How to Care for Lizards and Ensure Adequate Exposure to Ultraviolet Light

As more and more people choose a wide range of pets, lizards, once considered ugly and scary, are now popular choices. Many people have trained them to be gentle and enjoyable companions. For beginners, here are some tips on how to care for lizards.

1. Ensure Proper Ventilation:
   The enclosure should be at least 2.5 times the length of the lizard. If using a sealed glass box or tank, ventilation holes should be provided on the sides.
2. Provide Heating and Lighting:
   Place an incandescent lamp in one corner of the enclosure to create a temperature gradient. Maintain a temperature of at least 30 degrees Celsius. Lizards prefer warmth, and higher temperatures ensure normal digestive function.
3. Ensure Adequate Exposure to Ultraviolet Light:
   Lizards need exposure to ultraviolet light to synthesize vitamin D3 in their skin, which promotes calcium absorption and reduces the risk of diseases like metabolic bone disease. Allowing them to bask in the sun is beneficial.
4. Feed According to Species:
   Different lizard species have different dietary needs. For omnivorous species like bearded dragons, you can feed them a mix of vegetables, fruits, and insects. Smaller lizards may eat crickets. Newborn mice provide high nutritional value if they can be consumed. Other food options include meat, liver, cat food, insects, and earthworms.

While lizards need sunlight, frequent exposure can lead to overheating. Using a UVB lamp for regular lighting and occasional sunbathing is recommended. Ultraviolet light is essential for lizards, like food and water. Use a sunlight or UVB lamp for 12 hours a day for optimal results. The intensity of a UVB lamp should be carefully monitored to avoid harm.

Lizards can be kept in a glass tank with white sand at the bottom. Provide a water dish for drinking and cooling, and place a cloth in the tank during colder temperatures for warmth. Lizards can be raised in a fish tank, and when temperatures are between 10-20 degrees Celsius, place a cloth in the tank for them to sleep on at night.

When offering water, use cool boiled water. To determine if a lizard is drinking, gently tilt its head into the water using your fingers; if the cheek area moves, it is drinking. If the lizard struggles, it may not be thirsty, so there’s no need to force water immediately.