Pet Pointers: Questions to Ask Before Buying a Lizard

Here’s some crucial questions to ask yourself before you get started:

• Size: How much space will your lizard need to live comfortably?
• Temperament: Is the species friendly, and how much attention or out of cage time will they need?
• Longevity: How long do you plan on caring for your lizard? (Some lifespans are 15-20 years!)
• Price: Rare lizards can be expensive! And even if your new lizard is affordable, equipment costs can add up
• Gender: Do you have a preference for a male or female lizard? Males generally live longer, but also grow bigger
• Diet: Are you ok with feeding your lizard live crickets, cockroaches…or even thawed frozen rodents?
• Lifestyle: Do you have a preference for a lizard that’s active during the day or night?
• Cleanliness: How often do you expect to clean your lizard’s home? (Some species are poopier than others!)

While a baby lizard might sound like the cutest (and therefore best) option, baby lizards require extra special care as they are extremely fragile. Because they’re so small they’ll likely need one living space until they grow to a certain size, then get switched to another.

If you’re considering getting more than one lizard, it’s generally not a good idea to keep two males in the same terrarium with most species. Most lizards prefer to live alone, but some are used to living in a group. Just make sure you get the right ratio of male-female lizards for your specific species.

In terms of equipment, heat and lighting are essential to the health of your lizard—for a variety of reasons. Lizards are cold-blooded and rely on heat, invisible UVB rays and the day/night cycle to function properly. Reptiles don't just need generalized heat but rather a range of temperatures so they can regulate their body temperature as needed. UVB lighting needs to be replaced after every 6 months of use to maintain effectiveness and heat lighting may need to be adjusted seasonally to maintain the perfect environment.

On top of proper heat and light, diet must be specifically tailored to each species and age. If these factors aren’t properly addressed, you could subject your lizard to disease and deficiencies. Offering a varied diet to your lizard along with Calcium and Vitamin supplements is very important to their overall health.

Humidity is another important environmental parameter you need to control. Make sure you have a hygrometer to measure the humidity percentage, and recalibrate regularly. Some lizards like a Chameleon will only drink moving water, so droplets on the foliage in the tank is necessary for them to drink as well! Automating your humidity requirements with a humidifier, fogger, or misting machine may be necessary to reach and maintain appropriate humidity.