Zebra Tailed Lizard Care Sheet  :

Zebra Tailed Lizard Care Sheet And More :

 

The Zebra Tailed Lizards are native to the southwestern United States and to Northwestern Mexico. I love to watch these lizards run. And they really are a beautiful lizard. I see this lizard quite often in the pet trade and unfortunately I see this lizard in very small aquariums and enclosures. The smallest enclosure you should keep this lizard in is a 55 gallon aquarium with a wire top with safety latches to keep the lizard in the enclosure. In the wild these lizards are known as the fastest lizards in the dessert and this lizard is not going to run far or get much exercise in a very small container or enclosure.

 

Please Don't Turn Non Native Snakes Or Lizards Loose

 

This lizard has escaped from the pet trade in Florida and it is found in several locations in Florida and it appears to be breeding and reproducing in Florida. Many species of non native snakes, lizards, and fish have made it from the pet trade to the wilds of Florida. The pythons in south Florida are destroying the native wildlife in the Florida Everglades and are even competing with the alligators both for food sources and recent claims have been made that the pythons are preying on alligators. So please if you have a pet lizard or snake don't release it. It is now believed that the pythons may spread all over the southeastern United States. If you have a pet snake or lizard turn it over to the authorities if you can't keep it.

 

How To Care For A Zebra Tailed Lizard

 

Your Zebra Tailed Lizard will be 7 - 9 inches in total length when grown and the lizard has a distinct black and white banded tail and this is where the lizard got its name. It will have pale orange or yellow markings around its mouth. It will have an orange or yellow spot in the center.

 

Male Zebra Tailed Lizards have a pair of black blotches on the side and it extends to blue patches on the belly. Females don't have blue patches and the black bars are either very faint or not there at all.

 

These lizards are very active and alert and they are very active in all but the hottest weather. During the hottest parts of the day these lizards appear to do a dance. Standing first on two legs and then switching to the other two legs the lizard appears to be dancing. You will also catch this lizard running for short distances on its hind legs.

 

In the lizards native habitat where there are patches of creosote scrub is where you will find the highest concentrations of these lizards. You will find that this lizard will bury into fine sand at night for warmth and it will hide in the shade of bushes in the day time.

 

In its native habitat the female zebra tail lizards lay 2 - 8 eggs in the summer and the eggs will hatch sometime from July through November. Female zebra tail lizards will often lay several clutches of eggs throughout the summer especially if they are healthy and well fed.

 

The lizard in the wild eats a variety of insects, moths, bees, ants and spiders. In captivity you can feed the lizard on crickets, meal worms, and red worms. About once a month you should sprinkle calcium powder on the prey you are feeding to your lizard or lizards. In the wild the lizard also feeds on flowers and flower bulbs. You can occasionally offer your lizard a small piece of apple or other fruit. But make it only a small piece. You can also from time to time offer a few leafs of washed spinach.

 

In the wild the lizard will not often have access to water and usually drinks a few drops of dew or rain from leaves but I like to offer the lizard a small pond of water that I keep clean by running the water out through a filter and then back into the pond and I have some very happy zebra tailed lizards. I see them quite often in the water so I know they like it.Don't make the pond so deep that the lizards can't get out of it and you should put a rock in the center of the small pond for the lizard to climb out on.

 

In the wild the lizards body colors will adapt to its surroundings over time and if you keep zebra tailed lizards long term in a container or large enclosure you will see the same thing going on with your lizards.

 

One thing you should be aware of is that in the wild it is the tail of the zebra tailed lizard that it waves around and distracts predators. If a predator grabs the zebra tail lizard by the tail the tail will break off and the lizard will escape. The lizards tail will grow back. In the wild I have even seen these lizards with two tails. One long and one short and this lizard once lost part of its original tail.

 

You should use a good broad spectrum light in your lizards enclosure and the lights made and sold by Durtest like their vita light is a good light to use in your lizard enclosure. Fix any light inside your lizards enclosure so that the lizard can not touch it.You should know that over time the light will stop producing UVB light so replace the bulb every six months.

 

I hope I've given you information that will help you with your zebra tailed lizard and I hope if you have any comments, questions, or tips that you will post them below. Thanks for reading.