Agama Lizards
Agamas agamas is really a large family of lizards from Africa, Asia, and Australia, members of which often find their way into terrariums: the number of species is far too numerous to list here, some growing as much as a metre in length, some only a matter of centimetres in length.
Certain agama lizards have the ability to change colour to some extent, a great example being the Indian Changeable Lizard, or ‘Bloodsucker’. It does not truly suck blood, but in the mating season the male will turn bright red concerning the throat and chest as component of a threatening display similar to that found in birds and fish.
Agama lizards might require rocks to climb on, sand to burrow in, or ‘trees’ to hide in, so it is wise at first to provide a mixed set-up to determine what a specific animal prefers after which increase the quantity of his favourite cover. Above all agama lizards require space, particularly when in contact with with humans; it is commonplace for agama lizards to damage snouts, heads, and tails by banging around trying to escape from too-small an enclosure. This link on iguanas for sale and buying them is a great source. An approximate guide might be that the run should be a minimum ten times the length of the agama lizards themselves. Many agama lizards can withstand a high temperature, but they will require a pool in which to bathe and cool off. The pool, preferably a shallow dish, should not be placed directly under the heat, otherwise the water will evaporate too quickly and the temperature of the remainder of the water will turn out to be excessive.
Most members of this family have extremely good teeth, that are fixed to the skull, and even the smallest species can bite fiercely. Agama Lizards’ food depends upon size and habitat, some becoming very specialised: for example, the Australian Moloch horridus feeds only on ants. Most little agamids will take insect prey, but the bigger species have no trouble with small birds and mammals, or even reptiles smaller than themselves – because of this big and little agamids don’t co-exist peacefully.
Breeding Agama Lizards
Agama lizards are oviparous and might well mate and lay eggs in the terrarium. If mating is noticed and the female begins to swell, it is time to prepare a maternity cage, because she will want to bury her eggs within the correct medium. Suitable media include sphagnum moss, peat, sand, vermiculite, or clean dry earth. Ideally, the pregnant female ought to be placed in a terrarium containing an assortment of media, so she can make her own choice. The choice of dry or damp remains: the expectant mother will figure this out, if required, by urinating over the nest of eggs. It is therefore essential to offer her clean drinking water.
Amphisbaenia - worm lizard
Closeup of an Amphisbaenia's head
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