What are the do’s and don’ts of keeping maned lizards?

There are the following considerations for keeping Maned Lion Lizards:

1. Environmental aspects of rearing:
   • Feeding box:
     • Size: Choose the right breeding box according to the size of the Maned Lion Lizard, hatchlings can start with a smaller box, but adults need a box of at least 60x40x40 cm so that they have enough space to move around. If the space is too small, it may cause the Maned Lion Lizard to be tense and stressed, affecting its health.
     • MATERIAL: A PVC feeder box is recommended for good insulation and easy cleaning. Wooden boxes may harbour bacteria and parasites and are not suitable for long-term use.
     • Layout: The layout of the box should simulate its native environment by placing branches, rocks, hiding houses, etc. for the Maned Lion Lizard to climb, perch and hide. Hiding houses allow the lizards to hide when they feel nervous or need to rest, increasing their sense of security.
   • Lighting:
     • UVB LIGHT: A UVB light is essential to mimic the UV rays of natural sunlight to help maned lion lizards synthesise vitamin D3 and promote calcium absorption. It is recommended to use a 10.0 UVB lamp and irradiate for 4-6 hours per day, or turn it on and off at the same time as the UVA lamp.UVB lamps have a limited lifespan and need to be replaced regularly, usually once every six months to a year.
     • UVA Lamps: UVA lamps mainly provide heat to help maned lion lizards maintain body temperature and promote digestion. The wattage of the lamp should be chosen according to the size of the enclosure and the room temperature, ensuring that the hotspot (where the Maned Lion Lizard basks in the sun) is at around 38°C, and that the cooler areas of the enclosure are at 27-30°C.
     • Night light: A low wattage night light can be used to maintain the temperature of the terrarium at night when the temperature is low, but it should be kept dark for 8-10 hours at night to allow the Maned Lion Lizard to have enough rest time.
   • TEMPERATURE: Maned Lion Lizards are diurnal reptiles that prefer hot environments, but are sensitive to changes in temperature. The hot spot temperature should be maintained at around 38°C during the day and the cold zone at 27-30°C; the temperature can be lowered to 20-30°C at night. Temperature control devices can be used to precisely control the temperature to avoid too high or too low a temperature causing harm to the Maned Lion Lizard.
   • Humidity: Maned lion lizards come from desert areas and are adapted to lower humidity environments, and it is usually sufficient to keep the humidity at 20%-79%. If the humidity is too high, it is easy to cause maned lion lizards to suffer from skin diseases; if the humidity is too low, you can use humidifying paper or sprayer to increase the humidity appropriately.
   • Bedding: Individuals over 8 inches (about 20cm) can use cleaned game sand, corn cobs, etc. as bedding; individuals under 8 inches including newborn hatchlings are recommended to use paper towels as bedding to avoid accidental ingestion of bedding leading to intestinal blockage.
2. Dietary aspects:
   • Food groups:
     • Insects: Hatchling Maned Lion Lizards mainly feed on insects such as dubia cockroaches, crickets, breadworms, etc. However, breadworms are high in fat content and not easy to digest, so they should not be fed as a staple for a long period of time. The length of the insects should not exceed the distance between the eyes of the Maned Lion Lizard to avoid choking.
     • Vegetables: Vegetables should account for 40%-60% of the diet of adult Maned Lion Lizards, and you can feed them oleaginous greens, lettuce, carrots, sweet potato leaves, etc. However, you should pay attention to cleanliness to avoid pesticide residues. Spinach contains oxalic acid, which will affect the absorption of calcium and cannot be fed.
     • Fruits: Fruits can be used as occasional snacks, such as apples, bananas, strawberries, etc. However, the amount to be fed should be controlled, as fruits are high in sugar, and overfeeding may lead to obesity or diarrhoea in Maned Lion Lizards.
   • Feeding Frequency: Hatchlings need to be fed 2-3 times a day, and the feeding frequency can be gradually reduced as they grow older. Adults can be fed once a day, but care should be taken to control the amount of food to avoid overfeeding leading to obesity.
   • Nutritional supplements: Regularly give maned lion lizards calcium powder and vitamins, the calcium powder should contain vitamin D3, which helps the absorption of calcium. You can sprinkle the calcium powder and vitamin powder on the food for the maned lion lizards to ingest together.
3. Health management aspects:
   • Periodic Physical Examination: Observe the physical condition of the Maned Lion Lizard regularly, including the skin, eyes, mouth, tail and other parts of the body, to see if there is any abnormality. If you find that the Maned Lion Lizard has a loss of appetite, low spirits, diarrhoea, abnormal moulting, etc., identify the cause and take appropriate treatment measures.
   • Prevention of diseases: Keep the breeding environment clean and hygienic by regularly cleaning the breeding box, replacing the bedding material, and washing the food and water bowls to avoid the breeding of bacteria and parasites. Wash your hands and disinfect them before and after touching the maned lion lizards to prevent the transmission of germs to them.
   • BATHING: Regularly bathing your Maned Lion Lizard can help clean, hydrate and promote moulting. Give them a bath once a week. Keep the water temperature at 30-35°C and do not soak for more than 15 minutes.
   • Clip nails: Maned lion lizards’ nails grow continuously and if they are too long they may affect their movement and grasping for food. You can use sandpaper or a nail file to gently polish the nails, but be careful not to cut into the blood line inside the nails as this may cause bleeding.
4. Otherwise:
   • Avoid mixing: Maned Lion Lizards are territorial and mixing may lead to fighting and biting among them, so it is recommended to keep them individually.
   • Hand-on interaction: After the Maned Lion Lizard is familiar with the environment and adapts to its owner, it can be appropriately hand-on interacted, but be careful to move gently to avoid scaring them. Do not have the smell of food on your hands to avoid accidental biting by the Maned Lion Lizard.