Facts About The Eastern Fence Lizard
You can find an eastern fence lizard throughout most of the southern United States and the west. But these creatures can also be found as far north as New York and Pennsylvania. It is a member of the spiny family and it is known for its rough scales. They are arboreal, which means that most of the time they can be found dwelling in trees. They can sometimes be found on the ground searching for food but if they think that a predator is approaching, they will retreat back to a tree to hide.
The eastern fence lizard can reach 7 inches in length. They are normally and grayish color but they can also be a dark brown to black color. When it is time for these animals to breed, the male exhibits blue patches on their stomachs and chin. These creatures can be found in mountain areas and they prefer decaying or falling trees to hide and hunt in. Their diet consists of spiders and other smaller insects.
You can keep an eastern fence lizard as a pet but it is recommended that you get a younger lizard. This way it can become used to you and your family. Older lizards may be used to living in the wild and the stress and shock from being placed in a new area can harm its health or even kill it. To make it feel the most comfortable, you can prepare a cage for the animal.
Many people think that a glass type aquarium is best for these types of animals but a wire meshed cage enclosure is a better choice. This keeps air circulating throughout the cage and the animal can either move to a different area within the cage to either be warmer or cooler. There should also be a wire mesh, snap on lid for the cage. You have to make sure that the lizard cannot escape from the cage and there should be no loose or jagged edges around the cage or on the lid area. A loose pointy wire can damage the lizard’s skin.
Since the eastern fence lizard likes to live in trees, you can place either an older tree branch or construct some other type of wooden structure for the lizard to crawl on. It should almost reach the top of the cage and it’s a good idea to have separate branches or platforms for the lizard to stop and rest if it needs to.
You will have to purchase a heat light to be placed at the top of the cage. Reptiles love warmth and in the wild, they can be found during the day on a rock warming themselves. But it is also possible for them to become too hot. This is why it is recommended that you place a wooden structure within the cage. So that it can move closer to or further away from the heat source.
When it comes to feeding your eastern fence lizard, you can purchase live insects from your local pet store. These creatures hunt these insects in the wild, so you will need to feed them live insects a few times a week. If you don’t want to make several trips to the pet store for these insects every week, you can keep them in their own insect enclosure and use them any time you want to.
If you are serious about keeping your new pet healthy and happy, you can find a veterinarian that specializes in the care of reptiles. Many times these lizards have parasites and viruses that may harm or even kill the animal. The veterinarian can treat the lizard and make sure that it stays healthy.
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