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Re: UV Light and lizard coloration

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Horned Lizard Forum ]

Posted by Les4toads on October 23, 2002 at 11:12:00:

In Reply to: Re: UV Light and lizard coloration posted by Hornron707 on October 22, 2002 at 22:26:16:

::Bought a UVA/UVB broad spectrum flourescent light fixture. Lizard did not go back to desert on Sunday. He is doing well, though. Only thing is, ever since I got the light (saturday), he had become significantly darker in coloration. I am wondering if he is shedding, or about to die on me...he is eating about 1-4 harvester ants per day, the big ones from Ants Alive. Also, he is just a little guy.

::Please advise.

: Do you know what the temperature would be if the little guy were still in the desert he came from? Everything should be as close as possible to what it would have been if he were still in the desert. If he's ready for ants and you are not going to hibernate him, I belive he needs a lot more then 5 ants a day, but everyday may not be the same. Maybe tomorrow he will eat more, possibably he is used to a different type of ant or just isn't ready for harvester ants yet. Find out what the natural temperature would be in his desert that he came from and keep yours the same in his cage, making sure he has shade and a cooler side to his setup, sounds to me like you are trying. But if you belive you are not making any prograss or you don't have time for him, take him back to the desert before its to late. Hope this may help you.

:The HL's color is dark to help in absorbing light to get warmed up to "operating temperature." Typically, a Desert HL's body temp is about 80 - 90 degrees for the body to function properly. This is why you set up a temperature gradient from cool (75 - 80 degrees) to hot (about 100 - 110 degrees) in spring and summer. Cooler temps in fall and winter. He/she is eating about right. Keep the ants in the refridgerator, the cold slows the ants down, and offer a few at a time to the HL. Remove ants if HL shows no interest after eating. That should help. Lester G. Milroy III



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