Lizard Breeding

Most lizards lay eggs, a few give birth to live young, and if condi-tions are right and you have a true pair, many species will breed incaptivity. Some lizards such as the Common Iguana are easy tosex but in most species both sexes are alike. Some lizards gluetheir eggs to the wall of the vivarium and they should be left alone as they can be easily damaged. Other eggs are laid on the groundand these should be incubated in a dish of vermiculite, availablefrom garden centres, in a temperature of 26°C (80°F) to 32°C(90°F) at a suitable level of humidity, which may need to be ashigh as 90 per cent. The eggs should be contained in such a waythat the adults cannot tread all over them or they will be damaged.Unlike birds' eggs they should not be turned - keep them thesame way up as you found them, and illuminate them with ultra-violet light for two hours each day to prevent mould. Snake eggsshould be similarly treated.

Most lizards are carnivorous and many will happily eat smallerlizards, so remove any hatchlings to a separate tank. And look outfor the tiniest of possible escape holes. Baby lizards are very fastand watch that one does not shoot up your arm when you haveyour hand in a tank or it may escape.

Young lizards will take most moving prey of suitable size, sodepending on how big they are you can try them on greenfly orbaby crickets or Fruit Flies.