Jeweled Lacerta Starter Buying Guide

A jeweled lacerta enclosure should be large enough to allow for a proper thermoregulatory gradient and have opaque or covered sides to better retain heat. For a starter setup, we recommend an absolute minimum 4’x2’x2’ PVC enclosure.

Jeweled lacerta substrate should replicate the soil found in their native regions, usually a combination of soil, clay, crushed rock, and sand, and should be at least 4-6” deep to facilitate digging and burrowing. You can achieve this with a mixture of 60% ReptiSoil + 40% ReptiSand. For a 4’x2’ footprint, you'll need at least 50 quarts of soil and around 40-60 pounds of sand.

A lacerta enclosure should have overhead heat, UVB, a daylight lamp, and tools to monitor and control these elements.

Heat Source

You'll need a cluster of at least 2 heat bulbs to create an appropriate basking area. 75 watt halogen flood bulbs are an ideal source of IR-A and IR-B radiation needed for healthy thermoregulation, best paired with a reflective dome fixture to project the heat evenly and naturally.

UVB Lamp

To provide necessary UVB, we recommend a 12% UVB output T5 HO linear fluorescent lamp with a reflective fixture, spanning roughly half the length of the enclosure. The lamp can be placed directly on top of the screen or mounted inside the enclosure. Be sure to check our basking distance chart to determine the height of your primary basking area, where the UVI should be at its strongest.

Daylight Lamp

Diurnal lizards like lacertas require a 6400-6500K daylight lamp to stimulate natural behaviors and maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. A high quality full spectrum fluorescent bulb like the Zoo Med UltraSun in a reflective fixture is a great choice for a starter sized lacerta habitat. A fluorescent daylight lamp should span 75-100% of the enclosure length.

Monitoring & Regulation

1. 2 Gauges: Place each thermometer/hygrometer on opposite sides of the enclosure to monitor the necessary warm-to-cool temperature gradient.
2. Outlet timer: All reptiles should have a healthy circadian schedule: heat and UVB turned on during the day, then everything turned off at night to allow for total darkness and a natural temperature drop (~12hrs/day). This can be best achieved using a simple outlet timer.
3. Rheostat: A manual plug-in dimmer for your heat lamp allows you to make small adjustments to find the “sweet spot” on your lizard's basking area, reduces risk of overheating, and prolongs bulb life. (To automatically maintain your temps, you can plug your heat lamp into a dimming thermostat instead)

Lacertas require a variety of specific decor items that are vital for security, basking, enrichment, and health.

Hides

A jeweled lacerta should have plenty of hiding and burrowing opportunities throughout the enclosure to provide security and enrichment. You will need to provide at least one dedicated humid hide towards the cooler side of the enclosure, lined with damp sphagnum moss and misted regularly to maintain a high humidity microclimate. The Reptile Basics large hide box is the perfect size and material for a humid hide.

Basking Platform

Lacertas also need an elevated basking surface directly under the heat source, ideally made of stone or wood for optimal thermal performance. Hides with a large, flat top can double as a warm hide and basking platform! You can construct a basking area by arranging cork, driftwood, or slate on top of a sturdy, extra-large box hide. Or for a ready-made solution, Zen Habitats caves are perfectly designed for heat-seeking lizards like lacertas!

Branches & Cork

A starter habitat should have at least 2 large cork flats for your lizard to bask on and burrow under and at least 1 large branch to climb. Lacertas are semi-arboreal, so the more climbing opportunities the better!

Plants

Artificial plants provide more shade for heat regulation, coverage for security, opportunities for enrichment, and they enhance the appearance of a naturalistic habitat. We recommend choosing at least 3 plants for a starter enclosure.

A complete jeweled lacerta starter setup also needs:

1. Shallow water dish
2. Hand mister for moist hide and general humidity
3. Durable tongs for hand feeding live insects
4. Calcium and vitamin supplement with low D3 content