Decor
- Climbing branches — they are quite active and appreciate height
- One or two hides for occasional seclusion
- Artificial foliage for aesthetics and extra hiding places
Lizards · Care guide
Collared Lizard Care Guide
Crotaphytus collaris
Native to North America and northern Mexico — medium-sized lizards reaching about 12″ total length. Very docile and popular pets, easy to handle and interact with, even for children.
At a glance
Quick facts
Key parameters for day-to-day husbandry. Full detail is in the sections below.
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Daytime probe
84–86 °F
29–30 °C · thermostat sensor
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Night drop
~10 °F
~6 °C · about 74 °F / 23 °C
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Diet
Insects first
Salads optional · rarely taken
-
UVB
T5 12%
Ceiling-mounted · replace yearly
01 · Housing
Enclosure & housing
Active desert lizards from North America (~12″ total length). Give climbing branches, one or two hides, dry substrate, and a solid temperature gradient. Suitable for a single or a pair.
Adult minimum size
36″ W × 18″ D × 18″ H
For a single Collared or a pair. They will make use of height in a 24″ tall vivarium.
Substrate
- Dry substrate — pelleted straw bedding or coarser desert sand
- Avoid fine mineral sands that can cause impaction
Cleaning
- Daily: spot clean to limit bacteria and odours
- Every 4–6 weeks: full clean — replace substrate, disinfect decor and vivarium
Housing diagram
Enclosure example
Front view 36″ wide × 18″ tall (depth 18″) · climbing branches · hides · foliage · small water bowl · dry substrate
- Front proportions — 36″ wide × 18″ tall (2:1); depth 18″ — they use 24″ height well
- Branches — climbing wood for an active species
- Hides — one or two for occasional seclusion
- Foliage — artificial plants for aesthetics and extra cover
- Water bowl — small dish on the cool end (treated water only)
- Substrate — dry pelleted straw or coarser desert sand; daily spot clean, full clean every 4–6 weeks
Setup diagram · 1 of 2
Top-down view
Heat bulb & probe left–right positions · Recommended temps need this layout
Setup diagram · 2 of 2
Front view
Looking into the vivarium · bulb on the ceiling · probe hangs down the back
- Heat bulb — about one-quarter from one side, halfway front to back (on / through the ceiling)
- Probe — one-quarter from the opposite side, hanging down the back, resting a few inches from the floor
02 · Climate
Temperature & UVB
Day/night cycling, a proper gradient, and UVB are essential for metabolism, appetite, and long-term health.
Daytime temperature gradient
When the heat bulb and thermostat sensor are placed as instructed, a probe target of 84–86 °F (29–30 °C) creates this spread. The probe point is not the basking spot.
| Zone | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Cool side | ~84 °F (~29 °C) |
| Probe point (thermostat probe target) | 84–86 °F (29–30 °C) |
| Middle | 94–96 °F (34–36 °C) |
| Warm side | 105–110 °F (41–43 °C) |
| Basking spot (hottest point under bulb) | 110–120 °F+ (43–49 °C+) |
| Night drop | Reduce thermostat by ~10 °F (~6 °C) to approx. 74 °F (~23 °C) |
Photoperiod & night
- Winter: 12 hours light/heat
- Summer: up to 16 hours
- Night: reduce thermostat by ~10 °F (~6 °C) to approx. 74 °F (~23 °C)
- Night drop lets metabolism slow — essential for the lizard
UVB lighting
- Recommended T5 unit with 12% UV output on the ceiling
- Mount straight across or diagonally (diagonal often places the power unit toward a rear vent)
- Replace every 12 months — UV output degrades over time
- Match UV on/off to heat schedule (morning on, evening off)
- UVA boosts appetite & activity; UVB enables vitamin D3 / calcium absorption
Climate diagram
Lighting setup
T5 12% UVB on the ceiling (straight or diagonal) · heat dome on the warm side · match UV to heat
- T5 12% UV unit — ceiling-mounted (straight or diagonal); UVA supports appetite & activity; UVB enables vitamin D3 / calcium absorption
- Heat dome — warm side; same on/off routine as UV (morning on, evening off)
- Photoperiod — 12 hours in winter, up to 16 hours in summer
- Replace UV every 12 months — output degrades even if the tube still glows
First power-up tip
Always have the thermostat dial turned down before you plug it into the mains for the first time.
03 · Nutrition
Diet & feeding
Insect-led diet — salads are worth offering but are rarely taken. Dust every feed and gut-load insects well.
At a glance
Feeding cheat sheet
- Method
- Offer 5 insects at a time and wait until eaten before adding more
- Adults
- 8–12 crickets often consumed daily once settled · skip feeding 1–2 days per week as adults
- Dust
- Every feeding · 4:1 calcium : Nutrobal (store airtight)
- Salads
- Worth offering — rarely taken, though the odd individual will
Staple insects
Fed regularly
- Crickets
- Locusts
- Calci Worms
Occasional treats
In moderation only
- Waxworms
- Mealworms
- Morios
Supplements — every feeding
Dust every feeding with a 4:1 mix of calcium : Nutrobal (4 parts calcium to 1 part Nutrobal). Store the mix in an airtight container and use it to coat food every time you feed.
Feeding new lizards — “method of 5”
New Collareds often will not eat well for the first few days. This is normal. Once settled, appetite usually increases.
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Offer 5 insects at a time
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Wait until they are eaten before adding more
-
Prevents dumping 10–15 insects that go uneaten — reducing stress and insect-related injuries
Adult intake
- 8–12 crickets commonly consumed daily once settled
- Skip feeding 1–2 days per week as adults
- Salads are worth trying but rarely taken — the odd individual will
Water & humidity
- Provide a small water bowl for drinking
- Reptisafe or bottled water only — not untreated tap water
- Weekly bath for a soak and long drink if they wish
- Do not mist — desert species; humidity can cause respiratory problems
Gut-load insects before offering — variety matters for calcium-to-phosphorus (Ca:P) and vitamins.
Why gut loading matters
Feeder insects must be well fed before offering. In the wild, lizards eat insects that themselves ate a wide variety of foods — providing complete nutrition and a better calcium-to-phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio.
- Use commercial gut-load foods with quality ingredients
- Add fresh reptile-safe vegetables for variety
- A single piece of carrot or potato is not enough — poor Ca:P and limited vitamins/minerals
Hand feeding can help bonding, but excessive hand feeding can lead to obesity. Hunting and chasing food provide exercise and enrichment.
Speak to a member of staff for more feeding advice.
Plant matter & Ca:P lists Supermarket, garden plants, and foods to avoid
Salads are worth offering even though Collareds rarely take them; the odd individual will. Alternate plant items for balance if they do eat greens. Alternate items for balance. Naturally growing weeds and herbs are excellent when safe.
Good calcium to low phosphorus (examples)
Apricots, basil, blackberries, bok choy, broccoli tops, cantaloupe, carrots/carrot tops*, chicory, Chinese cabbage, clover, dandelion leaves and flowers, escarole, figs and fig leaves, green onion, leeks, okra, oranges, papaya, parsley, pea pods (not peas), rosemary, sow thistle, turnip greens, watercress, continental lettuces (romaine, cos, frisée, endive, radicchio, lollo rosso), mulberry, grape, ficus, rose, hibiscus, and opuntia cactus leaves. *Carrots/carrot tops not in high concentration (tannins).
Marginal Ca:P
Apple (no pips), aubergine, celery leaf only, pears, radish, sweet potato.
Poor Ca:P / high phosphorus — use sparingly
Asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, grapes, peaches, plums, squash, strawberries, tomato.
Generally exclude (oxalates / goitrogens / similar concerns)
Beans, rhubarb, spinach, beet greens, Swiss chard, cauliflower, cabbage, mustard greens, peas, collard greens, soy meal/beans, banana.
Garden plants often listed as safe
Carnations/dianthus, dracaena, echeveria/succulents, ficus, geranium, grape (Vitis), hibiscus, impatiens, maple leaves, nasturtiums, oregano, petunia, phlox, pinks, rose petals, soleirolia, viola/pansy/violets (not African). Always double-check any plant before offering.
Toxic / avoid
Apple bark/leaves/seeds, burdock, buttercup, cherry, clematis, crocus, daffodil, eggplant, elderberry, holly, horse chestnut, hyacinth, hydrangea, iris, lily of the valley, mistletoe, narcissus, oak, oleander, peach, peony, poinsettia, potato, primrose, privet, rhododendron, shamrock, snowdrop, sorrel, sweet pea, tomato plant, tulip, Virginia creeper — and some rosemary/sage varieties (verify before use).
Always dust plant and insect foods with the 4:1 calcium : Nutrobal mix.
04 · Behaviour
Handling & behaviour
Patience first. Settling and regular feeding come before handling.
- Step 1
Settle first
Allow the lizard to settle in the new enclosure and begin eating regularly before handling. Adapting is stressful; early handling can make it worse.
- Step 2
Short sessions
Initial sessions: 5–10 minutes only. Lengthen as the lizard becomes more comfortable.
- Hygiene
Wash hands
Always wash or disinfect hands before and after handling to prevent bacteria transfer both ways.
- Warning
No aerosols
Do not use aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure — the chemicals can harm your lizard.
05 · Welfare
Health & welfare
Prevention starts with correct husbandry — heat, UVB, hydration, and supplementation working together.
Best prevention: good husbandry
Correct temperatures, supplementation, hydration, and UVB keep the immune system and gut working well — supporting essential physiological processes.
Inert substrates Paper, lino, carpet — pros & cons
Pros
- Lower impaction risk
Cons
- Limit natural behaviours such as digging
- Remove natural digging behaviour
- Can increase faecal contamination (waste less absorbed; insects may contact waste)
Questions
FAQ
What size vivarium does a Collared Lizard need?
For a single Collared or a pair, a minimum of 36″ × 18″ × 18″. They will make use of height in a 24″ tall vivarium. Provide climbing branches, one or two hides for occasional seclusion, and artificial foliage. Adults reach about 12″ total length.
When can I start handling my Collared Lizard?
Allow the lizard to settle and begin eating regularly before handling. Initial sessions should be 5–10 minutes only; lengthen as they become more comfortable. Always wash or disinfect hands before and after handling. Do not use aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure.
What UVB do Collared Lizards need?
A T5 unit with 12% UV output mounted on the ceiling — straight across the top or diagonally (diagonal often gives nice light fall and can place the power unit toward a rear vent). Replace the tube every 12 months because UV output degrades. Match UV on/off to the heat schedule.
What is the method of 5 for feeding?
Offer 5 insects at a time and wait until they are eaten before adding more. This prevents dumping 10–15 insects that go uneaten, which can stress the lizard and cause insect-related injuries. Once settled, it is relatively common for 8–12 crickets to be consumed daily; as adults, skip feeding 1–2 days per week.
Should I mist a Collared Lizard enclosure?
No. Collareds come from dry and desert regions — spraying is not recommended because humidity can cause respiratory problems. Provide a small water bowl with de-chlorinated water (Reptisafe or bottled), and offer a weekly bath so they can soak and take a long drink if they wish.
Next steps
Ready to set up your Collared Lizard?
Shop heating, housing and lighting on this site, browse livestock when available, or speak to our team for a tailored kit list.
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