Legless lizards, often mistaken for snakes, are a diverse group of reptiles with unique characteristics and behaviors. Understanding their dietary needs and feeding habits is crucial for their well-being, especially when kept as pets. This article delves into the specifics of legless lizard diets, focusing on the Sheltopusik (Pseudopus apodus) and other common species, providing a comprehensive guide for keepers and enthusiasts.
Identifying Legless Lizards
Legless lizards share a superficial resemblance to snakes, but possess distinct features that set them apart. Unlike snakes, legless lizards have eyelids, ear holes, and a tail that typically makes up a significant portion of their total length. For instance, the Sheltopusik, also known as the giant glass lizard or European legless lizard, can reach lengths of up to 4 feet (1.2 meters). These lizards have a triangular head, a long body covered in plate-like scales, and a lateral groove along their sides.
Coloration varies among species, with Sheltopusiks typically ranging from light tan to dark brown, sometimes exhibiting orange or reddish hues. Some individuals may have mottled or speckled patterns, with the head often paler than the rest of the body and light-colored irises.
Natural Habitat and Behavior
Legless lizards are found in various regions worldwide, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Sheltopusiks, specifically, inhabit areas from eastern Europe through the Middle East to western Asia, adapting to diverse habitats ranging from semi-arid to moist climates. These lizards are primarily diurnal, meaning they are most active during the day.
In the wild, legless lizards play an essential role in their ecosystems as both predators and prey. Their diet consists mainly of insects and other invertebrates, but some species also consume small vertebrates.
Read also: Diet and Feeding: Armadillo Girdled Lizard
Dietary Needs of Legless Lizards
Legless lizards are carnivores, with their diet primarily consisting of animal matter. The specific dietary requirements vary depending on the species and size of the lizard.
Wild Diet
In their natural habitats, legless lizards consume a variety of prey, including:
- Invertebrates: Insects, spiders, termites, beetles, larvae, crickets, dubia roaches, discoid roaches, black soldier fly larvae, mealworms, superworms, hornworms, silkworms, grasshoppers/locusts, and snails (captive-bred ONLY).
- Small Vertebrates: Smaller lizards, young mice, young rats, young hamsters, house geckos, anoles, quail, chicks, and eggs (chicken and quail).
Captive Diet
To replicate a natural diet in captivity, it is essential to provide a balanced mix of invertebrates and vertebrates. A general guideline is to aim for a diet consisting of roughly 60% invertebrates and 40% vertebrates and eggs. Variety is key to ensuring the lizard receives all the necessary nutrients.
- Invertebrate Options: Crickets, dubia roaches, discoid roaches, black soldier fly larvae, mealworms, superworms, hornworms, silkworms, grasshoppers/locusts, and snails (captive-bred ONLY).
- Vertebrate Options: Young mice, young rats, young hamsters, house geckos, anoles, quail, chicks, chicken eggs, and quail eggs. Reptilinks can also be a convenient option.
Both juvenile and adult legless lizards should be fed daily. To prevent obesity, offer only as much food as the lizard can consume in approximately 5-8 minutes.
Feeding Practices for Sheltopusiks
Sheltopusiks, as carnivores, require a varied diet to thrive in captivity. Replicating their natural feeding habits involves offering a range of invertebrates and small vertebrates.
Read also: Feeding Frilled Lizards
Recommended Food Items
- Invertebrates: Crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, superworms, and other commercially available insects.
- Vertebrates: Pinky mice (especially for juveniles), small chicks, and quail eggs.
Feeding Schedule and Portion Sizes
- Juveniles: Daily feedings with appropriately sized insects and occasional pinky mice.
- Adults: Daily feedings, adjusting portion sizes to prevent obesity. Offer a variety of insects and vertebrates, ensuring the lizard consumes the meal within 5-8 minutes.
Supplementation
To ensure the legless lizard receives adequate nutrition, it is important to supplement their diet with calcium and multivitamins.
- Calcium: Dust insect feeders with calcium powder to balance the calcium-phosphorus ratio.
- Multivitamins: Use multivitamin powder occasionally to provide additional nutrients. All-in-one powders, such as Repashy CalciumPlus LoD, can provide a balanced dose of both calcium and multivitamins.
Follow the label instructions for best results.
Water Requirements
Legless lizards need constant access to fresh, clean water. Provide a shallow bowl of water daily, ensuring it is easily accessible and regularly cleaned.
Sourcing Food
Feeder insects can be sourced from reputable online breeders such as Dubia.com, Beastmode Silks, and Luna Roaches. Vertebrate feeders can be purchased from high-quality breeders like Layne Labs and RodentPro.
Creating an Ideal Habitat
Providing an appropriate enclosure is crucial for the health and well-being of legless lizards. The enclosure should be large enough to allow the lizard to fully stretch out, explore, and exhibit natural behaviors.
Read also: Comprehensive Guide to Caiman Lizard Diet
Enclosure Size
The minimum enclosure size for a single Sheltopusik is 6’L x 2’W x 2’H (1.8 x 0.6 x 0.6m). Larger enclosures are always preferable, as long as the space is well-organized.
Recommended enclosures:
- Kages 6’x2’x2′ Premium PVC Reptile Enclosure
- Zen Habitats 6’x2’x2′ Meridian PVC Reptile Enclosure
- Toad Ranch BC72 6’x2’x2′ Luxury Reptile Enclosure
Substrate
A well-drained, naturalistic substrate that mimics the lizard’s native habitat is essential. The substrate should be layered 6 inches deep to allow for burrowing behavior.
Substrate options:
- DIY semi-arid mix: 60% clean topsoil, 40% play sand
- Lugarti Natural Reptile Bedding
- The Bio Dude Terra Sahara
New Sheltopusiks should pass quarantine before naturalistic substrate is added to their enclosure.
Temperature and Lighting
Maintaining appropriate temperature and lighting gradients is crucial for the health of legless lizards.
- Basking Area Temperature: 90-95°F (32-35°C)
- Ambient Temperature: 75-82°F (24-28°C)
- Nighttime Temperature: 60-72°F (16-22°C)
Use a cluster of two ~70w halogen heat bulbs to achieve the desired temperatures. Place heat lamps on one side of the enclosure to create a temperature gradient.
Sheltopusiks require UVB lighting for good long-term health. Use an Arcadia T5 HO Desert 12% or Zoo Med T5 HO ReptiSun 10.0, mounted in a reflective T5 HO fixture.
- UVB mounted over mesh: lizard’s back is 12-15” / 30-38cm below UVB lamp when basking
- UVB mounted under mesh: lizard’s back is 16-18” / 40-46cm below UVB lamp when basking
Use a Solarmeter 6.5 to determine the best placement to achieve a UVI of 3.0-4.0 in the basking area.
Supplement with a bright, 6500K T5 HO fluorescent or LED lamp to provide general illumination.
All lights should be turned off at night. Use a 12/12 day/night cycle or vary day length seasonally to encourage natural hormonal rhythms.
Humidity
Maintain an average daytime humidity of 40-60% and an average nighttime humidity of 60-80%. Provide a "humid hide" with moistened substrate on the cool end of the enclosure.
Enclosure Enrichment
Decorations play a vital role in environmental enrichment. Provide cork logs, cork flats, thick branches, leaf litter, ledges, artificial plants, sturdy live plants, and additional hideouts.
Handling and Acclimation
After bringing a legless lizard home, allow it two weeks to settle into its new environment before handling. Introduce yourself by placing your hand in the enclosure for a few minutes each night. Let the lizard come to you, using food bribes with soft-tipped feeding tongs if necessary.
Begin handling with 5-minute sessions every other day, gradually increasing the length and frequency of the sessions.
Health Considerations
Like all pets, legless lizards can develop health problems related to diet, environment, infections, or parasites. Regular veterinary check-ups are crucial for maintaining their health.