Collared Lizards  (Crotaphytus sp.)

Collared Lizards (Crotaphytus collaris) live at rocky, dry areas of southwest and middle USA and at the closeby areas of Mexico. The animals reach a body lenght of up to 35 cm, they are very agile and quick. When fleeing, they can run on their hind legs over greater distances very quickly - they are not easy to catch then, as the author herself has already experienced :-). The animals need very high temperatures to remain active (at least 23°C), they survive overheating of up to 45°C, which is mortal for most of the reptiles. The males of Crotaphytus collaris have a closed band with a yellow spot at the throat around their neck, whereas the band is not closed at the throat of the females. The colouring of the animals can reach from dark smaragd green up to colourful turquise. The females are less coloured up to grey-brown. Collored lizards eat almost everything that has the appropriate size and moves: different insects and their larvae, other reptiles and mammal babies (like mice).

The Genus Crotaphytus and its representants:

The genus Crotaphytus was first described in the year 1842 by HOLBROOK. Until today, there were 9 species found: C. antiquus (AXTELL & WEBB, 1995), C. bicinctores (SMITH & TANNER, 1972), C. collaris (SAY, 1823), C. dickersonae (SCHMIDT, 1922), C. grismeri (MAC GUIRE, 1994), C. insularis (VAN DENBURGH & SLEVIN, 1921), C. nebrius (AXTELL & MONTANUCCI, 1977), C. reticulatus (BAIRD, 1859) und C. vestigium (SMITH & TANNER, 1972).

Drusilla & Spike

Our two Collared Lizards, called Drusilla & Spike live in a terrarium with a size of 90x40x50 cm. The back of the terrarium is made of artificial rock, it is equipped with branches, roots which build caves for the two animals, a basking stone and a small fountain. The substrate consits of gravel of different size.

For the lights, we have one 18W- UVA/UVB - neon lamp uand one 18W - Softtone - neon lamp, which simulates dusk and dawn. For the necessary heat we have one 100W - Baskingspot and a thermostat heating in the floor of the terrarium. The 3 light sources start independently and succedingly to simulate dusk and dawn. The lenght of the light periode is changing over the seasons.

During daytime, the two lizards are sometimes allowed to run around in our appartment; something which they love a lot. For that reason, wa also have one basking spot of 100W outside the terrarium so they can heat themselves up during their adventures outside.

Spike, our male, was born in July 2000; Drusilla, our female, was born in September 2000.

We feed them with Crickets, Grasshoppers and wax moth larvae (although only Spike eats wax moth larvae, Drusila doesn't like anything worm-like). For supplying them sufficiently with vitamins and other elements they need, we feed the insects with a vitamine mixture and also dust all the insects with this mixture before offering them to the lizards.

Some pictures of Drusilla & Spike:

Spike, running around in our appartment	Drusilla, doing the same ..	Spike at his favourite sleeping place