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Posted by Les4toads on September 24, 2002 at 16:15:34:
In Reply to: Re: Desert Horned Lizard Set-up posted by Mark Berger on September 23, 2002 at 23:52:17:
:They are hatchlings, only about the size of a nickle at this point. The parents were wild caught from northern Nevada 3 years ago. We ordered harvester ants from ants alive, so that should be safe. As far as collecting ants, we are in Colorado. We are on the east side (Colorado Springs area), in the front range. What ants can we safely collect around here?
:Right now, they will be in a 10 gal and we will move them into a 20 long as they grow. Final plan is to finish a display cage for them (two different enclosures) each about 40-50 gal. we also keep beardies, water dragons, Igs, and a wide variety of snakes (in addition to the things we foster from Colorado Reptile Rescue). Keeping up the tank size as they grow is not a problem. We are awaiting our 80 gal tank to set up for our retic, and that will open up the 50.
:Again, thanks for any help you can offer. I want to do everything I can for these so that they live a long, happy life.
:Aimee Bowers and Mark Berger
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:::Captive bred? How old are the HLs? Your set up sounds okay so far. What size enclosure are you using? Water is a necessary item for HLs. They do get most of their water from food prey, but Desert HLs do like water to drink also. Think of the summer rains that happen in the deserts. A shallow water dish works great. Distilled water, no tap water. Too many minerals and additives. It is good you have a natural supply of ants. What state are you in? This will be a better info for the kind of ants. Lester G. Milroy III
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:Aimee and Mark, the ants you have ordered will probably be too big for hatchling Desert Horned Lizards. You will have to collect ants in your area of differeent varities and experiment. The problem working with hatchlings is their size and the food prey.
Hatchling HLs do not eat the same ants as adults. There are several differ and genera/species that HLs eat and you have to find the ants that are acceptable to the HLs. Offer different ants and observe. Hatchling HLs should not be sold until they are at least 1 year old. Their survival rate in the wild is about 40% of a clutch group. (typically 14 eggs in a clutch). They are very hard to care for, but give it a go and see what happens. Lester G. Milroy III
