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How to Take Care of a Baby Blue Belly Lizard

| Updated September 26, 2017

Things You'll Need

  • 20-gallon aquarium

  • Screen hood

  • Dirt

  • Rocks

  • Wood

  • Small dish

  • Insects

  • Small crickets

  • Calcium supplement powder

The western fence lizard is also known as the blue belly lizard due to the blue striping on the sides of the male lizard. Blue belly lizards are able to fend for themselves from the time of hatching. Their diet consists of small insects, larva, spiders and other creatures small enough to fit in their mouths. Predominantly found in the Northwest, the lizard earned the name "fence lizard" because of the habit of climbing on top of fences to perch for sunning and hunting. The blue belly lizard is found in its natural habitat and in many pet stores.

Wash and clean the inside of a 20-gallon aquarium.

Layer the bottom of the aquarium with about 1 inch of dirt. Place rocks and wood on top of the soil. Provide sticks or ledges for the lizard to climb on. The branches may lean against the side of the aquarium walls.

Place a small dish in the aquarium and fill partially with water. The water may not be consumed by the lizard if the moisture content is high enough in the food. The water is a secondary measure designed to ensure the health of your pet.

Acquire food for the lizard. Place the food in the aquarium. Ants, small bugs, beetles, and baby crickets are good foods for a baby blue belly lizard. Babies hatch at approximately 2 1/4 inches. Food should be smaller than the jaw of the baby lizard. When the lizard grows, it may consume larger foods, such as worms or maggots.

Dust the food with calcium powder. The lizard will ingest the calcium when it eats the insects. Calcium powder for lizards is available at most pet stores.

Tips

  • Clean the aquarium every two to three weeks to reduce smells.

Warnings

  • Do not feed your lizard insects which have had contact with harmful chemicals. Pesticides, cleaning fluids, fertilizer and other garden chemicals may harm your lizard.