5 Tips for Taking Care of Your Lizard
Whether you have a chameleon, a leopard gecko, bearded dragon or iguana, one thing is for sure – you want to make their everyday life as happy and exciting as you can. Plus, you definitely want to keep your pet healthy and comfortable, so as to give him only the best. To make sure that you’ve got everything covered when it comes to taking care of your pet lizard, here are five quick tips to keep you on track.
Space
The first step in taking proper care of your lizard is to provide him a spacious tank or terrarium. And when we say spacious, we really mean that. Don’t choose a tiny tank that looks like a lunch box (okay we may have exaggerated here), but the one that will provide plenty of space so that your pet can feel free. Also, the tank should be made of quality materials, so that it is sturdy and secure for your pet. You probably don’t want to wake up one morning and realize your little pet went for a long walk?
Lighting and heat
Since lizards are cold-blooded, lighting and heat are crucial for their health. These reptiles need heat, UV rays, and natural light cycles in order to function properly. Lizards obtain vitamin D3 and absorb calcium through exposure to sunlight. That means that your pet really, really needs sun, especially if you have young lizards such as bearded dragons or chameleons. So, you want to ensure they get as much light and heat as possible by way of using UVA/UVB light bulbs, under-tank heaters and/or a ceramic heat emitter.
Humidity
Lizards also need to have an appropriate humidity level in their cage. Usually, the way to do this is to spray the cage or use a mister more than two times per day. Since we’re talking about lizards, keep in mind that you should not put a bowl of water in a cage, as they won’t drink from it, and there will be risks for developing some bacteria in the water.
Decorate the tank
Adding live plants, rocks, the substrate, vines, branches, logs – all these things will make your pet much happier, as he can play for a whole day. But also, these decoration items will do just that – decorate the tank so that it will look pretty cool in your home.
Food and water
The last step is to give proper food and vitamin supplements to your Geckos, Chameleons or any other type of a lizard you have. Of course, all of them require a different diet, and you should do some research to learn what your pet should and should not eat.
About the Author: Lisa is the editor in chief of bestreptilecare.com. She has one beautiful veiled chameleon and two labrador retrievers that make her the happiest girl on earth.
I like that you mention having a humid environment. My little brother is looking to get some reptile care. I’ll be sure to talk to him about keeping his pets in a humid environment.
Sounds like a great idea Kyle. I use the Repti Fogger by Zoo med for my black and white tegu.
https://www.healthypets.com/zoomedrepfogger.html