Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I’m getting ready to introduce some Lacerta species in to my collection. As it is extremely hard to get any useful information about this genus in general, I’ll use this forum in hope to get some useful advices from experienced breeders.
I’m interested in Timon lepidus, Gallotia stehlini and Lacerta schreiberi (all in pair or trio). All animals will be housed individually in indoor terrariums measuring 120cm x 80cm x 60cm (L x W x H).
In terrariums for lepidus and schreiberi I’ll be using 150w Metal Halide Reflectors (I’m not sure if this will be necessary for Gallotia stehlini terrariums (?)) in combination with UVB lamps.

Some questions for the beginning will be:

Will these measurements (120x80x60) be ok?
Can pair or trio of Lacerta schreiberi be kept in such terrarium together?
Can I keep two females of lepidus or stehlini together?
Also I’m curious about temperature and humidity levels for Lacerta schreiberi.

Thanks!

Hi again!

Shouldn't you already know it, you have to visit this site :

http://www.lacerta.de/

There you will find relevant answers to at least a part of your queries, and much more.

Kind regards,

Benjamin

Thanks, I know about www.lacerta.de, excellent place. But I see here a lot of experienced breeders and I would like to hear their opinion too.

All best,
Ivan

For the schreiberi, the tank size is OK.
For the other two sepcies it is too small - or may hold a single female.
With lepidus, trios often work well, but you have to have a close look in the beginning. Some females do mot tolerate others.
For stehlini, a trio is almost impossible. Even keeping a pair constantly together is risky. Better just introduce females for mating.
Gallotia males can be killers.
As a minimum size for 1,1 lepidus or stehlini I do recommend 160 x 80 x 80. The bigger the better.
Especially if you try to keep a pair of stehlini, the cage can not be large enough and has t be well structured, featuring hides, which are big enough for the female but too small for the male.
It also is important that the female can easily get out of sight of the male.

Hope that helps

Ingo

Thanks Ingo. My first idea was to keep all animals individually so I guess I’ll stick up to it. My currently available terrariums are measuring 120cm x 80cm x 60cm (old Pogona vitticeps terrariums, six of them, which I’m planning to readapt for Lacertas) so I’ll have to make a few new ones for males lepidus and stehlini…
Can you tell me something about humidity levels for Schreiber, I was thinking of using real plants in their terrarium. Will that work?
Also, do you breed some of those species? If you do I’ll send you pm…

Will Gallotia stehlini benefit from intensive light source?

Absolutely - like all heliophile lizards, Gallotia will thrive best under intense light source (either natural sunlight, or, in room terrariums, powerful metal-halide lamps). Of course, suficient shade areas and dark hideouts are necessary, so lizards can escape bright light and/or heat if they wish so.

Thanks for a fast replay, Nino! I want to do everything properly but to avoid useless expends too. So metal-halide lamps in all lacerta terrariums...

Hi,

the setup for schreiberi should be more humid than for the other species. A dry basking place (metal halides) however of course still is a must.
Personally and lacertawise I do breed Timon lepidus and Gallotia galloti eisentrauti.

Best

Ingo