Cape girdled lizard (Cordylus cordylus)

Short answers

Cape girdled lizard: How big does the enclosure need to be?

100×50×50 cm.

Cape girdled lizard: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–32 °C, basking spot 42 °C, at night 14–19 °C.

Cape girdled lizard: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 10.0).

Cape girdled lizard: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 15–25 years.

Cape girdled lizard: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–32 °C

Night temperature

14–19 °C

Basking spot

42 °C

Humidity

40–55 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 10.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

100×50×50 cm

Substrate

Sand-loam, stable rock structures with crevices

Feeding

Food

House crickets, crickets, roaches

Feeding interval

3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

15–20 cm total length

Life expectancy

15–25 years

Origin

South Africa – the Cape region

Protection status

CITES II

Brumation

A winter rest of 8–12 weeks at 8–14 °C

Cohabitation

A colony is possible. Two males will not work together — they fight over territory and the warm spot until one is seriously injured or spends its life in a corner. One male with several females, on the other hand, works reliably. What matters is several warm spots and hides so that subordinate animals can get out of the way, and separate feeding as soon as the animals differ in size.

Notes

Live-bearing and social – it lives in small colonies in rock crevices. It needs a genuine winter rest; reproduction is very slow at one or two young a year.

Do you keep this species?

Add your animal to Reptoria – Reptoria reminds you about feeding and shedding. Add your animal for free →

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Related species

• Jones' girdled lizard (Cordylus jonesii) – Beginner
• Large-scaled girdled lizard (Cordylus macropholis) – Intermediate
• Dwarf girdled lizard (Cordylus minor) – Intermediate
• Oelofsen's girdled lizard (Cordylus oelofseni) – Intermediate
• Black girdled lizard (Cordylus niger) – Intermediate
• Transvaal girdled lizard (Cordylus vittifer) – Intermediate
• Arid girdled lizard (Cordylus aridus) – Intermediate
• Tropical girdled lizard (Cordylus tropidosternum) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Cape girdled lizard (Cordylus cordylus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (100×50×50 cm), substrate (Sand-loam, stable rock structures with crevices), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.