Skink lizards are small reptiles that quite a lot of people keep. Thorny lizards make great pets with the right care. Make sure the thorn lizard has a comfortable tank with plenty of room to roam and hide. You need to provide nutrient-rich food for the thorn lizard to survive. Take time to interact with the thorn lizards. Provided they can be handled properly, thorn lizards can be very social animals.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Providing a Good Shelter
Step 1. Get the right sized tank for the thorn lizard
Try to get as big a tank as possible for the thorn lizards. The bigger, the better. The thorn lizard needs a lot of space to live a healthy and happy life. Newly hatched lizards can live comfortably in a 40-75 liter tank. If the thorn lizard is large enough, make sure the tank is at least 110-150 liters. If you have sufficient capital and space in your home, the thorn lizard will really like a large tank because it has more roaming space.
Step 2. Fill the tank with substrate
Substrate is the substance used to fill the bottom of the tank. You should choose a substrate that is comfortable for the thorn lizard. Prepare a minimum of 15 cm of quality substrate required for the thorn lizard.
- A mixture of soil, sand, and wood chips is usually ideal. If your local pet store sells reptiles, you may be able to purchase a special substrate for thorn lizards.
- Make sure you keep the substrate moist. The substrate should not be soaking wet, but moderately damp. Thorny lizards need a moist environment.
Step 3. Keep the tank at the right temperature
The thorn lizard needs a tank that has both hot and cold ends. Reptiles keep their bodies warm and cold by switching between two environments.
- One area of the tank should be slightly above room temperature. Install a UV lamp near the cold end of the tank to keep it warm. Be sure not to place the tank in a place where it will be very cold or very hot at certain times of the day.
- The rest of the area should be around 90 degrees. You can buy a tank heater at a pet store. If you use both, turn off the heating lights at night.
Step 4. Maintain proper humidity
The tank doesn't need to be very humid, and it doesn't need regular spraying like other reptiles. The wet substrate will keep the tank moist, but you'll also need to prepare a bowl of water for the reptiles. Choose a shallow bowl that is wide enough so that the thorn lizard can lie in it.
Step 5. Give the thorn lizard plenty of room to dig and hide
The thorn lizard will get bored or nervous if it doesn't have a place to hide in the tank. Visit a pet store and buy hiding holes and other covered places. Place them around the tank so that the thorn lizard has a hiding place when it wants to be alone.
Make sure the tank substrate remains 15 cm deep. This way, the thorn lizard can hide if it wants to
Part 2 of 3: Feeding the Thorny Lizard
Step 1. Feed the thorn lizard with insects
Spiny lizards mainly eat insects. You can buy insects at the pet store. If your pet store doesn't have one, you can look it up online.
- Insects and crickets should be a major part of the thorn lizard's diet. You can occasionally feed king worms and Hong Kong caterpillars to thorn lizards.
- Make sure the insects are still alive. Thorny lizards will not eat insects that do not need to be hunted.
Step 2. Add fruits and vegetables to the thorn lizard's diet
In addition to insects, thorn lizards also like a variety of fruits and vegetables. Both can provide additional nutrition for thorn lizards.
- Brussels sprouts, carrots, leafy greens, and legumes are great for spiny lizards.
- Fruits favored by thorn lizards include blueberries, mangoes, raspberries, papayas, cantaloupe, strawberries, and figs.
Step 3. Stay away from certain products
Always read the nutritional information before feeding spine lizards. Thorny lizards should not be fed food that has been exposed to pesticides. You also shouldn't give food with artificial coloring. In addition, food with by-products, such as chicken and meat bone meal (meat bone meal) should not be given to thorn lizards.
Step 4. Change the water in the thorn lizard's bowl daily
The water bowl of the thorn lizard is often soiled with sand or debris. Use a water bowl that doesn't tip over easily. Since it is easily contaminated, change the water in the bowl every day.
Part 3 of 3: Socializing the Thorny Lizard
Step 1. Try not to keep more than one thorn lizard
Generally, thorn lizards are not suitable to have cage mates. The thorn lizard is a territorial animal. If you keep two spiny lizards, one or all of the reptiles could be injured or lose their legs.
Step 2. Keep a second thorn lizard only if it is the same size
If you really want to keep a second thorn lizard, you have to be very careful. Make sure the new thorn lizard is the same size as the old thorn lizard. The thorn lizard will attack other, smaller thorn lizards.
- If the thorn lizards start fighting, it is best to keep them in separate cages.
- If you have a fire spine lizard, it tends to be very territorial. You should not keep a second thorn lizard.
Step 3. Handle the thorn lizard with care
Thorny lizards can learn to be social, but require good handling. When handling a thorn lizard, make sure you do it correctly. Otherwise, the thorn lizard will bite and become aggressive.
- Never hold a thorn lizard when he least expects it. Make sure the thorn lizard knows you are there before petting or picking it up.
- Make sure you support the thorn lizard's body when handling it.
- Never overturn a thorn lizard. He will be stressed.
- Do not suddenly change movements when handling the thorn lizard.
Step 4. Make sure children know how to safely hold a thorn lizard
Talk to children about the rules for handling thorn lizards. Make sure they know how to handle a thorn lizard with care, and don't do anything that scares it. You may want to keep the thorn lizard out of the reach of children as they don't yet know how to control themselves around these animals.
Tips
- Don't worry if you can't find your thorn lizard. It's just hiding underground.
- Don't buy thorn lizards from pet stores. It's best to get it directly from the breeder or at a reptile show.
- If the thorn lizard and other lizards are fighting, it is best to transfer them to a separate cage.
