Plated lizard

Any one here have one of these?

I have 1.1 Sudanese Plateds (gherrosaurus major)

http://www.madwag.com/herpics/rapt_head.jpg
http://www.madwag.com/herpics/rapt_side.jpg

Very cute!

We have one here at MARS that is adorable. Do they make go "first time" pet lizards? Do you know of any good care sheets out there on these guys? Also I've read that they don't get that big, is that true?

They are very mellow lizards seldom displaying aggression (though they do seem to have that hair-trigger tail-WHIP but that reaction seems almost autonomic).

If I had to go back knowing what I do now and find a different first lizard for our kids (who went with water dragon / iggy, respectively) I would definitely go with one of these guys in a heartbeat. Being accustomed to fairly arid climates they are easily maintainable and indeed don't get very big at all (compared to monitors, iguanas etc).

I've got to bolt home from work now but will pick this thread up again this evening - if we can't track down a good caresheet we might have to write up one of our own since it is not some of the most readily available on the net . . . (google mavens get crackin' in the meantime).

I've looked on google, and well there really isn't any good good ones with a lot of info on them out there - well at least from what I can find.

Looks like I have more work to do hehe.

http://www.google.com/search?q=%2B%2...&start=10&sa=N

Needless to say I have not had the chance to go through all of those and see them. It may take me a while to be able to create a caresheet but I'd be happy to answer any questions you have (within my somewhat limited experience and ability) - in fact doing that may very well help the process!

I love these lizards but see them so very rarely! I am hoping we can get ours to breed again (and not eat the resulting eggs this time).

Well what do you know, that link you posted links to the little guy/gal that I really like at MARS....

So far I've found these few sites to be I guess the "best".
(not sure if they are correct in info or not)

http://www.anapsid.org/plated.html

http://www.unc.edu/~dtkirkpa/stuff/plated.html

http://www.honoluluzoo.org/great_plated_lizard.htm

Cool deal.

I dont think the one pictured form MARS is a Sudanese (i think the one you have pictured gets a bit longer then ours) - but basic care should not deviate too much.

We've kept ours on desert blend and provided the kitty litter-box hides (rabernet recently posted some pics of them in another thread) as substitute "burrows".

We have UV on a timer and a basking area (light suspended over flat rock) - the temps range from mid 70's to ~90 right under the basking area. We feed them a varied diet of greens, crickets, dubia roaches and rat pinkies). By now they recognize the look of the inflated cricket bags from the pet store and begin to "stutter" (don;t know how else to explain their pop-n-lock movements) around when they see you approaching with it - often arching up in a "feed me" pose (see above).

They're not very fast and not good climbers - but if you have a long sleeve shirt on when handling them both will almost always crawl up your arm and hang out on your shoulder - makes for odd pirating ;)

What size tank would you say is a good size for one to live in?

I have ours in 30 gallon tanks (18x36x15h) with the sliding lids. If you use glass mask off 3 sides to give them a less "exposed" feeling. You can use plain cardboard or cut up some paper grocery bags or for something fancier buy those by-the-foot rolls of aquarium backgrounds.

Sounds good.

Do you have to "dust" their food with any special supplement?

I give them a light sprinkling of vitamin/calcium dust on some crickets once a month - but if you have a solid UV source and offer enough variety (greens/bugs/pinkies) you shouldn't need to do that.

Thanks for all the info!

One more thing.... feeding.
Should food be left in the bowl at all times, or should the lizard be given the food and whatever itsn't eaten in timely manner time, be picked up and taken out?

For the greens and fruits etc I use a bowl but it will dry out pretty quickly in that environment. The crickets and roaches TRY to run but get mass-chomped like popcorn. The pinkies I usually plop right in fornt of them if they are out or if not just leave it at the entrance to the hide. None of it lasts long hehe - ours are very quick to eat whatever you offer them - though less excited by the veggies.

Awesome thnaks for all the info!

Well I filled out the adoption application on the plated lizard last week (Oct 25). This afternoon I was told that my application was accepted and this Sunday I have an appointment at 11am to meet with Holli and will be able to bring home the lizard if all goes well.

So tonight & tomorrow I will set up it's tank.

But a few questions.... (I've never used UV bulbs or any over head heat for my snakes So I'm trying to grasp all the right info on this)
Are there better UV bulbs over other ones out there?
Which ones have you tried, any ones you live better then others?

Also for a basking spot, what would you recommend to use?

I just want the best for this little guy/girl.

www.reptileuv.com is your friend :) The SB series is a great bulb, and lasts for quite awhile.

Linky:
http://reptileuv.tripod.com/SelfBallasted1.htm

I don't have a ton of experience with lights so far as which offers the best UV - we have a flourescent tube (ReptiGlo) on a timer and the basking spot is a red bulb that's not on the timer.

Sorry it took me a bit to get on this, Allison!

congrats! keep us posted please. and remember... https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil.../7/useless.gif

[QUOTE=Smulkin;439806]
They're not very fast and not good climbers QUOTE]

I must strongly disagree. Ive had 6 rescues in my lifetime (black lined, yellow lined, and sudanese,) and every one has been very fast. If you ever let them out of the cage onto your shoulder and sit down on the couch dont be surprised if they are gone under the couch before you can say " the lizard is..." But usually very tame too.

Sorry about that up there >.<

cousin stole the pc...

I do have two plateds right now. Cool critters.

Please do send us some photos.

Hi,

The last post in the thread before yours was from November 2006.


dr del