Care Sheet for LacertasAverage Rating Given To This Care Sheet Is 0 (1=lowest, 5=highest) Last Updated: 08/20/2009 |
Main Category: | Lizards |
Sub Category: | Lacertas |
Care Sheet Submitted By: | Gus308 |
Years Experience: | 5 to 10 Years |
Species: | Lacerta strigata (Grozny’s Lacerta) |
Other Species or Phases this Care Sheet May Cover: | N/A |
Sexing and Characteristics: | Once Groznys’ have reached a year of age they can be fairly well recognized as male or female. As juveniles, Groznys’ are mostly brown with light stripes running from neck to tail and dark spots. As they mature, the males will turn almost entirely green except the hind legs and tail, which remain brown. The females tend to retain their spots and stripes to some degree as they mature, and are less bright green.
Generally, to be bred Groznys’ must first go through a stage of hibernation. |
Mostly Active During: | Day |
Substrate and Water Needs: | The substrate that I would suggest would be a mixture of sifted play sand and an organic potting soil, one that does not contain any fertilizers, vermiculite, etc.
Groznys’ enjoy digging and hiding under the substrate when they sleep, and it can even be stressful to some if they are unable to burrow. For these reasons, I would recommend at least two or three inches of substrate.
I would not recommend straight sand, although I have used it, because Groznys’ enjoy chasing prey rather than eating from a dish. When not eating from a dish they tend to ingest some substrate with the food, which can lead to impaction in the digestive tract and be fatal.
WATER:
Water should be provided in a small dish at all times. Also, the entire enclosure, as well as the lizards, should be misted daily, this is when most Groznys’ will drink. They will generally lick droplets of of decor as well as themselves when misted. You should not depend on them drinking standing water as much as when they are misted. |
Lighting and UVB: | Groznys’ do require a significant source of UVB, so it is absolutely necessary to provide a tube UVB bulb of some sort that will shine directly on a large area of the enclosure. They also need a UVA source, which can be as simple as a household light bulb of the proper wattage, generally 60 or 75 watts.
Lights should be on a timer to be on for 12 to 14 hours at the same time every day. |
Temperatures and Humidity: | Groznys’ should be kept just above a comfortable room temperature, 70-78*F being a good target. Though, they do require a basking spot of around 90*F, this can be easily obtained with a 60 or 75 watt light bulb placed no more than a foot above the basking spot. Basking temperatures shouldn’t exceed 100*F.
Humidity needs for the Grozny’s is relatively broad, they are suited to live between 15 and 50% humidity, but I would recommend around 25-30%. Somewhere away from the basking spot, they should be provided with a small box or hide where the humidity is kept up closer to 55%, the hide should also contain something for them to rub on when shedding, such as a rock, branch, piece of cage decor, etc. This hide will also provide a place for females to lay eggs if there is a small dish of moist soil provided. |
Heating and Equipment: | The main equipment would be a light fixture for a tube fluorescent light (UVB), a ceramic fixture for a house-hold light bulb, and a timer that can turn lights on and off on a 12 to 14 hour cycle. Under-tank heaters are not necessary unless ambient air temperatures can’t be kept above 65*F.
DON’T USE A HEAT ROCK!!! They will cause serious burns on reptiles do to an extremely uneven surface area, resulting in critical or fatal burns.
A UVB bulb with at least a 5.0 rating should be used to provide UVB. The basking bulb can be either a commercial reptile bulb or simply a house-hold light bulb (heat is heat as far as basking).
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Caging Provided: | I would say that a twenty gallon long would be an unrecommended minimum, because Groznys’ enjoy running around in pursuit of prey. An ideal set up would probably be a wooden enclosure with screen on the top and both ends, so the humidity and extra heat can escape. If a glass aquarium-type is used, it should have a screen lid and as much ventilation as possible. When it comes to enclosures, bigger is better. Just for an idea, I have a pair of Groznys’ in a 2’x5’ wooden enclosure. |
Diet: | Carnivorous |
Description of Diet: | A good staple food for Groznys’ would be either lobster roaches or crickets, roaches being a bit trickier to feed (they are faster and you should remove uneaten food), but they provide a good source of recreation for the Groznys’ which chase them down and even dig under rocks and other decor to get to them.
A variety should be given by occasionally providing butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, wax worms, etc. Wax worms should generally only be fed to thin or rehabilitating lizards due to their high fat content. Meal worms can also be fed, but very sparingly and in small quantities, because they have a hard shell that is hard to digest and can cause impaction. |
Supplements, Nutrition and Usage: | A multi-vitamin powder should be used to dust food every two or three feedings. Also, a calcium supplement should be used once a week to dust food. If a mercury vapor bulb is used as a basking light, then the calcium supplement should not contain vitamin D3, because the extra UVB will help them synthesis their own D3, other wise, be sure to get a calcium supplement with D3 in it. |
Maintenance: | First of all, feces and urates should all be cleaned out daily, the water bowl should also be cleaned and refilled with fresh water every day. Every 4 to 6 weeks, all decor should be disinfected and thoroughly rinsed. Substrate varies depending on mix and climate, but it should be replaced at least every six months.
Keeping your UVB bulb up to date is crucial, without UVB they are unable to synthesis vitamin D3 or digest properly and it can eventually be fatal. |
Some Words on this Species: | These are a great species to keep because they live in a climate similar to most of the Mid-West and West and can even be kept in out-door enclosure in much of the country. They are a hardy animal and great for beginners who aren’t worried about getting to hold their pet. Although, they are very uncommon and can be difficult to get information on. |
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