I just got this guy and he's AWESOME!!

[Zeromus]

I say guy, cos ya never know really lol

He's a long nosed leopard lizard and the breeder dropped him off at my house last night. He's about 5/6 months old and he has a 90 degree kink in his tail which he was born with. He didn't half put up a show last night when tranfering him into his viv! Boy did he hiss at me and he even tried to take a pop at my finger! He thinks he's 20ft tall bless him! :lol:

He's starting to explore his viv a bit more this afternoon as he's been sat in the warm side all morning. But he's trying to dig himself a burrow in the sand, not getting very far, mind you lol. He's not yet tried to climb his rock wall to find either basking spot or his water dish (daren't put that on the floor of his viv, it'll be full of sand in no time and if he digs under it it'll squish him) But i guess he'll figure it out soon, eh? They can't be that dumb, surely lol

He's so damn awesome!! :mrgreen:

 

[Livey]

i agree!
very nice

 

[GoFast]

wow....

he is really cool

 

[Zeromus]

Honestly, i think he's so fantastic! lol

I been watching him all day digging in the sand. He seems to have already established his own territory as when he feels spooked thats where he runs to! And when he see's me he'll run to it and rub his belly in the sand in that area. No idea why that is... territory marking perhaps? And he did finally find his basking spot and water! :mrgreen: he did his little belly rub there as well under his basking spot! I wonder if it really is a territory thing?

But he's so inquisitive!! I put more damp sand in his enclosure to make it more firm when he's digging and he kept running up to my hand and having a real good nosey then running off!

He's managed to dig himself a hole in the sand he's sleeping there now. It's been so fun to watch him! Honestly i could sit there all day watching him! 8)

 

[Starforce2]

sounds like one of those generic names pet stores give..what species is this exactly? A form of gecko? It's cool looking for sure.

 

[Zeromus]

the scientific name is gambelia wislizenii. Not a gecko, but very very closely related to the collard lizard (crotaphytus collaris)

 

[Starforce2]

I assume they are an agreesive lizzard? Doesn't sound very handle friendly if it was hissing at you lol.

 

[Zeromus]

they are handle-able. Do take on mind he'd just been on a road journey and had been unwillingly placed in a whole new environment. That, for such a small guy is one hell of a scary experience and i would hiss if i was put through that.

I actually shuffled my hand under him the other day and picked him up, he was calm as anything! He even didn't make a hurry to get off when i placed him down, he shuffled his belly on my hand as if to make himself comfortable. And given the fact he has a small wound on his tail due to the fact he has a kink in it (he scrapes it on things when he's digging) i have to dab it with tamodine every now and then and he just sits and lets me do it. I dont even have to pick him up for it, he just sits there watching me with inquisitive eyes lol.

We are slowly gaining trust and i put my hand in his viv everyday so he gets used to my presence. So far with no more hissing.

 

[Starforce2]

how large will he get?

 

[Zeromus]

about 18 inches snout to tail, so not all that big.

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Nice.

 

[ThyDemise]

nice lookin liz. ive had a few of these and they werent mean at all. they did seem a little high strung and easily freaked, but once they figured out what was going on they calmed down. never had a problem holding them they were always pretty mellow for the most part during handling. the digging drove me crazy tho.

 

[Twobeardieguy]

Hope to see more pictures of this cutie!