Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey, today I bought a forest runner from a pet store without knowing much about it, and as it happened they didn't either. I typed in the name on google and could barely find any information I'm guessing because it might go by several different names. Does anyone happen to know the latin name or a site where I could find a care sheet?

Kinda looks like this?

looks exactly like that. Do you know anything about them or any idea where I could find a care sheet?

I've found that most pet shops use the what I call "make it up so it sounds unigue" technique. Not so much the shops, but wholesalers who import reps. Most have scientific names which may have a common or popular name in English. That name may have a variant name in the pet trade. I'd google for Leiolepis sp., aka Butterfly lizards, Butterfly Agamas, Butterfly Runners, Forest Runners to find care sheets. There are a couple decent ones out there. Melissa Kaplan's rings a bell.

thanks a lot, I used the names you provided and found Melissa Kaplan's care sheet, so I think that that will deffinitely help. Apparently their record in captivity is horrible, let's hope I can keep this thing alive... so far I can only say that it seems to be an amazing animal both aesthetically and behaviourally, highly recommended given the right care and housing I suppose.

Hello Sanderm:
These guys are tough to keep for any length of time but I'm sure not having the right environment has a lot to do with it. I've discovered that many "Tropical" agamids require very different habitats than they get. I have talked to several people over the years concerning these animals and have tried a few tricks myself. The Butterfly Agama (Leiolepis belliana) digs burrows and therefore is probably an animal that needs dark enclosed quarters to hide in. I think many of the problems suffered by these animals are related to the fact that they really don't have access to a secure hiding spot. Stress is a big killer of both people and animals so the less stress the animal feels the better off it should do.
A burrow can be constructed from PVC pipe or any other materials used for molding. The burrow should be built at an angle to make it easy for the lizard to climb in and out of. It should be built in such a way as to allow easy access to monitor the burrow. Another point to consider is that it is quite possible that the humidity levels inside the burrows can be very high and the lizards may need exposure to that for at least part of the day.
As far as food goes they should eat a variety of insects though they seem partial to mealworms and other grub type things. I have, however, seen them eat crickets as well. They also occasionally eat flowers and on occasion some fruit.
Remember to have lots of cage furniture as this creates lots of places for the lizard to explore thus offering more habitat in a confined space.
I hope this helps. Good Luck!!!
Have A Great Day!!!