Content
- Quick facts about the armadillo lizard
- Overview of the armadillo lizard
- How Much Are Armadillo Lizards Worth?
- General attitude and temperament
- Appearance and types.
- How to Care for Armadillo Lizards
- Habitat, tank conditions and setup
- Tank size
- Temperature, humidity and light
- Do armadillo lizards get along with other pets?
- What to Feed Your Armadillo Lizard
- Keep your armadillo healthy
- Breeding
- Is the armadillo right for you?
Armadillo lizards are prehistoric-looking reptiles that are relatively easy to care for and care for. This reptile is known for its ability to bite and bite its tail to protect it from predators. It is a relatively inactive reptile that is sociable and makes an excellent pet for anyone interested in owning. Keep reading as we learn more facts about this fascinating animal that's right for your home.
Quick facts about the armadillo lizard
Species Name:O. cataphractus
Family:Cordylidae
Level of Care:at least
temperature:60-85 degrees
Mood:Sociable but prefers solitude
Form color:Light to dark brown
Lifetime:20 years
Size:3-4 inches
Food:Insects
Minimum tank size:30 gallons
Overview of the armadillo lizard
The armadillo lizard may also be called the armadillo girdled lizard, golden armadillo lizard, or armadillo Spanish-tailed lizard. It varies from light to dark brown with a black pattern beneath the yellow. It is usually three to four inches long, but some can grow up to eight. It can bask in the hot African sun for hours, and its tiny rays make it resemble a dragon. Because this desert animal likes to roll into a ball to protect itself from predators, it gets its name from the South American armadillo that does the same.
How Much Are Armadillo Lizards Worth?
Armadillos vary greatly in price depending on where you get them, but you should expect to pay between $35 and $150 for yours, after you factor in shipping and taxes. So it costs about $100 dollars. Certain breeds made for size or color will likely add to the purchase price. However, once you've bought your pet and some supplies, there's very little to buy, and your annual costs are considerably lower. You can even grow pet food to further reduce costs.
General attitude and temperament
Your armadillo prefers a solitary life but is quite friendly around people and usually doesn't run and hide unless it feels threatened, but unlike other reptile species, when you pick it up It doesn't like it. Picking one up can make it feel like a bird of prey is attacking it, and it will curl up into a ball when you put it down. It spends most of its time basking in the sun or hiding among rocks and is not very active.
Appearance and types
You can also find these osteoderms on other reptiles such as crocodiles, alligators, and turtles. It's not very colorful, but it has a black pattern on its belly that extends to coloring the lower part of the jaw, and the head and body are flat, so they can fit between rocks.
How to Care for Armadillo Lizards
Habitat, tank conditions and setup
Caring for your armadillo lizard is relatively easy, especially compared to other reptile species.
Tank size
Most armadillo lizards do well in a typical 30-gallon aquarium. It's not very active, so it doesn't need a lot of space to move around. It lives in a rocky environment, so you'll want to create a similar environment in the tank. Use plenty of flat stones to create a lounging area above and below, and a crawling carpet substrate for best results.
Temperature, humidity and light
Armadillos need a warm environment with low humidity, so you won't need to worry about humidity or a hygrometer, but you will need to maintain the temperature, which naturally lowers humidity. will do Armadillo lizards prefer daytime temperatures between 80-90 degrees and nighttime temperatures between 65 and 70 degrees for optimal health and happiness. The basking area, where your pet will spend most of its time, will need to reach 115 - 130 degrees. You can easily achieve this by using the right lighting, which you will need anyway.
If you keep your reptile indoors, it will be deprived of the vital ultraviolet light it needs to stay healthy. Most owners recommend using special ultraviolet bulbs to provide these essential nutrients and changing them frequently because they usually turn off long before the ultraviolet light stops burning.
Do armadillo lizards get along with other pets?
Armadillo lizards tend to live solitary lives, and although they are often friendly during their visits with humans, they likely won't enjoy any company in their tank until it's mating season. don't be It will usually allow a female to enter the tank but is territorial against other male armadillo lizards. Since most other reptiles have unique light, temperature, and humidity needs, trying to keep other species in the same tank is usually more trouble than it's worth.
What to Feed Your Armadillo Lizard
Your armadillo will primarily eat insects, as it does in its natural environment. We found crickets to be the best, and if you have an outdoor shed or garage that you can use to house them, you can also breed crickets. It will eat termites, spiders, millipedes, superbugs and even pink mice. You will need the insects by providing plenty of food before feeding your insects. You'll also need to coat them with a calcium supplement to prevent your pet from developing a dangerous bone condition called metabolic bone disease (MBD). MBD can cause your reptile's bones to become soft and brittle, affecting their movement.
Keep your armadillo healthy
Armadillo lizards are not difficult to keep healthy as long as you maintain the temperature in the cage and feed them a high quality food with calcium supplements. Lighting can be a little tricky because there's no way to tell if a bulb is putting out enough UV light, but if you use a quality bulb and replace it according to the instructions, you'll be fine.
Breeding
Male armadillo lizards are territorial animals that will only allow a female to enter their habitat. A male and female in the same tank will eventually mate, producing one (sometimes two) live animals. It is one of those lizards that does not lay eggs, but the downside is that it produces very few young. The low number of offspring per clutch is one of the main reasons armadillo prices can fluctuate dramatically. Another reason is that females do not reproduce every year, and there can be a gap of a few years between pregnancies, making it difficult for a breeder to determine when your pet will be ready.
Is the armadillo right for you?
Armadillo lizards make fantastic pets and are especially suitable for children and anyone interested in mythology or any story involving dragons. It looks tough, but it can't draw human attention and is pretty quiet until you pick it up. It's extremely easy to care for, and once you've established a habitat and got your temperature right you'll have to do little more than feed it and provide calcium supplements for 20 years or so. . You can also grow your own food to keep costs down.
We hope you enjoyed reading this short guide and learned something new about some of these rare reptiles. If we've helped you choose your next pet, please share this guide to armadillo care on Facebook and Twitter.
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