Pet Health And Care >>  Reptiles >>  Lizard Care  
 
Lizard Care

Caring For Lizard:

Lizards can serve as ideal pets for some people who are not too keen on a continuous relationship based on interaction with the pet.



This is because reptiles are not very attached to their owners are quite happy spending a majority of their lives within a restricted environment given adequate food, water, and activity. However, lizards can end up being more than one can bargain for especially if you source your pet from the wild. There are many instances of lizards being abandoned because they have grown too big or because the owner is not able to take care of them.



Note that if ever it becomes a problem for you, set your pet up for adoption and never release it into the wild lest it creates havoc with the local environment.

Pet lizard care starts with understanding which species you have invested in. There are some species of lizard that require special equipment like ultraviolet lamps but most of the smaller species won’t require this.



You must also consider the fact that most lizard species are not usually indigenous to your area. This is especially true the further north or south of the equator you go. This has bearing on the temperature that your reptile would be subject to. Reptiles are all cold-blooded creatures and this means that they cannot create their own body heat like mammals and birds. What this means is that lizards must attain their heat from the external environment and that is the reason why you sometimes will notice reptiles basking in the sun. It is not for a sun tan but rather for a dose of heat. Once heated up, they can usually carry on with their daily search for food and sustenance. The question of how to take care of lizard can be answered with these three facets: space, diet, and exercise. Assuming that you are planning to invest in species that do not grow too big like a gecko or garden lizard, you should research on what their dietary patterns are.

Most lizards are insect-eaters and you would have to provide for this by feeding them alive or dead insects. Heating can be achieved by placing the enclosure near a light bulb. A small water body would function as a pool and refreshment area as well. Clean the enclosure every week. Ensure that you wear gloves when handling reptiles and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
 
  Submitted on January 21, 2010