Eyed Lizards - Care in captivity


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^{Eyed Lizard Care}

Also applicable to other Lacerta species including Lacerta viridis & Lacerta strigiata

General

Eyed Lizards (Lacerta lepida), also known as Jewelled Lacertids, are the largest of the European Lacertids with some males reaching an overall length of 2' (60cm) including tail . Females are somewhat smaller (18"(45cm) with a more slender appearance. They are a spectacular lizard with a green or olive iridescent background colouring and bright blue spots or ‘eyes’ along their flanks

Their natural range is South of France through Spain & across to North Africa, preferring heath, dry sandy scrub and open meadows. They are highly protected over their natural range but are available captive-bred from a few specialists breeders across Europe and in the UK

Eyed lizards adapt perfectly to captive conditions provided a few simple rules are adhered to. They are also an ideal candidate for housing in outside enclosures and being very closely related to our own natural lizards.lend themselves nicely to our temperate climate

Housing

Eyeds are reasonably large and very active, so should be housed in reasonably large vivaria.
I’d suggest a minimum size of 3’ (90cm) long x 18" (45cm) wide x 18" tall (45cm) for a pair of adults . Suitable materials are wood, glass or the nylon mesh cages currently available from Apogee. The latter are particularly useful for providing a temporary outside basking enclosure during the warmer months.

High-quality UV lighting is essential if keeping indoors. A minimum of 2 full-length UV tubes of at least 5% UVB or an Active UV bulb if kept in Apogees. Eyeds can appreciate a basking spotlight, but close attention to temperatures should be noted. A low wattage spotlight should be more than sufficient or - better still - a spotlight wired to a suitable thermostat.. You should aim for a daytime temperature range of 25 - 30 degrees Celsius

Eyed lizards like to dig & burrow, so a suitable depth of substrate should be provided. We personally use a deep layer of cocofibre topped with a covering of moss. Hiding places can be provided by using suitable pieces of corkbark, although I find these are mainly ignored if the substrate is deep enough and serve better as decoration. A few branches laid flat are a good idea as the Eyed will burrow underneath and bask on top.

The only other essential item of cage furnishing is a reasonably large waterbowl
We spray our Eyeds daily with a fine mist of water, dampening the top substrate layer to replicate dew in the mornings and allowing to dry naturally during the day. Spray more frequently during hot weather

Feeding

Eyed lizards are voracious eaters and appreciate a wide variety of feeder insects such as crickets, locusts, cockroaches, mealworms, snails and earthworms.
Snails are also a good source of calcium. Small defrost mice & rats can also be offered as an occasional treat . They will also take soft fruits & some vegetation

All foods should be supplemented with a high-quality vitamin powder once a week.

Calcium is an essential requirement for Eyed lizards for skeletal growth and egg production in females.
Eyed lizards deprived of calcium or UV lighting will result in MBD , causing weak limbs, deformity and eventual death.

Behaviour

Eyed Lizards become quite tame in captivity and will regularly feed from their owners hands, although care should be taken as they possess a powerful bite.
Well kept individuals will take to handling readily but allow the lizard to perch at its own free will and don't use unnecessary force to restrain movement. Eyeds share the ability with other lacertids to drop their tails as a form of defence.

Although the tail will grow back, the replacement is never as good as the original and the loss can cause undue stress with a reduction in the overall immune system. Should tail loss occur, remove the individual & place in a hospital tank with paper towel as the substrate. Bathe the wound until it heals and pay special attention at feeding time. Loose livefood can attack the wound causing further damage and possible infection

Male

Female

Breeding

Eyed Lizards are sexually dimorphic as adults with males having wider heads & jowls, larger head & facial scaling and brighter colouration. Males are also larger in bulk and length. Only strong, healthy individuals should be considered for breeding. Through our many years of keeping & breeding these lizards we have noticed that pairs are the best option, although we rotate females giving each a chance to rest during breeding season

Mating is seasonal, taking place from early spring to late summer in the wild. Seasonal adjustment should be replicated in captivity with gradual adjustments in day length. Aim for 8 hours of light during winter rising gradually to 14 - 16 hours in high simmer.The sensible use of electronic timers will take away a lot of the guesswork , maintaining a degree of routine

Males will pursue females relentlessly in an attempt to mate, grasping the female around the neck or upper body in his jaws & locking his tail around hers in an embrace which can last up to half an hour Mating will be repeated over several days with the male taking every opportunity until such a time as the female is close to laying.

When gravid the female will become very aggressive towards the male and will fight off every advance. At this time it is best to remove the male to prevent injury. Gravid females will spend several days digging & burrowing in search of a suitable laying site. Once she is satisfied with her chosen site she will drop the eggs and bury them. This can happen at anytime during the day and can be easily missed, so once digging has been observed keep an eye on the female until a definite reduction in flank size has been noticed..

She will appear hollow & almost skinny. She will also be very weak so remove her carefully whilst you dig for the eggs. If you leave her in the viv while you search for the eggs you will probably get bitten.

Clutch sizes can vary depending upon the age, health & size of the female, but can be anything from 6 - 12 Place the eggs in an incubator set at approx. 28 degrees centigrade on your preferred incubation medium. Most people use vermiculite but we personally use cocofibre as this holds moisture well and is more natural in our opinion There is nothing worse than having to clean vermiculite off a newly hatched lizard Incubation time is usually 60 - 75 days and hatching can be spread over several days. Leave the newly hatched individual(s) in the incubation tub until the yolksac has been absorbed

Hatchling Care

Hatchlings can be raised together for the first few months in a separate viv with the same conditions as the adults. Small, suitably sized livefoods should be offered every two days but do not offer mealworms until they are at least 3 months old. All food should be supplemented with a high-quality vitamin powder and extra calcium powder should be offered in a small dish Observing a colony of youngsters can be very rewarding, especially at feeding time.

After a month a system of dominance will be noticeable - in some ways resembling a primary school playground with several individual territorial skirmishes occurring. Adversaries will ‘square-up’ to each other by raising themselves off the ground & curving their bodies towards each other before attacking with lunges. These skirmishes are character building & harmless at this stage, but careful observation should be maintained to identify any weak individuals Males should be separated from each other at about 3 months before these skirmishes become more serious.