Vegetarian Lizards

[TheBigG]

I am looking for vegetarian lizards that are common to find in pet stores in canada.

[SerpentLust]

Well if you don't want to deal with the 6' size of a green iguana. Why not go with a Mali Uromastyx? They're awesome. They're a reasonable price and size. And they're funny looking. haha

Jenn

[TheBigG]

well, thanks for the reply, but unfortunatley, i already have a nigerian Uromasyx, so any other suggestions?

[boywithscales]

Iv been looking into the same question

[carolane]

Mali uromastix. There is also beautiful ornate uromastix. An adult beared dragon eats vegetables too (and some crickets ok). Is a water dragon is vegetarian?

[TheBigG]

hmmm, well i was wondering if there was anything other than uromastyx type of lizards out there, and im curious to know if a water dragon is a vegetarian as well.

[boywithscales]

from my knowledge water dragons are more insectivorious then beardies, if you have alot of money and luck monkey tailed skinks are purely vegetarian. you could try a smaller species of iguana, like a blackspiny tailed iguana or something along those lines.

[Lrptls]

juvi water dragons are omnivores, then they lose interest in things that dont move and eventually eat mice so i dont think you want one of those. green iggys are the only common vegetarian lizards. most of the things you can think of either arnt 100% vegetarian or cost alot of money. and if i were you id rather have something that ate meat rather than have an iguana.

[Phoenix]

Lrptls, where did you get your tentacled snake?

[rrrrr]

There aren't many.

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

" Totally herbivorous lizards are found in three disjunct regions: (1) the New World tropics northward into the Mojave Desert of the SW United States (all the Inguaninae but two species), (2) the Near the Middle East from North Africa to Southwest Asia (spiny tailed agamids Uromastyx); and (3) the tropical Far East in the Fiji Islands (the banded iguanas Brachylophus), the Philippines and Indonesia (water lizards Hydrosaurus) and the Solomon Islands (giant skinks Corusia). "


Other sources claim hydrosaurus is omnivorous. I've seen chuckwallas listed as herbivores as well, but cant comment on the accuracy of that.

Varanus olivaceus is apparently a frugivore. Wow...learn something new everyday. A frugivorous monitor lizard. who'd a thunk it? http://www.mampam.50megs.com/butaan2003proposal.htm

Some geckos are largely frugivorous (New Caledonia Giant, Standing's Day), but I dont think any of them are purely herbivores.

So, it seems like strickly speaking, Uros, iguanas, v. olivaceus, and monkey-tail skinks. Others come close, but dont quite make it as pure vegetarians.


Thank you ever so much for giving me a fun research product to help me procrastinate filling in my time sheet on a Friday afternoon.

[macd0282]

what about a blue tongue skink? they are omnivorious and pretty darn cute!

[TheBigG]

thanks for all the replies, but i can only have a vegetarian, i have no choice, or i would gladly get a omnivor, or meat eater

[Phoenix]

Chuckawallas are veggies. And they are pretty "cute" when you find one 4 feet up a fake plant...

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/CurrentsCreatures/2005-03-26053.jpg

[herp_collector]

Chuckwallas seem to be at least somewhat omnivorous. You know you can get dead mice and thaw them or locusts that come in a can if its the live stuff that bothers you. Not to pry but if you could elaborate on why you can't keep omnivorous or carnivorous animals there is probably a way around it as long as it isn't a religious belief or something of the like. (not to bring religion into this or anything but I've denounced my faith so many times I most likely have a first class ticket to hell ;)) The pet food industry is a crafty bunch so I wouldn't underestimate them. Hope this helps, Morgan.

[newticus]

crested geckos Rhacodactylus ciliatus can subsist solely on a prepared diet, so while they need some protein (really not much at all) there is no need for bugs, as all their protein requirements are in the prepared diet
actually most of the available rhactodactylus in the hobby have their own version of t-rex's super food (prepared diet) so you don't need bugs for any of these totally facinateing geckos