Sudan Plated Lizard
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== Introduction == | == Introduction == | ||
| - | The Sudan plated lizard (AKA '' | + | The Sudan plated lizard (AKA ''Round-nosed Plated Lizard'' or ''Rough-scaled Plated lizard'') is from the arid regions of Eastern and southeastern Africa. The name "Sudan" plated lizard simply comes from someone assigning this name since it is shipped to Sudan first and then imported from there. They spend much of their time underground or in rocky crevices to escape the hot African sun. This contributes to their shy nature since hiding is in their programming. The Sudan's in particular live in the rockier regions where vegetation is scarce. In the wild their diet consists of a high insect diet, but being omnivores they do VERY well on a diet of greens, veggies and fruits supplemented with a good insect diet. |
Sudan's show in a variety of earth tone colors from yellow to dark browns. Their bodies are built low to the ground with short, stout legs that make you think these guys may be slow. They're anything but slow. These lizards can move fast! They have a stout tail and can use it as a club in defense. In extreme circumstances they can lose their tail and regenerate a new one. The ridges, or ''keel'', of the plated lizards have a raised angle on the dorsal (top) side while the scales elsewhere are quite smooth. They have an extra lateral fold of skin which allows for expansion so they can wedge themselves into their escape hole if being chased by predators. | Sudan's show in a variety of earth tone colors from yellow to dark browns. Their bodies are built low to the ground with short, stout legs that make you think these guys may be slow. They're anything but slow. These lizards can move fast! They have a stout tail and can use it as a club in defense. In extreme circumstances they can lose their tail and regenerate a new one. The ridges, or ''keel'', of the plated lizards have a raised angle on the dorsal (top) side while the scales elsewhere are quite smooth. They have an extra lateral fold of skin which allows for expansion so they can wedge themselves into their escape hole if being chased by predators. | ||
Sudan plated lizards have long been in the pet trade with minimal popularity and exposure. They are gaining that as more people learn these are an easy animal to handle once they get over their shyness and their size makes them easily manageable. | Sudan plated lizards have long been in the pet trade with minimal popularity and exposure. They are gaining that as more people learn these are an easy animal to handle once they get over their shyness and their size makes them easily manageable. | ||
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| + | They should be housed in no less than a 55 gal. tank. Of course, bigger is better and you may quickly find you have run out of room in the 55 gal. I keep mine in a 75 gal. and even this has run out of room. Though not an overly active lizard, it does appreciate the room offered by larger accommodations. A custom built cage of 4'L x 18"T x 18"D would be ideal for a single plated lizard. | ||
The Sudan plated lizard is one of 7 species for which this wiki can be used, as well. The other 6 species are: | The Sudan plated lizard is one of 7 species for which this wiki can be used, as well. The other 6 species are: | ||
