I just got a lizard and need help

[CornSnakeMan]

I have a sudan plated lizard and I was wondering if anyone could find me a caresheet or tell me some info on them because they're cool its just I'm lost on them because I dont know alot about them. please help:(

[Zoe]

http://www.unc.edu/~dtkirkpa/stuff/plated.html

http://www.reptileallsorts.com/basic-spl-cs.htm

http://www.nafcon.dircon.co.uk/gerrhosaurs1.html

http://www.centralpets.com/pages/critterpages/reptiles/lizards/LZD2701.shtml

http://www.anapsid.org/plated.html

Hope that helps :D I have one too... they are cool eh?? :P

Zoe

[CornSnakeMan]

yea they are and thanks for the info and do u need a heat pad because I have just the light for him and the people at the pet store told me thats all I needed was the light, water, and woodchips is it ok for me to turn off the light at night?

[Zoe]

Well, he needs enough heat to come from the light. They don't need heatpads because they are baskers. If you have a heat light, it's fine. And yes, it can go off at night, but if it gets below, say, 75F in your house at night, I;d suggest getting an infrared heatlight.

Zoe

[CornSnakeMan]

ok thanx and he's in a 10 gal. right now until I get a 50 is that ok he doesnthave much room in their and he's not eating his crickets is that a problem?

[Zoe]

In a 10gal??????? :( How big is he?????? How long until your get a 50gal??

Mine doesn't eat crickets, only mealworms and pinky mice (and veggies, of course). Even if your's wanted to eat crickets, I doubt he could hunt them in such a small enclosure.

[CornSnakeMan]

probably a couple of days but I let him out every hour to let him roam around the floor I know its bad but until then I have to do my best.:(

[Zoe]

How long is he?

Could you maybe let him live in the bathtub for a few days? A 10 gal wwaayy too small for such a big lizard.

[Ritus_Reptile]

go buy a big tote plastic box for a temp home. They cost under 10 bucks and you can get them at kmart or home depot. Even if you buy him a tank in the near future you can always find a use for a tote.

[CornSnakeMan]

ok I'll do that he's 13 inches

[Zoe]

How long has he been in the 10gal?

As Ritus said, get a big rubbermaid. They are cheap, work well, and last forever. I do suggest keeping the lizard in the bathtub on some newspaper (ball some up for him to burrow) until you can get a rubbermaid, he'll be much happier.

How old is he? 13" is pretty small for an adult.

Zoe

[CornSnakeMan]

I dont know how old he is but the whole rubbermaid thing sounds good I dont think I'll keep him in the tub.Did yours try to getaway from you when you tried to hold it? Mine does is that bad seeing that I jsut got him? And how do u tell it from girl or boy?

[Zoe]

If you let him out during the day, then it's okay, but he cant live in a 10 gal very long. Imagine how sore you'd be if you were stuck in a tiny box for days.
Mine doesn't like to be handled at all. I have the scratches to prove it! She doesn't bite or scratch on purpose, but she thrashes like mad when I pick her up. Sooo I handle her only when necessary, like to bring her to the bath for a nice soak while I clean her cage.

Males and females aren't hard to tell apart by looking at the tail, but only if you have another to compare. Males have thicker tails. Another way to tell is personnality... The females tend to be very skittish, and the males tend to be more easy going (they know they are in charge!). Sounds like you have a female, but it may just be nervous from the move.

Zoe

[CornSnakeMan]

thanx and I have the 50 now and I was wondering since it was so high that I dont think the 200 watt bulb will heat it. Will it?

[Zoe]

Great!
Well, how high is it? Only one way to find out... place the bulb normally, and put a thermometer on the ground in the tank beneath it, and see if it gets warm enough.

Zoe

[CornSnakeMan]

17 1/2 inches

[Zoe]

What are the dimensions of the tank? Sounds almost like a 50gal high, which wouldn't be suitable for a plated lizard. How much ground area is there?

Zoe

[CornSnakeMan]

20x10x17 1/2 and it keeps making this popping noise and skin falls off. Is that how they shed?

[Zoe]

That's really strange... Mine sheds scale by scale, but there's no popping noise.

Also, 20 x 10 x 17.5 is a FIFTEEN gal, NOT a 50!! And it's a 15 gal high, too.

A plated lizard would need at least 2' x 3' x 2'... And even that is pretty small (but okay, because your lizard is still only 13"s).

Zoe

[CornSnakeMan]

yea mines too but its like a popping noise like a firecracker only softer is he too hot the temp is on 80 in the tank

[Zoe]

I hear no popping sound coming from mine... in fact the only noise she makes is when she's mad at me, she breathes loudly (almost like a hiss) but that's it.
No, his spot should be 88F.

Also, you really, really need a bigger cage. He can't even turn around in a 20" x 10"!!

Zoe

[CornSnakeMan]

oh so thats what the hissing is. well then its mad at me to lol I didnt know that thanks and I'll get a bigger tank when I get more money and it'll be soon. Thanks for all the info zoe you are a big help what do u think I should do with the popping noise thing

[Zoe]

No problem! :D Glad to have helped.

Well, I don't really know what the popping noise is :X Is it only when the scales come off? How often does it happen?

Zoe

[CornSnakeMan]

well I've only had her for 2 days and it happpened three times yesterday and twice today. And about the feeding I put her in my bathroom since its empty with no window in my basement then put few crickets in their and she ate a couple and she ate only 2 in the tank but only time she eats them is when your very still for like 10 minutes and they go by her. Why is that?

[CornSnakeMan]

And yea only when the scales come off

[Zoe]

it is sort of a tearing sound when you pick her up? Or just popping sounds out of nowhere?

Mine won't eat when I watch her, and she will only eat mealies or waxworms... Try large mealworms in a bowl (dusted, of course), maybe she'll go for them. Oh, and leave her be for a few hours.

Zoe

[CornSnakeMan]

the popping comes out of nowhere and a piece of scales falls off. Ok I can try to leave her alone for awhile but I'm so excited and worried at the same time because I want her to be perfect and happy,will she get tamer the more I hold her or not?

[CornSnakeMan]

and why does she jump every time I turn the light off?

[Zoe]

Well, I really don't know about that popping sound... Maybe get her checked out by an exotics vet?
If you leave her be, she'll be a lot happier. First off, because she's stressed, and she gets more stressed when you're around her, and that can make her stop eating, stress out etc. And second, because female plateds don't tend to enjoy handling at all.
She will get a little tamer if you hold her, but I tried to tame mine down and it didn't work. Give it a shot, take her out once a day for a little while, and see if she improves after a little while.

Zoe

[CornSnakeMan]

ok I'll surely do that in the afternoon thanx alot zoe once again. Do you have AOL Instant messanger?

[Zoe]

Yeah, perhapstoofunky. dont use it that often, but i'll try and be on more.

Zoe

[CornSnakeMan]

ok thanx and if I have more questions I'll contact u now and then
thanks again for all the help

[CornSnakeMan]

I have another question, well I finally have him in te 50 gal (I'm sure it is) and he's not moving or eating. I moved her in there a few minutes ago. Is she adjusting or is she just uncomfortable?

[Bryce Masuk]

she probley is just stressed from the move and previously too small enclosures also make sure the temps are right

[CornSnakeMan]

oh ok do u have 1

[Blackwidow69]

:cool: I have a plated lizard, hes a ornate plated, this is how hes housed and what he eats, first hes in a cage thats 18 inches wide by almost 4ft long by 2 1/2ft tall, at one end of the cage is a neodymium daylight lamp thats 100 watt, thats over the end where his water dish is, and the water dish is big enough for him to get right in and swim and soak, it has low sides on it like a huge cake pan. basking site 87% Now on the other end he has a hide house thats a dish pan turned up side down with a hole cut in the top on one end so he can get in and out. That end also has a light thats a night glo moonlight- same as a screw in black light bulb 60 watt and that is his night time lamp temps there at 79%. But has the heat pad for belly warmth. Now he also has a log in there thats for laying on and climbing.. Bedding consists of several inches of peatmoss mix and western fir bark from Shultz, at the end where his house is i have grass carpet down and then several inches of the bedding put on top of that right in his hide house, with a heat pad under the cage set on low... Now for feeding hes getting fruits and veggies every other day, and inbetween he gets, crickets, silk worms, a pinkie mouse and most of all his fav, night crawlers-earthworms. once a week he gets 2 teaspoons of canned cat food-his fav flavor mighty dog with lamb and rice.. He was a rescue that was very bad off when i got him, dehydrated, skinny and just poor shape he had few bite marks on him also and toes missing.. Now hes doing great has put on weight and his scales are shinny and looking good.. he loves to attack the night crawlers right out of my hand and eats with gusto.. I have no prob holding him and he is very active,, loves swimming in his water and plays peek-a-boo in his hide house sticks his head out and back in like its funny,, Hes got a very cool personality.. Sleeps with his legs backwards while hes streched out on his log, just a real funny lizard...:D

[peregrinefalcon]

Wow! I didn't know there was so many plated lizard owners on here! I have had four-lined plated lizards for a little less then a year and I just traded both of them for a giant plated. If you guys want another place to talk about plated lizards then you can go to my msn group... http://groups.msn.com/theplatedlizardburrow There is pics of my four-lines in the pictures section and I'll get pics of my new giant plated soon.
Adam

[Zoe]

Yeah, you can expect him to move and eat after a few minutes!
You really need to leave him alone for a week or so... he's been moved from his old place, to a 10 gal, to a 15 gal, to a 50 gal in only a few days, he is seriously stressed out and afraid, that on top of his natural fear and nervousness of people. Leave him be for a while. Don't check every few hours to see if he's eating or moving. Check once a day, tops.

Zoe

[CornSnakeMan]

Only once???:( Well ok I guess I could but can I at least peek in at him. I mean my friend said to leave him alone for 2 weeks before going in to see him just go in to feed him then after 2 weeks I could handle him or whatever. And will she die if too much stress is put on her???

[Zoe]

Yes, she can die if you stress her out too much. Stress has many effects on animals, some of them are EXTREMELY detrimental to their health.
Don't leave her for 2 weeks... if you don't go fill her water or give her more food she will die. But you can't be constantly bugging her by going to see her. Don't even peek at her more than once a day. If her cage is in an area with lots of traffic, then you should blanket the cage so she feels safe.
As it is, you are making her very nervous and stressed by constantly checking on her, moving her around, and handling her.
You should wait until she is very established, eating and drinking well etc before starting to handle her, and when you do start it should be very gentle (only for a few minutes, once a day, for example, until she gets used to it.)

Zoe

[CornSnakeMan]

Will the light burn hole in the blanket?

[CornSnakeMan]

its wool

[Zoe]

You don't need to cover the cage completely... leave a spot for light/heat and air, but cover most of it so she feels pretty safe.

Yes, the blanket will burn if it gets too close to the light.

Zoe

[CornSnakeMan]

do u have anymore sites for the lizard

[CornSnakeMan]

whats a good name for her and what r the names of yours

[Zoe]

Those are the only sites I found... there aren't many caresheets out there.

I named mine Dimitri. lol, I have no idea why. :P

Zoe

[peregrinefalcon]

Cornsnakeman, here is a site with a lot of people who keep and breed plated lizards. Search the archives after you join and you can find tonnes of info and photos section has pics of the different kinds of plateds http://groups.yahoo.com/group/platedlizards/
Adam

[CornSnakeMan]

thanx and I finally named my girl zoe