Eastern Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis) Care Sheet
The Eastern Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis) is a large, elongated, completely limbless lizard native to the south-eastern United States. Although its appearance is strongly snake-like, it is a true lizard belonging to the family Anguidae and is related to alligator lizards and other anguids.
Glass lizards can be distinguished from snakes by several features, including movable eyelids, external ear openings and the construction of the skull and jaws. Their extremely long tail accounts for much of their total length and can be voluntarily shed when the animal is threatened.
This defensive ability gives glass lizards their common name: historically, people believed that the tail “shattered” like glass.
The Eastern Glass Lizard is primarily terrestrial and semifossorial. It moves through loose soil, grass, leaf litter and dense vegetation and frequently shelters beneath logs, debris or within burrows. Captive housing must therefore prioritise floor space and deep, diggable substrate rather than height.
This is a relatively large and active species. Adults may exceed 3 ft (90 cm) total length and exceptionally large individuals can approach approximately 4 ft (120 cm), although much of this length is tail.
Successful husbandry requires:
- A large terrestrial enclosure
- Extensive floor space
- Deep, diggable substrate
- Numerous secure hides
- Ground-level vegetation and cover
- Moderate daytime temperatures
- A controlled basking area
- A cooler retreat
- Appropriate UVB
- Moderate humidity with access to humid microhabitats
- Fresh drinking water
- A varied invertebrate-based diet
- Minimal unnecessary handling
Captive-bred animals should be strongly preferred.
Quick facts
Scientific name: Ophisaurus ventralis
Common name: Eastern Glass Lizard
Family: Anguidae
Origin: South-eastern United States
Lifestyle: Terrestrial and semifossorial
Activity: Primarily diurnal, with activity influenced strongly by temperature
Adult size: Commonly approximately 2½–3½ ft (75–105 cm) total length; exceptionally large animals may approach 4 ft (120 cm)
Diet: Primarily invertebrates, with occasional small vertebrate prey
Day ambient temperature: Approximately 72–80°F (22–27°C)
Basking surface: Approximately 88–92°F (31–33°C)
Cool area: Approximately 68–74°F (20–23°C)
Night temperature: Approximately 64–72°F (18–22°C)
General humidity: Approximately 50–70%, with localised more humid retreats
UVB: Recommended
Suggested UVI: Approximately 2–3 at the principal exposed basking position, with shaded areas below UVI 1 and hides approaching zero
Adult enclosure: At least approximately 4 × 2 × 2 ft (120 × 60 × 60 cm) for one adult; larger strongly preferred
Housing: Individual housing safest
Reproduction: Egg-laying
Handling: Minimal to moderate
Experience level: Intermediate
Taxonomy
The accepted scientific name is:
Ophisaurus ventralis
The species belongs to:
Family: Anguidae
Genus: Ophisaurus
It is one of several North American glass lizards.
Do not confuse glass lizard species
Other North American glass lizards include:
- Slender Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus)
- Island Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus compressus)
- Mimic Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus mimicus)
Their distributions, habitat associations and adult sizes differ.
This care sheet specifically concerns:
Ophisaurus ventralis.
Glass lizard or snake?
Despite its appearance, the Eastern Glass Lizard is:
not a snake.
Typical lizard characteristics include:
- Movable eyelids
- External ear openings
- A relatively inflexible jaw compared with snakes
- A long, detachable tail
Body structure
The body is:
- Long
- Cylindrical
- Smooth-scaled
- Completely limbless
A lateral groove runs along each side of the body.
The extremely long tail
A substantial proportion of the animal’s total length consists of:
tail rather than body.
This is important when judging both:
- Adult size
- Enclosure requirements
A three-foot glass lizard does not have the same body proportions as a three-foot snake.
Natural distribution
The Eastern Glass Lizard is native to the:
south-eastern United States.
Its range is centred strongly on:
- Florida
- Georgia
- South Carolina
with occurrence in adjoining portions of the south-east.
Natural habitat
The species is commonly associated with relatively open environments containing loose soil and substantial ground cover.
Habitats include:
- Coastal dunes
- Sandy scrub
- Pine flatwoods
- Grassland
- Open woodland
- Marsh margins
- Wetland edges
- Sandy fields
Soil
Loose, diggable substrate is an important habitat characteristic.
Eastern Glass Lizards use:
- Soil
- Leaf litter
- Vegetation
- Existing burrows
for concealment and thermoregulation.
Semifossorial behaviour
This species spends considerable time:
- Beneath substrate
- Under vegetation
- Beneath logs
- Within burrows
A captive animal should therefore be able to:
bury itself substantially.
Activity
Eastern Glass Lizards are primarily:
diurnal.
Activity varies according to:
- Temperature
- Season
- Weather
- Reproductive condition
Surface activity
Animals may emerge to:
- Bask
- Hunt
- Move between shelters
- Explore
They should not be expected to remain visible constantly.
Behaviour
Glass lizards can be:
- Alert
- Fast
- Secretive
- Powerful
- Easily startled
A secure animal may become accustomed to normal enclosure maintenance, but it should still be allowed extensive cover.
Defensive behaviour
When frightened, an Eastern Glass Lizard may:
- Flee rapidly
- Twist vigorously
- Defecate
- Attempt to bite
- Shed its tail
Tail autotomy
Tail loss is an important defence mechanism.
Never:
grab or restrain a glass lizard by the tail.
Why tail loss matters
Although the tail can regenerate, regeneration requires:
- Energy
- Nutrients
- Time
The replacement is generally shorter and structurally different from the original.
Tail loss should therefore be prevented whenever possible.
Enclosure size
For one adult, provide at least approximately:
4 × 2 × 2 ft (120 × 60 × 60 cm).
Where space allows:
5 × 2 × 2 ft (150 × 60 × 60 cm)
or larger is preferable.
Why a large enclosure is necessary
Eastern Glass Lizards are:
- Long-bodied
- Active
- Exploratory
- Terrestrial
They require enough space to:
- Move fully extended
- Dig
- Explore
- Thermoregulate
- Select different shelters
Floor space
Prioritise:
length and floor area
over excessive height.
Enclosure height
Approximately:
18–24 in (45–60 cm)
of internal height is generally adequate when floor area is generous.
Height is still useful for:
- Deep substrate
- Lighting
- Heating
- Plants
- Low furnishings
Escape security
Glass lizards can exploit small gaps and push against unsecured fittings.
Check:
- Doors
- Ventilation panels
- Cable ports
- Sliding-door gaps
- Lid security
Ventilation
Provide good ventilation.
The enclosure should support:
- Moisture gradients
- Humid retreats
without becoming stagnant.
Substrate
Substrate is one of the most important components of the enclosure.
Suitable mixtures include:
- Organic topsoil
- Washed play sand
- Clay-rich soil
- Leaf mould
- Fine bark in limited quantities
Recommended substrate texture
The substrate should:
- Hold a tunnel temporarily
- Allow digging
- Retain some deeper moisture
- Remain aerated
A soil-and-sand mixture generally works better than either pure sand or loose dry wood chips.
Substrate depth
Provide at least:
4–6 in (10–15 cm).
For adults, deeper areas of:
6–8 in (15–20 cm)
are strongly beneficial.
Why deep substrate matters
Deep substrate allows:
- Burrowing
- Concealment
- Thermoregulation
- Moisture regulation
- Nesting behaviour
- Natural exploration
Moisture gradient
Keep:
lower substrate slightly moist
while allowing much of the exposed surface to become relatively dry.
Avoid waterlogging
Do not keep the entire substrate:
saturated.
Leaf litter
Provide generous:
leaf litter.
This adds:
- Cover
- Foraging opportunities
- Humidity buffering
- Natural texture
Ground cover
Dense low-level cover is valuable.
Provide:
- Cork flats
- Hollow logs
- Leaf litter
- Artificial plants
- Live plants
- Stable rocks
Hides
Provide several hides.
At minimum include:
- Warm hide
- Cool hide
- Humid retreat
Hide shape
Low, close-fitting shelters are often preferable to:
large open caves.
The animal should be able to press against surrounding surfaces.
Cork bark
Large cork flats are particularly useful.
They can be positioned partially into substrate to create:
- Burrows
- Tunnels
- Sheltered chambers
Humid hide
Provide a retreat containing:
- Moist soil
- Damp sphagnum
- Moist leaf litter
It should remain:
humid but not waterlogged.
Heavy furnishings
Any heavy rock or décor must be:
securely supported.
A burrowing glass lizard must not be able to undermine a heavy object.
Temperature
Eastern Glass Lizards require moderate temperatures with access to a warmer basking zone.
Day ambient temperature
Maintain most of the enclosure around:
72–80°F (22–27°C).
Warm side
Maintain the warmer region around:
78–82°F (26–28°C).
Basking surface
Provide a limited basking surface around:
88–92°F (31–33°C).
Cool side
Maintain cooler areas around:
68–74°F (20–23°C).
Thermal choice
The animal should always be able to choose between:
- Warm exposed surface
- Moderate ambient conditions
- Cool shaded retreat
- Cool deeper substrate
Night temperature
Allow nighttime temperatures to fall toward:
64–72°F (18–22°C).
Seasonal variation
Healthy adults can experience modest seasonal variation.
Winter conditions may involve:
- Shorter photoperiod
- Reduced basking duration
- Cooler nights
- Reduced feeding
Brumation
Wild Eastern Glass Lizards experience seasonal periods of reduced activity.
Deep captive brumation is not necessary for ordinary pet husbandry.
If deliberately used for breeding, it should only be attempted with:
- Healthy mature animals
- Reliable temperature control
- Appropriate preparation
- Species-specific experience
Heating
Use primarily:
overhead heating.
A halogen basking lamp can provide a limited warm surface.
Thermostat
All significant heat sources should be controlled by an:
appropriate thermostat.
Heat mats
Do not rely on under-tank heating as the primary heat source.
A burrowing animal should normally encounter:
cooler conditions as it retreats deeper.
Heating the entire enclosure from below can reverse this natural gradient.
Temperature monitoring
Use digital thermometers at:
- Warm side
- Cool side
Use an infrared thermometer for:
- Basking surface
- Cork
- Rocks
- Exposed substrate
Lighting
Provide a clear day/night cycle.
Eastern Glass Lizards are primarily:
diurnal.
Photoperiod
Approximately:
12 hours light / 12 hours dark
is suitable for general husbandry.
A modest seasonal cycle may be used.
Night lighting
Provide genuine darkness at night.
Avoid permanently illuminated:
- Red bulbs
- Blue bulbs
- Purple bulbs
- “Moonlight” bulbs
UVB
UVB is recommended.
As a diurnal species with opportunities for natural sunlight exposure, Eastern Glass Lizards should be given access to appropriate UVB rather than relying exclusively upon dietary vitamin D3.
Suggested UV Index
Provide approximately:
UVI 2–3
at the principal exposed basking area.
The enclosure should simultaneously contain:
- Areas below UVI 1
- Deep hides at approximately UVI 0
What this means in practice
A:
low-to-moderate output linear UVB lamp
covering part of the enclosure is generally appropriate.
Shade
Because this species spends substantial time under vegetation and within burrows, UVB must be:
optional rather than unavoidable.
Mesh
Mesh can significantly reduce UV output.
Account for:
- Mesh density
- Lamp distance
- Reflector
- Basking height
UV measurement
Where possible, use an appropriate UV meter.
Measure actual UVI at:
the animal’s basking surface.
Humidity
Maintain general humidity around:
50–70%.
Humidity gradient
Provide higher humidity:
- Beneath substrate
- Inside humid hides
- Under leaf litter
while allowing exposed surfaces to partially dry.
Misting
Light misting approximately:
several times per week
is appropriate in many setups.
Adjust according to:
- Ventilation
- Room humidity
- Season
- Substrate moisture
Avoid extremes
Do not keep the enclosure:
bone dry
but equally do not maintain it as:
permanently wet.
Water
Provide a:
shallow, stable water dish at all times.
Water hygiene
Change water regularly and disinfect the dish as required.
Diet
Eastern Glass Lizards are:
predatory generalists.
Their natural diet consists predominantly of invertebrates.
Natural prey
Wild prey can include:
- Crickets
- Grasshoppers
- Beetles
- Caterpillars
- Spiders
- Snails
- Slugs
- Other arthropods
Larger animals may opportunistically consume:
- Small lizards
- Small snakes
- Nestling rodents
- Eggs
Captive diet
Routine captive feeding should remain:
predominantly invertebrate-based.
Suitable foods include:
- Crickets
- Locusts
- Roaches
- Earthworms
- Silkworms
- Black soldier fly larvae
- Hornworms
- Captive-produced snails
- Beetle larvae in moderation
Vertebrate prey
Routine feeding of mice is:
unnecessary.
Occasional vertebrate consumption in the wild does not mean rodents should become the staple captive diet.
Snails
Snails can provide useful dietary variety.
Use only:
captive-produced or reliably parasite-free snails.
Do not collect snails from areas exposed to:
- Slug pellets
- Pesticides
- Fertilisers
- Parasites
Earthworms
Earthworms are an excellent supplementary feeder.
Use:
- Commercially raised worms
- Worms from reliably chemical-free cultures
Feeder variety
Do not rely solely upon:
crickets or mealworms.
Gut loading
Feeder insects should be:
properly gut loaded.
Provide nutritious food and hydration before feeding.
Calcium
Dust feeders appropriately with:
calcium.
Multivitamin
Use an appropriate reptile multivitamin according to a sensible schedule.
Vitamin D3
D3 supplementation should be considered alongside:
actual UVB provision.
Avoid chronic oversupplementation.
Adult feeding
Healthy adults can generally be offered food:
2–3 times per week.
Juvenile feeding
Growing juveniles can be offered smaller meals:
4–6 times per week.
Body condition
Monitor:
- Weight
- Muscle condition
- Tail base
- Activity
Do not feed solely according to appetite.
Hunting enrichment
Allow suitable prey to move naturally through:
- Leaf litter
- Cork
- Vegetation
This encourages:
- Searching
- Digging
- Stalking
- Natural predatory behaviour
Uneaten feeders
Remove excessive uneaten crickets.
They may:
- Hide
- Disturb the animal
- Bite resting reptiles
Handling
Routine handling should be:
limited.
Supporting the body
When handling is necessary:
- Support the body fully
- Allow the animal to move through your hands
- Avoid squeezing
- Keep sessions brief
Never grab the tail
This deserves particular emphasis.
Never lift or restrain an Eastern Glass Lizard by:
the tail.
Tail loss during handling
Glass lizards may shed a substantial portion of the tail when restrained incorrectly.
This can be alarming because the detached tail may:
continue moving vigorously.
If tail loss occurs
Keep the enclosure:
- Clean
- Appropriately dry around the wound
- Free from abrasive contamination
Seek veterinary advice if there is:
- Excessive bleeding
- Swelling
- Discharge
- Tissue damage
Social housing
Individual housing is the:
safest default.
Group housing
Eastern Glass Lizards do not require companionship.
Housing multiple animals can create:
- Competition
- Feeding problems
- Stress
- Injuries
Breeding introductions
A male and female can be introduced for breeding under experienced supervision.
Permanent pair housing is not required.
Signs of incompatibility
Watch for:
- Biting
- Chasing
- Feeding suppression
- Persistent hiding
- Weight loss
- Tail injury
Separate animals if necessary.
Sexing
Sexing externally can be difficult, particularly in younger animals.
Adult males may show:
- Larger heads
- More robust proportions
- Differences around the tail base
Experienced breeder or veterinary examination may be required for confident sexing.
Breeding
Eastern Glass Lizards are:
oviparous — egg-laying.
Breeding condition
Only breed females that are:
- Fully mature
- Healthy
- Feeding strongly
- Well hydrated
- In good body condition
- Receiving appropriate UVB and calcium
Seasonal breeding
Wild reproduction occurs primarily during the:
spring and summer.
Seasonal changes in:
- Temperature
- Photoperiod
- Feeding
help regulate reproductive activity.
Clutch size
Females generally produce approximately:
5–15 eggs
although clutch size varies with:
- Female size
- Age
- Condition
Nesting
Provide gravid females with:
deep, slightly moist, diggable substrate.
Nesting depth
Provide at least approximately:
6–8 in (15–20 cm)
in suitable nesting areas.
Nest site
A suitable nest area should be:
- Secure
- Dark
- Slightly moist
- Diggable
- Thermally stable
Maternal attendance
An important aspect of glass lizard reproduction is that females may remain:
coiled around or close to their eggs.
This behaviour has been documented in Ophisaurus.
Where a female is attending a clutch, unnecessary disturbance should be avoided.
Egg handling
If artificial incubation is necessary:
- Handle eggs gently
- Avoid unnecessary rotation
- Maintain their approximate orientation
- Prevent complete drying
- Avoid direct contact with standing water
Incubation temperature
A conservative incubation range is approximately:
75–80°F (24–27°C).
Avoid the high incubation temperatures used for some tropical reptiles.
Incubation medium
Suitable media include:
- Vermiculite
- Perlite
- Carefully managed soil-based media
The medium should be:
moist, not saturated.
Incubation duration
Depending upon temperature, incubation commonly takes approximately:
45–70 days.
Some clutches may take longer.
Hatchlings
Hatchlings should generally be reared separately from adults.
Hatchling enclosure
Provide:
- Secure terrestrial housing
- Diggable substrate
- Leaf litter
- Small hides
- Shallow water
- Low-level UVB
- Appropriate temperature gradient
Hatchling temperature
Maintain most daytime temperatures around:
72–78°F (22–26°C).
Provide a small basking surface around:
82–86°F (28–30°C).
Hatchling night temperature
Allow nighttime temperatures to fall toward approximately:
65–70°F (18–21°C).
Hatchling humidity
Maintain approximately:
55–70%
with locally humid retreats.
Hatchling UVB
Provide low-level UVB.
Aim for approximately:
UVI 1–2
at exposed positions, with ample shade.
Hatchling diet
Suitable foods include:
- Pinhead crickets
- Tiny roach nymphs
- Small earthworms
- Small black soldier fly larvae
- Fruit flies
- Other appropriately sized live prey
Hatchling feeding
Offer food:
daily or near-daily during early growth.
Hatchling supplementation
Feeders should be:
- Properly gut loaded
- Lightly calcium dusted
- Supplemented appropriately with vitamins
Quarantine
All newly acquired animals should undergo quarantine.
At least:
90 days
is a sensible minimum.
Wild-caught animals
Wild-caught glass lizards may carry:
- Internal parasites
- External parasites
- Dehydration
- Injuries
- Chronic stress
Captive-bred animals should be strongly preferred.
Parasite screening
Veterinary faecal testing is particularly worthwhile for:
- Wild-caught animals
- Animals of uncertain history
- Animals losing weight
- Animals producing abnormal faeces
Common health concerns
Potential problems include:
- Tail injury or autotomy
- Dehydration
- Overheating
- Retained shed
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Metabolic bone disease
- Obesity
- Parasites
- Respiratory disease
- Reproductive complications
Tail injuries
The tail is particularly vulnerable to:
- Incorrect handling
- Doors
- Heavy furnishings
- Bites from cage mates
Always know where the entire animal is before closing an enclosure door.
Dehydration
Possible signs include:
- Sunken eyes
- Poor shedding
- Lethargy
- Weight loss
Review:
- Water access
- Substrate moisture
- Humid retreat
- Temperature
Overheating
Possible signs include:
- Persistent escape behaviour
- Open-mouth breathing
- Severe lethargy
- Weakness
Ensure access to a genuinely cool retreat.
Retained shed
Pay particular attention around:
- Tail
- Head
- Eye region
Persistent shedding problems require a husbandry and health review.
Metabolic bone disease
Possible signs include:
- Weakness
- Tremors
- Jaw deformity
- Abnormal movement
- Spinal abnormalities
Prevention requires appropriate:
- UVB
- Calcium
- Diet
- Supplementation
Obesity
Overfeeding:
- Fatty larvae
- Vertebrate prey
- Large meals
can result in obesity.
Monitor body condition rather than appetite alone.
Respiratory disease
Warning signs include:
- Wheezing
- Clicking
- Nasal discharge
- Open-mouth breathing
- Increased respiratory effort
Seek veterinary assessment.
Reproductive complications
Females may experience:
- Calcium depletion
- Poor condition
- Egg retention
Warning signs include:
- Persistent swelling
- Repeated unsuccessful digging
- Straining
- Weakness
- Loss of appetite
Seek veterinary assistance promptly.
Veterinary red flags
Consult a suitably experienced reptile veterinarian for:
- Persistent anorexia
- Significant weight loss
- Severe dehydration
- Abnormal breathing
- Tremors
- Weakness
- Major tail injury
- Persistent abnormal faeces
- Neurological signs
- Prolapse
- Suspected egg retention
Cleaning
Spot-clean regularly.
Remove:
- Faeces
- Dead feeders
- Shed skin
- Mould
- Heavily contaminated substrate
Water hygiene
Clean and refill the water dish regularly.
Bioactive housing
Eastern Glass Lizards can be maintained in a well-designed:
temperate/subtropical bioactive enclosure.
Clean-up crew
Suitable clean-up crew may include:
- Springtails
- Appropriate isopods
Bioactive considerations
Ensure clean-up crew requirements do not cause the entire enclosure to become excessively wet.
Maintain:
moisture gradients.
Bioactive maintenance
Continue to:
- Remove large faecal deposits
- Remove dead feeders
- Maintain drainage
- Replace leaf litter
- Monitor mould
- Check plants and equipment
Conservation and sourcing
Eastern Glass Lizards remain established across parts of the south-eastern United States, but habitat alteration and local collection can affect populations.
Captive-bred animals should be preferred.
Wild collection
Never assume that a reptile can legally be collected simply because it appears common.
Wildlife laws differ between:
- U.S. states
- Protected areas
- Countries of import
Legal considerations
Always check current legislation governing:
- Collection
- Acquisition
- Possession
- Import
- Export
- Transport
- Breeding
- Sale
Provenance
When purchasing a captive-bred animal, retain:
- Breeder details
- Hatch date
- Parent information where available
- Locality information where genuinely documented
- Purchase records
Never release captive animals
Never release a captive Eastern Glass Lizard into the wild.
Even release within the species’ natural range can:
- Spread pathogens
- Introduce inappropriate genetics
- Violate wildlife legislation
Responsible rehoming is the correct alternative.
Common husbandry mistakes
Common mistakes include:
- Treating a glass lizard like a snake
- Providing an enclosure with insufficient floor space
- Providing shallow substrate
- Preventing natural digging
- Providing too few hides
- Keeping the substrate completely dry
- Keeping the substrate permanently saturated
- Providing no humid retreat
- Heating the entire enclosure uniformly
- Providing no cool area
- Heating primarily from underneath
- Providing no UVB
- Providing excessive UVB without shade
- Feeding only crickets
- Routine feeding of rodents
- Collecting unsafe wild snails or slugs
- Poor gut loading
- Incorrect supplementation
- Overfeeding
- Excessive handling
- Grabbing the tail
- Housing incompatible animals together
- Providing insufficient nesting substrate
- Disturbing an attending female unnecessarily
- Incubating eggs excessively hot
- Failing to quarantine new animals
- Collecting wild animals without checking legislation
Responsible ownership
Before obtaining an Eastern Glass Lizard, ensure you can provide:
- At least approximately 4 × 2 ft of adult floor space
- Deep, diggable substrate
- Extensive leaf litter
- Numerous secure hides
- A humid retreat
- Moderate daytime temperatures
- A controlled basking area
- A cool retreat
- Nighttime cooling
- Appropriate UVB
- Fresh drinking water
- A varied invertebrate-based diet
- Correct supplementation
- Minimal handling
- Protection of the fragile tail
- Individual housing where necessary
- Quarantine
- Veterinary care
- Legal provenance
- Long-term commitment
Summary
The Eastern Glass Lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis) is a large, completely limbless but unmistakably lizard-like member of the family Anguidae from the south-eastern United States.
Adults commonly reach approximately:
2½–3½ ft (75–105 cm) total length,
with particularly large animals potentially approaching:
4 ft (120 cm).
Much of that length consists of the extremely long, detachable tail.
For one adult, provide at least approximately:
4 × 2 × 2 ft (120 × 60 × 60 cm),
with larger housing strongly preferred.
Provide at least:
4–6 in (10–15 cm)
of diggable substrate, with deeper areas around:
6–8 in (15–20 cm)
strongly beneficial.
Include:
- Leaf litter
- Cork
- Logs
- Dense ground cover
- Multiple hides
- A humid retreat
Maintain most daytime temperatures around:
72–80°F (22–27°C)
with a limited basking surface around:
88–92°F (31–33°C).
Allow nighttime temperatures to fall toward:
64–72°F (18–22°C).
Maintain general humidity around:
50–70%
with more humid underground retreats and good ventilation.
Provide UVB around:
UVI 2–3
at an exposed basking position, together with extensive shade.
Feed a varied diet based primarily upon:
live invertebrates.
Routine rodent feeding is unnecessary.
Never restrain the animal by its exceptionally long tail.
Individual housing is the safest default.
Females lay approximately:
5–15 eggs
in protected, slightly moist nesting sites and may remain with the clutch.
A conservative artificial incubation range is approximately:
75–80°F (24–27°C).
Captive-bred animals with clear legal provenance should be strongly preferred.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
This care sheet provides general husbandry guidance and does not replace species-specific research or veterinary advice. Individual requirements may vary.
Always check current legislation governing the acquisition, collection, import, transport, keeping, breeding or sale of reptiles in your jurisdiction.
If you have concerns about an animal’s health or care, consult a suitably experienced exotic or reptile veterinarian.
Information correct at the date of publication.
reptilecommunity.com | Revised: August 2026