I just noticed that my local pet store has them for $25 each. Has anyone here ever had/raised any? They look like pretty fun little guys, but I'm wondering about their typical temperment... what they eat, what kinda lighting (I assume the typical UVB), things of that nature. I found one site that gave pretty minimal info on them, but I am interested. I'm kinda itching to get a smaller lizard to keep in a terrarium and they aren't selling the long tailed skinks any more... so I'm lookin' for some suggestions/ideas. Any help is appreciated.

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The first thing I can tell you is there's a very slim chance these are actual armadillo lizards. Armadillo lizards are Cordylus cataphractus, but I'd estimate that over 95% of all "armadillo lizards" in stores are actually other species of girdled lizards (Cordylus sp.), mainly tropical girdled lizards (Cordylus tropidosternum), also occasionally known as 'dwarf sungazers'. Real armadillo lizards are much harder to find.

Tropical girled lizards generally look like this:
http://www.calacademy.org/research/h...idosternum.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...P_DILLY_26.jpg

http://schrubbi.de/Images/Cordylus_Spalte_450.JPG


and armadillo girdled lizards look like this:
http://www.dcpaleo.org/Leisure/Anima...lloLizard2.jpg

http://www.angelfire.com/alt/aaawebs...madillo_lg.jpg

http://www.capesnakes.org.za/index.p...view_photo.php

In any case, tropical girdled lizards do well in a 20 gallon with a screen lid and a bark or mulch-based substrate, though I personally prefer topsoil. They like to climb and hide, so I offer mine branches, rocks, bits of cinderblock, etc, and she utilizes it all. She's especially fond of basking on a high branch near her UVB light, which they require like most diurnal lizards. A shallow water dish is provided, but I also mist mine occasionally and she seems to prefer the droplets.

70-80 degrees F or 20-25 degrees C and a basking area of 85-90 F/30 C will suit them. They're native to eastern Africa, so they prefer it relatively hot, but some experimentation may be needed to find the temperature most ideal for your lizard. If he hides in the shade all the time then it's probably too hot. It's hard to find caresheets on them, but one I saw once recommended 45% humidity, but it's uncertain as to whether this caresheet was truly directed at this species or at true armadillo lizards. I've been keeping mine at I think 50-60% for years with no ill effects.

Aside from that they eat the typical insect diet of small captive lizards. Crickets make the traditional staple, supplemented with mealworms and other feeders. A quality vitamin/mineral and calcium supplement will be needed, and the crickets should be gutloaded. Be sure to dechlorinate water used for your lizard as well.

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I agree with furryscale!!

Just having the iguana, I've gotten away from buying crickets every week for the green anoles I had for a while. But okay, that all sounds like pretty standard stuff. Are they playful at all? Or can I expect the "screw off and leave me alone" attitude that iguanas have?

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Haha, yeah, they generally prefer to be left alone. Like most small lizards they're difficult to "tame" and will usually hide if you try and catch them. Leopard geckos are one of the few exceptions to that standard.

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"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines." - John Benfield