Decor
- A branch for climbing and interest (mimicking fallen logs)
- Lots of rocks and slate — natural look with crevices for hiding
- Small water bowl on the cool side
Lizards · Care guide
Dwarf Sungazer Care Guide
Cordylus tropidosternum
A small species from Western Africa. It inhabits rocky hillsides, retreating to crevices and sitting in cave entrances staring at the sun — which has given them their name. About 6–8″ total length; dry heat, T5 12% UVB, rocks and slate crevices, and an insectivorous diet.
At a glance
Quick facts
Key parameters for day-to-day husbandry. Full detail is in the sections below.
-
Daytime probe
82–84 °F
28–29 °C · thermostat sensor
-
Night drop
~10 °F
~6 °C · about 72 °F / 22 °C
-
Diet
Insectivore
Optional small salads · 4:1 dust
-
UVB
T5 12%
Ceiling-mounted tube
01 · Housing
Enclosure & housing
Small rocky-hillside lizards from Western Africa (about 6–8″ total length). Give dry substrate, a branch for climbing interest, lots of rocks and slate with crevices for hiding, a small cool-side water bowl, and a solid temperature gradient.
Adult minimum size
24″ W × 18″ D × 18″ H
Adult minimum for this small lizard. Adults reach about 6–8″ total length.
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
- About every six weeks: full clean if kept relatively clean — replace substrate, disinfect decor and vivarium
Housing diagram
Enclosure example
Front view 24″ wide × 18″ tall (depth 18″) · rocks & slate crevices · climbing branch · cool water bowl
- Front proportions — 24″ wide × 18″ tall (4:3); depth 18″ — adult minimum
- Branch — climbing interest, mimicking fallen logs
- Rocks & slate — natural look with crevices for hiding
- Water bowl — small dish on the cool end (de-chlorinated water)
- Substrate — dry pelleted straw or coarser desert sand; daily spot clean, full clean about every six 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 82–84 °F (28–29 °C) creates this spread. The probe point is not the basking spot.
| Zone | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Cool side | ~80 °F (~27 °C) |
| Probe point (thermostat probe target) | 82–84 °F (28–29 °C) |
| Middle | 86–88 °F (30–31 °C) |
| Warm side | 88–90 °F (31–32 °C) |
| Basking spot (hottest point under bulb) | 95–100 °F (35–38 °C) |
| Night drop | Reduce thermostat by ~10 °F (~6 °C) to approx. 72 °F (~22 °C) |
Photoperiod & night
- Winter: 12 hours light/heat
- Summer: up to 16 hours
- Night: reduce thermostat by ~10 °F (~6 °C) to approx. 72 °F (~22 °C)
- Night drop lets metabolism slow — essential for the lizard
UVB lighting
- Recommended T5 unit with a 12% UV tube 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
Insectivores — try small amounts of salad as individuals differ. Dust every feed and gut-load insects well.
At a glance
Feeding cheat sheet
- Type
- Insectivore — try small amounts of salad as tastes differ
- Dust
- Every feeding (live food or salads) · 4:1 calcium : Nutrobal
- Water
- Small cool-side bowl · de-chlorinated water (e.g. Reptishield)
- Settling
- May not eat well for the first day or so — normal while settling
Primary diet
Insectivore
- Live feeder insects (gut-loaded)
- Dust every feed with 4:1 calcium : Nutrobal
Optional plant matter
Tastes differ by individual
- Small amounts of vegetation / salad
- See plant lists below · dust every offering
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.
Settling in — appetite
New Dwarf Sungazers often will not eat well for the first day or so. This is perfectly normal. Once settled and happy, appetite usually increases.
Diet notes
- Primarily insectivorous
- Try small amounts of salad — individuals differ in taste
Water
- Small water bowl on the cool side for easy access
- Treat all water with a de-chlorinator such as Reptishield — never straight from the tap
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
Dwarf Sungazers are insectivores, but it is worth trying small amounts of salad — individuals differ in taste. Alternate items for calcium-to-phosphorus 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 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
- Can increase faecal contamination (waste less absorbed than on traditional substrates)
Questions
FAQ
What size vivarium does a Dwarf Sungazer need?
Adult minimum is 24″ wide × 18″ tall × 18″ deep. They are small lizards (about 6–8″ total length). Provide a dry substrate (pelleted straw or coarser desert sand), a branch for climbing interest, lots of rocks and slate with crevices for hiding, and a small cool-side water bowl.
What temperatures does a Dwarf Sungazer need?
Set the thermostat probe to 82–84 °F (28–29 °C) by day with the heat bulb about one-quarter from one side and the probe one-quarter from the opposite side. That creates a gradient of about 80 °F on the cool side, 86–88 °F in the middle, around 88–90 °F on the warm side, and a basking spot of about 95–100 °F under the bulb. At night reduce the thermostat by about 10 °F to around 72 °F (22 °C).
When can I start handling my Dwarf Sungazer?
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 Dwarf Sungazers need?
A T5 unit with a 12% UV tube 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: about 12 hours in winter and up to 16 hours in summer.
What do Dwarf Sungazers eat?
They are insectivores. Dust every feed (insects or salads) with a 4:1 calcium : Nutrobal mix. New animals often eat poorly for the first day or so — that is normal. Once settled, appetite usually increases. Try small amounts of vegetation or salad as individuals differ in taste. Gut-load feeder insects well before offering.
Next steps
Ready to set up your Dwarf Sungazer?
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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