Almost every household has a pet. Some people have regular pets like dogs, cats, or birds while others opt for more exotic pets like snakes. Aside from snakes, another most common exotic pet are lizards. People who love to try exotic pets opt for lizards because they are relatively easier to care for and maintain unlike other exotic pets. Lizards are perfect even for beginners and there are plenty of lizard varieties to choose from.
Just like other pets, you’d also want to keep your pet lizard healthy and happy every day. However, there is a whole lot of difference between taking care of a regular pet and exotic pets. If you’re still new to lizard ownership, here are some useful tips to keep in mind to provide the best care you can.
Provide Adequate Space
The first thing you need to prepare for your pet is a spacious tank or terrarium where it would live in. Although lizards aren’t that huge, they need lots of space to move around and keep their body healthy and active.
Don’t just put your lizard in a small cage or box. It may survive there but it won’t be able to live a good quality of life and could even get sick later on due to restricted movement. Aside from choosing a spacious tank, be sure that it is also made from sturdy and durable materials to keep your pet secure inside.
Heat and Lighting
Aside from a spacious tank, you also need to provide the right temperature and lighting for your lizard to keep it healthy. They are cold-blooded animals which means they can’t regulate their body temperature and rely on the environment to keep a comfortable temperature.
Be sure that the tank is comfortable and warm by installing tank heaters, heat emitters, and UV light bulbs. They also need proper light cycles to help them function properly especially if sunlight doesn’t naturally reach their tank.
Healthy Diet
To keep your lizard healthy and happy, you should also provide a healthy diet every day. Different lizards eat different foods – a lot of them are carnivores but there are some herbivores. It is best to research and know what food your pet loves to eat to provide the right diet for it. You could also opt for ready-made lizard food like this Pet Wave lizard food for convenient yet healthy food for your pet every day.
Humidity
Lizards also need a certain level of humidity in their tank. You can achieve this by installing a mister inside the cage. Never place a bowl of water inside the cage since they won’t drink from it anyway and it could even encourage bacterial growth inside the cage.
Decorations
Lastly, you also need to put some decorations inside the cage. Aside from making the terrarium more attractive, it also serves as toys and fun for your pet keeping it happy and preoccupied throughout the day.
As long as you know these basic care tips, you can get started in owning a new pet lizard and be able to provide the care it needs.
