Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey this is the closest forums for whiptail lizards that i could find and was wondering if someone could help me out. i have two chihuahuan spotted whiptails and one western whiptail. right now i have the western in a separate cage just because its so much smaller. i was wondering if this are the kind of whiptail that reproduce without the males or not. also are there any special needs that i need to know about. i have them under a uvb light. temperatures around 105 in the basking spot. 90ish near it. and it gets down to 80 on the other side. i mist the cage once a day. i feed them crickets and meal worms (they are already so used to me that they eat the meal worms out of my hand). and they ate a bunch of ants. but those got in there temporary cage on accident while i was setting up the real one. they seemed to like them tho. anyways sorry about the long post hopefully im doing everything right, please let me know if im not. criticism is welcome. thanks!!

Couple things, my experience comes from California whiptails more than any other but here is a few things:

a. Don't feed them ants. I know they don't have immunity to thier venom, had one stung by a red ant and it lost its ability use the back legs.

b. THey do need water, but why not a water bowl? THey find water quite redily.

c. While they will eat anything they consider food, I would not feed them mealworms unless fresh shed, as the chittin in them does not digest that well and I have also notice these lizards have problems with intestinal issues easily.

D. Don't over feed these lizards, I have found that all species I have wporked with can get extremely obese given a ritch everyday diet of insects at their discretion.

E. THese lizards are intelligent and learn fast, and yes mine eat out fo my hands as well. Given other insect fair as wax worms, etc. I would ocnsider using other insects for feeders and mix it up from time to time.

F. These lizards will eat other lizards, I have observed the male of the species chasing the weaker male and stressing out over a period of time, better to keep a male with females if your specie has males and females.......

Hope that helps some.
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signature file edited. [phw 11/14/04]

So are the kind i have is male and female?? how to you tell the difference?? Thank you for all your help. its greatly appreciated.

The best advice I can give is buy a book. I have extensive experience of lizards in N. California and I am not sure where your Western Whiptail was collected but if it was collected from N. California 105 is way way to hot. I commonly don't observe them out over about 80F and then its pretty much in the shade only venturing into the sun to get away from me or just to get to a better bush........ Again pick up a book or Google them and learn all you can, this should be done before aquiering any new pet.
Foot Hill Reptiles

hey hc.......jim k here....jason is right.........get a book that covers these guys. i have used the audubon field guide for reptiles and amphibians for years. they have a great section on whiptails. mine were the giant, marbled and checkered whiptails and were trained very easily. its been many years since i had those. would like to get some more one day but you don't find those around st. louis, missouri.............
good luck

I have a good book about reptiles that has an extensive section on whiptail lizards and a chart with which species have males, I believe that the western whiptail does not, but i am not sure I'll have to look at it when I go back home. The book is "Reptiles & Amphibians of New Mexico" It is an amazing resource!
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