So the last few years as I have taken trips out to the deserts and mountains, my fascination with Granite Spiny Lizards(Sceloporus Orcutti) has grown. They are the prettiest Spiny Lizards IMO save for maybe the really cobalt blue Spiny Lizards from mainland Mexico(Sceloporus Minor). It's easy to tell the difference between males and females in the adults. A few weeks ago I was able to capture a couple of adults and set them up in an aquarium. I'm new to their husbandry. I know they need both warmth and UV light to be successful. I'm also going to vary their diet as much as possible between mealworms, crickets, waxworms, and local insects around the house here in Irvine that I will collect.
They really are cool lizards. They are kings and queens of their rocky outcrops where they live. Good luck trying to catch them by hand in the middle of the day. They are very wary lizards. I've found that the best way to catch them is either to noose them or coax them out of a rock crack with a coat hanger or other type of stick. I've also heard of people catching them early in the morning under artificial cover by rocky outcrops when they are cold and slower moving.
My plan is to try and breed them for kicks. If anyone has experience getting them to breed I would love to chat and hear about it. If I'm lucky enough to get babies, I will be giving them away to good homes. Here's a pic of the pair that I have...
