Balkan wall lizard (Podarcis tauricus)

Short answers

Balkan wall lizard: How big does the enclosure need to be?

100×40×50 cm, plenty of floor area with grass structures and flat stones (it climbs little).

Balkan wall lizard: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 25–32 °C, basking spot 38–42 °C, at night 15–20 °C.

Balkan wall lizard: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB needed (Ferguson zone 3–4, UV index 3–5).

Balkan wall lizard: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 6–8 years in captivity.

Balkan wall lizard: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

25–32 °C

Night temperature

15–20 °C

Basking spot

38–42 °C

Humidity

40–60 %

UVB

UVB needed (Ferguson zone 3–4, UV index 3–5)

Enclosure

Minimum size

100×40×50 cm, plenty of floor area with grass structures and flat stones (it climbs little)

Substrate

A sand-loam mix, dry tussocks of grass, flat stones, a damp egg-laying spot

Feeding

Food

Insects and small invertebrates (crickets, locusts, flies)

Feeding interval

adults 3–4×/week, juveniles daily

Key facts

Adult size

~20–24 cm total length (SVL ~8 cm, the tail about twice the body)

Life expectancy

approx. 6–8 years in captivity

Origin

South-eastern Europe: Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, eastern Greece, the Black Sea coast to Crimea; steppe and grassland

Protection status

Strictly protected (Habitats Directive Annex IV, all Podarcis); only documented captive-bred animals

Brumation

A winter rest is needed: about 3 months at 5–10 °C. Note: in the wild they sometimes aestivate through the hottest months

Cohabitation

A pair is the least complicated option; one male with several females also works in a large, well-structured ground-based enclosure with sight barriers - but never two males together.

Notes

A steppe-dwelling wall lizard, more ground-oriented than other Podarcis. The greenish colour fades to brown in summer. It needs a flat floor terrarium rather than a climbing tower.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Aeolian wall lizard (Podarcis raffonei) – Expert
• Erhard's wall lizard (Podarcis erhardii) – Beginner to intermediate
• Lilford's wall lizard (Podarcis lilfordi) – Expert
• Bocage's wall lizard (Podarcis bocagei) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Carbonell's wall lizard (Podarcis carbonelli) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Geniez's wall lizard (Podarcis virescens) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Guadarrama wall lizard (Podarcis guadarramae) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Ionian wall lizard (Podarcis ionicus) – Beginner with some knowledge

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Balkan wall lizard (Podarcis tauricus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (100×40×50 cm, plenty of floor area with grass structures and flat stones (it climbs little)), substrate (A sand-loam mix, dry tussocks of grass, flat stones, a damp egg-laying spot), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.