Anyone keep Texas spiny lizards?

TechnoCheese

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I’ve been kinda interested in them recently, and there doesn’t seem to be much information about keeping them as pets.

They’re all over my yard, and I’ve heard they’re pretty fun to keep.
 

Tom

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I looked up "Texas tree lizard" and it gave me info on the "spiny lizard".

Got a scientific name for the one you are asking about?
 

TechnoCheese

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If anyone has any Care info for them, that would be helpful too.

I’m also not sure if they can be kept in pairs or groups. The sources I’ve checked say that females can be kept together, but most of the time when people say that for other reptiles, it really shouldn’t be done.
 

TechnoCheese

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I looked up "Texas tree lizard" and it gave me info on the "spiny lizard".

Got a scientific name for the one you are asking about?
Sorry, I mixed up the names. I meant spiny Lizard.
Sceloporus olivaceus.
 

KarenSoCal

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They’re all over my yard, and I’ve heard they’re pretty fun to keep.

I'm just curious...if they are all over your yard so you can observe them naturally in their native habitat...why would you put them in an unnatural place like a tank or cage?

Enquiring minds want to know...
 

TechnoCheese

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I'm just curious...if they are all over your yard so you can observe them naturally in their native habitat...why would you put them in an unnatural place like a tank or cage?

Enquiring minds want to know...

Because, while they’re all over my yard, I rarely get to see them at all before they scurry up a tree. In addition, I never get to observe any natural behavior other than basking. They seem like very interesting animals to keep(but I doubt I ever will because of the lack of info on them), and I would like to at least try to find info on their care.
 

EllieMay

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I caught one at my deerlease one time and brought it home. We kept him for about two weeks. We watched him eat crickets, play in water and bask. We released him back at the deer lease where we found him in perfect condition.:) I didn’t find much helpful info about keeping them either.
 

TechnoCheese

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I caught one at my deerlease one time and brought it home. We kept him for about two weeks. We watched him eat crickets, play in water and bask. We released him back at the deer lease where we found him in perfect condition.:) I didn’t find much helpful info about keeping them either.

Once there was one sitting on my doorstep that sat there long enough for me to feed it a cricket from my feeding tongs. They’re super cool, lol.
 

KarenSoCal

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Because, while they’re all over my yard, I rarely get to see them at all before they scurry up a tree. In addition, I never get to observe any natural behavior other than basking. They seem like very interesting animals to keep(but I doubt I ever will because of the lack of info on them), and I would like to at least try to find info on their care.
Ok, thanks for explaining.
 

KarenSoCal

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Once there was one sitting on my doorstep that sat there long enough for me to feed it a cricket from my feeding tongs. They’re super cool, lol.
I think it is @Tom that has lizards in his mud room or somewhere...he throws roaches to them! [emoji15]
 

Tom

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I don't have any captive care info for them, but yours are the same genus as the ones I have here. Our species is relatively the and they will sit and watch you. They don't usually scurry away until you get too close. I've tamed down a few to where they will take food from my hand, and once they do that, they come running when they see me and follow me like a puppy. I bet yours would be that way too, if you took the time. Try tossing a cricket near them from a distance, after a few times, toss the cricket so that they have to move toward you to get it. When they are coming a foot or so away from you over a period of a week or two, then try to hand feed. Sit still and be patient. Its pretty neat when you can do it.

I'll bet if you set them up like a bearded dragon, with a water bowl and a humid hide they'd do fine. Strong basking area and UV would be requirements.

Do you already know how to catch them?
 

TechnoCheese

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I don't have any captive care info for them, but yours are the same genus as the ones I have here. Our species is relatively the and they will sit and watch you. They don't usually scurry away until you get too close. I've tamed down a few to where they will take food from my hand, and once they do that, they come running when they see me and follow me like a puppy. I bet yours would be that way too, if you took the time. Try tossing a cricket near them from a distance, after a few times, toss the cricket so that they have to move toward you to get it. When they are coming a foot or so away from you over a period of a week or two, then try to hand feed. Sit still and be patient. Its pretty neat when you can do it.

I'll bet if you set them up like a bearded dragon, with a water bowl and a humid hide they'd do fine. Strong basking area and UV would be requirements.

Do you already know how to catch them?

See, mine usually scurry away before I even see them, lol. I’ve never caught one, but I have been doing research on how to. You can creep up without looking at them and quickly slap them, you can try using a net, and apparently splashing cold water on them is pretty effective. The first one seems pretty easy to accidentally harm the lizard with, so I would probably try using a net before anything.

Thanks for the advice on “taming” them! They have a few places that they usually sit (including some that are always on a specific tree), so that could definitely be a viable option.
 

Tom

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See, mine usually scurry away before I even see them, lol. I’ve never caught one, but I have been doing research on how to. You can creep up without looking at them and quickly slap them, you can try using a net, and apparently splashing cold water on them is pretty effective. The first one seems pretty easy to accidentally harm the lizard with, so I would probably try using a net before anything.

Thanks for the advice on “taming” them! They have a few places that they usually sit (including some that are always on a specific tree), so that could definitely be a viable option.
Sending a message...
 

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