Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Yesterday i got my jeweled lacerta from Timo at Agama International (Bert's son) and i was wondering if anyone could post pictures of their set ups. I am keeping mine indoor as i live in virginia in the states. Right now i am using a repti sun 10.0 bulb for UVB (long tube) and a 100 W basking light from zoo med. Info is really hard to find over here in the states.
Thanks.
Josh

Here are some of my T. lepidus enclosures: Dimensions are 150x50x50cm (60X20x20", with substrate of fine gravel or sand. Cages are furnished with branches, logs, rocks and some artificial plants. Lighting, which is very important, is consisted of 150W HQI (metal-halide) lamps, high CRI fluorescent tubes, and compact UVB 10.0 tubes. Its also imposrtant that hiding places on the cooler part of the cage always retain some moisture so I mix some peat moss into the substrate there and keep it moist by regular spraying.
Regards
Nino
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thank you for your reply. I am going to go to wal mart and get some fake foliage for my 40 gallon breeder today that i keep him in. He is having a little shedding problem and i think im going to give him a bath in bedtadine to help him with his shedding and since he was kept outside I'd just like to do it as a pre caution. I think I'm going to put about 5-6 in. on one side and 2 in. or so on the other half of the tank.

I don't think a betadine bath is needed. You have a young male which appears to be a bit stressed (which is normal under the circumstances), but otherwise healthy. I would suggest you to change newspapers for a substrate (mixture of peat, sand, gravel,or similar) at least 2-3 inches deep.All terestrial lacertids have strong psychological need for digging and not able to do so can get them very stressed, especially specimens like yours which grew up under semi-natural conditions.

Regards
Nino

ok well i will take your word on the betadine. i went to walmart and could not even find it but it probably didn't help that i didnt know what i was looking for. I changed the tank and put some logs in their and a lot of fake plants for a more forrest look as well as natural look and so that he can climb as i found out they are territorial. I put about 6 in. on one side a mix of miracle gro sphagnum peat moss and childrens play sand and then about 2-3 in. of sand on the other side where the 100 w heat light is and my 10.0 repti sun uvb light.

40 gallon breeder

left side

right side

straight on

what do you think all in all? My temps read 72 on the cool side and 90 on the hot side with a high humidity which is probably somewhere around 75%

Yes, this looks much better now. Although, I would expect temperatures on the hot spot to be much higher since you're using 100W bulb. Temperatures on the basking spot should average 100-110F with relatively steep temperature gradient toward cooler side. Temp on the cool side is OK. Humidity is a bit too high, but since you're using screen top exces will evaporate quickly.

Well I'm glad that it looks better. It was just high because i just put it all together and had misted it and all that. I'll check the hot spot today but you think the heat light and uvb and all that is fine? i'm going to feed him crickets today as well. How often do you feed yours. I'm feeding about 10-14 crickets twice a week.

It's better to feed smaller amounts of food daily or, at least, every other day. Try to feed him with as much different types of insects as possible (crickets, locusts, cockroaches, grasshoppers, butterflies, caterpilars, superworms, etc). Also, they enjoy snails, and they are quite capable of crushing their shells before devouring the meaty inside (provided snails are not to big: they shouldn't be wider than lizards head). Once or twice a month you can treat him with some fuzzy or hopper mice and waxworms. Also, now and then, he will enjoy some ripe, soft fruit and dandelion flowers.

wow that is a big variety. Why do you need such a variety? does it matter what kind of caterpillar you feed them? where in the world do you get snails from? what kind of snails?

In the wild this lizards eat over 50 different kinds of prey items, and also many kinds of plant food. More variety you can provide, the better.
As for caterpilars, stick with the non-hairy varieties collected in pesticide-free areas.
Any kind of land snails is good. I collect them in the wild (they are plentiful during spring, summer and autumn in my area).

seems like only me and you in this forum. So any caterpillar at the pet store that they are selling that doesn't have hair is fine to feed? I know they have green hairless caterpillars that are about half an inch in diamteter and about 2-3 in. long. I guess I will switch it up. I fed him a little kiwi today.