Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got this guy a week ago, he's been doing great very active and I enjoy his head bobbing antics that he does while basking. My question is which type of Collared is he/she? I'm assuming he's just a common, kinda concerned how the last 1/4 of his tail is off color from the rest has anybody ever seen anything like that?

Hello,

Sorry your lizard in the 2 photos isn't any type of Collared Lizard. Whomever you got it from does not know what a Collared Lizard is. I'm not sure of the species of lizard but it looks like it is in the family of Spiny lizards or possibly Swifts, but he is definitely not any species of Collared Lizard. Sorry to give you the bad news while you were thinking you had obtained a Collared Lizard.

You don't have a collared. That is a female blue spiny swift. As for the tail, can you take a better pic of it? I can't see what you are talking about in these pics.

As far as care goes, spinys need a similar setup to collareds. They need a hot basking spot in the 100-110 range (measured with an accurate thermometer like a digital or a temp gun), a cool side of the tank in the mid 80s, fairly dry climate and LOTS of hides as they are very nervous, shy lizards, unlike collareds that become very friendly with familiarity. They also need UVB exposure, so you should either use a reptisun 10 florescent tube or if you have a large enough tank, you can use a Mercury Vapor Bulb.

Please post pics if the tail. It might just be the usual pattern, but it could also be tail rot that needs treatment ASAP.

I believe this is a guyana collared lizard, or sometimes called a guyana collared swift, not related to collareds as far as the species Crotaphytus. These guys are from South america.
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PHEve / Eve

It sure looks like my spiny females from the face, but we really could use an aerial view to be sure. Here is one of my spinys. Does it look like this?

And the tail just looks like it is partially shedding.

I think Eve is right on the ID. Be sure to do some research on care.

You might be right, Eve, The face is a bit narrower than the spinys.

A better pic would be great. Then we can have a look at the tail and properly ID it so that the OP can research husbandry.

I think it is a female banded rock lizard,(Petrosaurus mearnsi) which are found in extreme southern California and down into Mexico. They do a lot of posturing -- pushups and head bobbing. Females will get red gravid coloration on the throat and above the eye. They have one collar, instead of two like most collared lizards have.
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Valerie

We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.
--Martin Luther King, Jr.--

God bless the USA

Guyana Collared Swift
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PHEve / Eve

Baja Blues are very blue with orange banding, and they get much bigger than Guyana swifts.

I looked up the Guyana collared swift last night and it sure looks like one, especially the size and general body shape.

I think you would keep them as I described for the Blue spinys, ie, similar basking temps, ambient temps, and lots of hides.

Here's my pair of P mearnsi. Notice the contrasting
coloration/pattern in both the male (right) and female
(left).

Also their tails are not as spiny as the Guyana collared
swift (AKA "spiny tailed collared".

Most collareds (Crotaphytus) have much smoother
and smaller scales throughout ... especially in their
longer tails.

All good guessed though.
I am strongly leaning toward the Guyana collared swift
on this lil female.

You decide,
John