers in your yard or in a local field. If he's not eating ants except real small ones it may be some other husbandry issue. What are the temps you are keeping, how long have you had him, can you post him on the forum so we can see what his health status might be. I have found that most horned lizards will eat these big Texasr red ants. How many do you put in the cage at once? You should only put a few in at a time and sometiumes I squeeze them so they are slightly injured so it's easy for him to catch and eat them, once he gets going on them then he'll get inot a pattern. I suggest you try and get some ants for him, as hornmed lizards are starting to slow down and get ready for winter I ususally start cutting my lights down around October 15th..........
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Phrynosoma.com

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

oh i have had it since mid-june. it was barely an inch long

If you go to antsalive.com and use their toll free number you can call them and order some smaller ants. They're black though. You have to call them as you can only order the Harvester Ants online. They're the same price though, about 2 cents a piece if you order 500 or more or else 4 cents a piece for anything under 500.

They don't have very many different kinds of ants but last time I talked to them they did have some smaller black ones they could get.

the ants are about 1/4 the size of red ants and when i get ants about half the size of red ants it will eat them. i will keep trying the big red ants every once in a while to see if it is ready to upgrade.