Getting a Pet Lizard - Basics You Should Know
Though Lizards aren’t the common and popular household pets like cats and dogs, they also make fantastic household pets. As far as owning a reptile as a pet is concerned, getting a pet lizard can be a unique experience and very worthwhile. However, there are some basic things you should know before taking a Lizard home as a pet, which includes:
What to Feed Your Pet Lizard?
Just like any other pet, your pet lizard must be fed every day. Some lizard species require live prey as part of their diet, some will do well on non-living commercial pet food, while some have specialized foods that are hard to find. For instance, horned lizards feed mostly on ants in the wild.
So, we advise that before you get a pet lizard, do proper and thorough research to know the food needs of the lizard and whether you’ll have access to the food or not.
Where to House Your Pet Lizard?
Knowing where and how to keep your pet lizard is very important before bringing it home. Most lizards require a specific amount of space to grow well and healthy. To know how to house your lizard, you should find out what the size of your pet lizard would be as an adult – some lizard species like iguanas can grow quite large as an adult.
Also, lizards require lots of space to move about and some even need a place to swim. Some lizard species can outgrow their cage or captive environment over time. When you know how and where to house your pet lizard, you’ll be able to meet up with these needs as time goes on.
When considering housing needs for your pet lizard, you must also consider the following:
- Does my pet lizard need UV light?
- What are the heating requirements for my lizard?
- How does my pet lizard drink – drip system or filling a bowl with water?
- How does this lizard species handle stress?
Doing thorough research into the lizard species you’re getting will help you to find answers to the questions above, and this will prevent some mistakes made by other inexperienced pet lizard owners. You may also need to consult your veterinarian for a recommendation on how to make your pet lizard happiest and healthiest.
How to Interact with Your Pet Lizard?
As stated above, lizards make a great pet. This is because lizards are likely to pay more attention to their owners than other reptile pets. Lizards also tend to be more active and respond to their owner’s behaviour and activities more than other reptiles.
However, just because lizards are more interactive reptile pets doesn’t mean you should handle your lizard 24 hours a day. That also doesn’t mean you should neglect your lizard to stay on its own all the time. Try to balance things up.
Look Out for Defects
After you have settled for the type and species of lizard, make sure you look out for any defects on your pet lizard. Look out for injuries like cuts, a broken tail, missing toes, and so on. Also, ensure that your pet lizard is eating well before you bring it home.
Conclusion
Once you’ve known all the basics listed above and have set up everything necessary to welcome a pet lizard, you can now get one and bring it into your home, knowing that you can give the lizard everything necessary to stay healthy and live a good life.
Don’t forget to have a conversation with a reptile vet to learn about your pet lizard’s lifespan, size, diet, humidity, and temperature requirements.
Are you a lizard aficionado but can't have one as a pet for some reason or another? Consider getting a phone case and have one with you at all times. Check it out!
Are you a lizard aficionado but can't have one as a pet for some reason or another? Consider getting a phone case and have one with you at all times. Check it out!