# Jeweled Lacerta Diet???



## ParoeduraPropensity (Jun 7, 2015)

I've been reading a ton about these guys, and they are sometimes called "mini tegus", but does this mean that their diet can be the same as tegus (just smaller portions)? Can they eat fuzzies and chicken hearts/gizzards like tegus, or no? I just love the look of these guys and can't wait to add one into the family :flrt: I'm just missing a few little details about care such as this :whistling2:


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

I would feed 90% insects: crickets, locusts , cockroaches, mealworms, morio worms and waxworms. I dont know whether they will eat meat, I have never offered mine any. they will eat some soft fruit though.


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## ParoeduraPropensity (Jun 7, 2015)

What fruits are okay? I've heard bananas are great for them, but my geckos are only "allowed" to eat them on rare occasion. Can lacertas eat them whenever?


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

Bananas rarely, more strawberries, raspberries, blueberries etc.


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## Creed (Apr 2, 2014)

Droppings from wild animals show that they eat mostly beetles (more than half their diet), crickets and grasshoppers and the odd snail. So I’m guessing you'd be better of sticking to insects instead of meat.


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## ParoeduraPropensity (Jun 7, 2015)

Okay thanks! One more question :lol2: not many websites actually say what humidity or ambient temps should be, only med-hi humidity and a 95 degree basking spot. What should these be at?


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

I would say low humidity with some damp sand. 95f basking should be fine.


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## ParoeduraPropensity (Jun 7, 2015)

So not substrate that's a coco-fiber/sand mix? Just straight play sand?


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## GavinMc (Jan 9, 2013)

ParoeduraPropensity said:


> Okay thanks! One more question :lol2: not many websites actually say what humidity or ambient temps should be, only med-hi humidity and a 95 degree basking spot. What should these be at?


The best way to find this out, if you can't find much on them in captivity, is to find out where they come from. And then research their habitat and it's climate.

EDIT: Would Tenebrio molitor( mealworm beetles ) be fine for these species that eat a large amount of beetles? I have fed them to a few species and they have been ingested and digested with no problems. It just seems like an easy way to provide something that they will have in the wild and will help fussy WC specimens.

Gavin.


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## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

I am sure you could use either but I just use sand.


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## ParoeduraPropensity (Jun 7, 2015)

Oh okay! Thanks for the help :notworthy:


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## GavinMc (Jan 9, 2013)

After reading all of this thread over again something in the back of my mind has just clicked( think it could be my brain ). Again it is the problem that annoys and confuses me most about animals in general - common and scientific names. Are we all talking about the same species here? Or at least the same Genus?

It's just that Jeweled Lacerta is usually a common name for Timon lepidus, but it is usually Ameiva ameiva that is referred to as a 'Mini Tegu' due to their looks. 

I'm confused which doesn't really matter but the OP getting confused and potentially putting a species in the completely wrong environment does.



Gavin.


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

They will also take grapes and grated carrot, and dandelion flowers. Mine will happily take pinkies or fuzzies but I do not recommend this as anything more than the _very_ occasional treat. As above, in the wild they basically specialise in all kinds of hard and spiny insects - beetles and grasshoppers form the bulk of the diet, but I find mine enjoy earth worms and will take woodlice, pillbugs, earwigs, wasps, centipedes, spiders and just about anything else that moves.

The substrate I use is a straight up mixture of sand and soil. It retains burrows well and looks nice, and is not expensive to make.... however they WILL throw it everywhere as they LOVE to dig around in it, so glass runners will need to be removed every few days and blown out or hoovered. They like a nice deep substrate too; in the wild this species tends to lair in burrows to which they return each day - they can display a high degree of site fidelity!

Humidity is not important. They certainly will appreciate a spray every few days but it's not a major concern as long as there is always fresh water available to them. A temperature gradient of about 23c to 30c is fine, with a basking hotspot approaching 40c (make sure they still have a cool area though and the ambient temps are not overpowered).

Personally I believe an absolute minimum terrarium size for a pair is 48"x24"x24" although I cannot help thinking that even this is a tad small and large specimens would appreciate a 72" long enclosure more, as well as more height...


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

gavgav04 said:


> After reading all of this thread over again something in the back of my mind has just clicked( think it could be my brain ). Again it is the problem that annoys and confuses me most about animals in general - common and scientific names. Are we all talking about the same species here? Or at least the same Genus?
> 
> It's just that Jeweled Lacerta is usually a common name for Timon lepidus, but it is usually Ameiva ameiva that is referred to as a 'Mini Tegu' due to their looks.
> 
> ...


Good point, I've never heard _Timon lepidus_ referred to as "mini tegus" before myself...


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## ParoeduraPropensity (Jun 7, 2015)

gavgav04 said:


> After reading all of this thread over again something in the back of my mind has just clicked( think it could be my brain ). Again it is the problem that annoys and confuses me most about animals in general - common and scientific names. Are we all talking about the same species here? Or at least the same Genus?
> 
> It's just that Jeweled Lacerta is usually a common name for Timon lepidus, but it is usually Ameiva ameiva that is referred to as a 'Mini Tegu' due to their looks.
> 
> ...


Sorry!! I'm talking about timon lepidus, sorry for confusion! I've seen both referred to as mini-tegus or dwarf tegus, but ameiva ameiva is definitely the more commonly referenced "mini-tegu".


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## GavinMc (Jan 9, 2013)

ParoeduraPropensity said:


> Sorry!! I'm talking about timon lepidus, sorry for confusion! I've seen both referred to as mini-tegus or dwarf tegus, but ameiva ameiva is definitely the more commonly referenced "mini-tegu".


That's fine then. I was just checking everyone one was on the same species. It's better getting that out the way now rather than helping you change an enclosure which was correct for one species but off for the species you end up getting.



Gavin.


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## Thrasops (Apr 15, 2008)

Went for a short walk this morning collecting lizard food (I try and supplement the diets of all my lizards with as much wild-collected prey as possible) and found a few decent-sized (1"+) Ground beetles and a Cockchafer for my various Ocellated Lizards (_Timon_).

The sheer eagerness and JOY they seemed to react with upon seeing them was something to behold... as was the workman-like way in which they dismembered and consumed them. Really fun to watch, must remember to film it next time!


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## Khonsu (May 20, 2009)

Glad that ones put to bed, I too was a tad confused as to me "Jeweled Lacerta or Lizard is the Eyed Lizard - _Timon Lepidus,_ never heard it reffered toc as a Mini Tegu before.


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## Dragon Farm (Aug 7, 2009)

Thrasops said:


> They will also take grapes and grated carrot, and dandelion flowers. Mine will happily take pinkies or fuzzies but I do not recommend this as anything more than the _very_ occasional treat. As above, in the wild they basically specialise in all kinds of hard and spiny insects - beetles and grasshoppers form the bulk of the diet, but I find mine enjoy earth worms and will take woodlice, pillbugs, earwigs, wasps, centipedes, spiders and just about anything else that moves.
> 
> The substrate I use is a straight up mixture of sand and soil. It retains burrows well and looks nice, and is not expensive to make.... however they WILL throw it everywhere as they LOVE to dig around in it, so glass runners will need to be removed every few days and blown out or hoovered. They like a nice deep substrate too; in the wild this species tends to lair in burrows to which they return each day - they can display a high degree of site fidelity!
> 
> ...


 All very good advice, and yes air humidity will be low most of the time, but in the wild they will spend probably the majority of their lives down old rodent holes, gaps under logs/rocks, where the humidity will be high. So air humidity lowish, but they need a decent damp hide at the cool end to help when it comes to shedding. 

'Mini-tegu' sounds like dodgy US marketing to me (Jeweled Lacerta is also a very common name for them in the US). I will take a wild basking temp tomorrow in their native habitat, and you will all get a shock.


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