HI, finally found a site that might help...my boys brought home about a month ago a horned toad lizard and 4 sagebursh lizards...and we love them, never had lizards before. We dig up ants everyday and the lizards love them, go crazy...its like they are trained that when the dirt of ants hits their feeding plate they come running. Our problem is that its going to be winter soon and so we will need to start feeding them small crickets, which they love also, but I am unsure of how many to feed them...its almost like they'd eat until they burst...any ideas? I think also we will need to let the horned toad go, as he doesn't seem to be enjoying it much, won't eat...but the little lizards...they're great...run to eat, they let us hold them and gently pet them, close their eyes like they are purring almost.

ANy suggestions on the food would be great! Love the site!

Yeah I would suggest letting the horned toad go, most don't adjust well to captivity, if at all.
I would use it as a learning experience to teach the kids about catching and releasing herps so that you don't stress them and take them away from their natural habitats.

Also make sure you provide UVB for the lizards, it's something that most first timers never think of.


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Welcome to the HCN! We are glad to have ya!

Welcome to HCN. I agree,,probably best to let them go back into their natural habitat.

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MARSHA

:D I'm smiling because I have no idea whats going on!

Welcome to Herpcenter. I too would release them.

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Ken
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Zane Neher.

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Hello,

Welcome to Herp Center! Catching and releasing reptiles is a common practice in this hobby. Unfortunantly, many captured herps don't thrive in captivity and unless released, will choose death over adaptation.

Most wild caught (wc) reptiles can be purchased in the pet trade. Many of those available have been captive born and bred (cbb). Cbb animals are better than wc animals because the likelihood that they have parasite loads or that they will refuse to eat and adapt is reduced greatly.

Seeing as the Horned Toad refuses to eat, it is in his best interest to be released back into the wild. If possible, he should be released back where he was first obtained as Zane stated.

If you choose to keep those that are thriving, you are going to need to do some rearch and prepare to invest some money into them in order to keep them thriving. Most diurnal species require artificial UV lighting in their enclosures. When we discuss UV lighting, we are referring to either Mercury Vapor or the Flourescent UV lighting found in most petstores.

Your local petstore (lps) may try to sell you some "normal" bulb that they claim emits UV. It is not the UV lighting you require. You require a light that emits UVA and UVB. UVB is the important spectrum and is the crucial ingredient in the light that you purchase. UVB aids in the absorption of dietary calcium through some metabolism function we won't discuss. (Unless you really want to know.) Without it, the lizards will eventually die after liklely becoming very ill. If you aren't sure you are buying the right light, look at the price. If it costs $20.00 or more and says "UVB" on the box, it is likely the correct light. If it costs less than that, it is likely the wrong the light.


What size enclosure do you have the sagebrush lizards in? Are they all being housed together? Are you going to keep them all? What is in their enclosure with them?

I am asking questions so we get a better idea as to what you may need to do in order to create the ideal habitat for them.

If you intend on keeping them all, you may want to have each of them checked for parasites at the vet.

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Welcome to HerpCenter! I agree that the lizards should most likely be returned to the wild, particualrly the horned lizard. Horned lizards feed on a particular type of ants and can be difficult in captivity. They are also listed as endandered/protected in many areas. Depending on where you live it may be illegal to even have them in captivity.

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Merlin,
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welcome to HC! glad you joined us!

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Hi kern30!

Welcoem to the site! Id have to agree that the best thibg for the little critter would be to let him go! He'll have a much better chance of survival!

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