thats googd for a lizard mack sher to hold him and keep him warm

Alligator lizards are easy to take care of. When I was a kid I had about 2 dozen of them living in my "Jurrassic Park" in the back yard. Basically a 30'x30'x2' hole in the ground with plastic liner around the sides. They did rather well there. But before I was pulling Allis out of the greenbelt down the street like Anna Nicole Smith pulled hundreds out of old men's wallets, I would keep them in 10gal aquariums with no uvb. Boy was I an idiot back then, safe to say a full grown Alli wouldn't suffer the same fate at my house again. They are rather active when they are hunting so I would give it lots of floor space, but I've never seen one climing in the wild so I wouldn't worry too much about height. A heat rock (I know I know!) was enough heat even durring the winter and it can get pretty cold in the winter up here so I would think 75-85 with a 90 maybe 95 basking area would be good. Through in a UVB bulb and you're set. I would go with 2 weekish crickets for a baby Alli cause they are so small and cuddly, then mealies or crickets. Most Allis are active, aggressive hunters and love to hunt down crickets. Funny side note, I trained myself to resist their bite's pain, and if they do lock on, just tap the sides of thier mouth and they'll let go, bloody pit bulls.

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Chinese Water Dragon 1.0.1 (Jim Morrison, Slim Jim)
Iguana 1.0.0 (GINO)
Nile Monitor 0.0.1 (Harry)
Myspace

Look at the date on the original post...I'm not so sure that Toadie even has herps anymore....

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“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

~Lacey~

My Photos

Well maybe someone else came by and learned something... right?

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Chinese Water Dragon 1.0.1 (Jim Morrison, Slim Jim)
Iguana 1.0.0 (GINO)
Nile Monitor 0.0.1 (Harry)
Myspace

Right! Thats why we keep older posts.
Theres no telling when someone might happen along that needs them.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I wasn't reffering to your post, I meant the one before it...but I can see where it is still educational...I just thought I would point it out so no one was dissappointed when they got no replies from toadie

__________________

“Be the change you want to see in the world.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

~Lacey~

My Photos

yes currently I have no herps or any other animal besides my cats. Im in herp limbo I guess you could say. Im trying to get back on my feet n get a job n stuff b4 I get any more herps or any other animal for that matter.

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1.1 Cats: Princess, Buddah "Boo"
0.2 Rats: Noah (hooded) & Winston (himalayan)

I have an innate love for all creatures big and small, no matter if they are furry, scaled, slimy, or feathered.

Originally coming from Southern California, I have kept Elgaria multicarinata often while I was growing up. They often adjust better to captivity much better than many other US native species of lizard. In fact, many publications herald Elegaria (formerly Gerrhonotus) as one of the genera that adjusts to captivity better than any others (Mattison n.D., Breen 1974, Sprackland 1977, Wynn 1981). Although freshly wild caught specimens are often quick to bite, they often quickly become docile. Some have even been able to ‘train’ theirs to ‘beg for food’(stand on their hind legs). They are also more often much hardier than many other US native lizard species. They eat a large variety of prey: slugs, snails, insects, spiders (including black widow spiders), centepedes, scorpions and even newborn mice (when they are large enough to swallow them). Terrariums should provide plenty of hides, screening (plants that are fake or real to screen them from observation) and branches to climb on. They prefer to lap up water from leaves/objects rather than drinking out of a water bowl. As others have written, dirt as a substrate is fine. Provide UVB lighting. Although they do bask, they do not bask as often as many types of diurnal lizards.

I am not sure where the information about them being terrestrial is from, but almost all publications referring to its natural history, as well as my own personal observations in captivity and the field show that they like to spend time in bushes and trees as well as living on the ground.

Merlin, I would like to know where your information came about them acquiring parasitic pathogens in the egg came from. Not only are the young already well developed when the eggs are laid, but they spend a relatively short time in the egg, ca. 6 weeks. What exactly are these parasitic pathogens and how are they permeating these well developed eggs? I have hundreds of dollars worth of books on the bio-medical aspects of herpetoculture and reproductive husbandry, yet not one reference shows anything about this passing of parasitic organisms occurring from female to progeny in Elgaria or other reptiles for that matter.

Cheers,
Michael

Maybe I should have seen there was a page 2, or how old it was. I am rather new to this business of fora (5-6 months), but still interested in the reference to hatchlings having parasitic organisms right out of the egg.