Cardamom mountain horned lizard (Acanthosaura cardamomensis)

Short answers

Cardamom mountain horned lizard: How big does the enclosure need to be?

100×60×120 cm for one adult animal (a large arboreal species, height matters).

Cardamom mountain horned lizard: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 24–28 °C, basking spot local warm spot up to 30–32 °C (do not overheat the enclosure), at night 18–21 °C.

Cardamom mountain horned lizard: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB recommended (a forest dweller, Ferguson zone 1–2, UV index 1–3; a 6 % T5 tube).

Cardamom mountain horned lizard: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 6–10 years (husbandry data is not very reliable).

Cardamom mountain horned lizard: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

24–28 °C

Night temperature

18–21 °C

Basking spot

local warm spot up to 30–32 °C (do not overheat the enclosure)

Humidity

70–85 % by day, up to ~100 % at night

UVB

UVB recommended (a forest dweller, Ferguson zone 1–2, UV index 1–3; a 6 % T5 tube)

Enclosure

Minimum size

100×60×120 cm for one adult animal (a large arboreal species, height matters)

Substrate

Coco humus or forest floor with leaf litter and moss, plus a drainage layer

Feeding

Food

Insectivorous: crickets, roaches, earthworms, larvae; large specimens rarely take a nestling mouse; dusted with calcium and D3

Feeding interval

adults 2–3×/week, juveniles daily

Key facts

Adult size

large: SVL up to ~15 cm (females), total length ~32–38 cm with the tail

Life expectancy

approx. 6–10 years (husbandry data is not very reliable)

Origin

The Cardamom Mountains in Cambodia and eastern Thailand, as well as the Vietnamese island of Phú Quốc; montane forest, type locality at 1121 m altitude; described as a separate species in 2010

Protection status

Not listed under CITES (as far as research shows); usually wild-caught – proof of origin is advisable

Brumation

A slightly cooler, drier rest period of 4–6 weeks is advisable (a montane forest species)

Cohabitation

Territorial – keep them singly to be safe. A 1.x harem only under expert conditions (a very large enclosure and visual barriers); NEVER two males

Notes

A cryptic species split off only in 2015 – reliable husbandry data are sparse, and the figures are derived from genus consensus (A. capra, A. armata) and distribution data. Treat the numbers with caution.

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Related species

• Bintang mountain horned lizard (Acanthosaura bintangensis) – Intermediate
• Short-legged horned lizard (Acanthosaura brachypoda) – Intermediate
• Brown pricklenape (Acanthosaura lepidogaster) – Intermediate
• Crowned pricklenape (Acanthosaura coronata) – Intermediate
• Golden pricklenape (Acanthosaura capra) – Intermediate
• Masked spiny lizard (Acanthosaura crucigera) – Intermediate
• Natalia's pricklenape (Acanthosaura nataliae) – Intermediate
• Phong Dien pricklenape (Acanthosaura phongdienensis) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Cardamom mountain horned lizard (Acanthosaura cardamomensis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (100×60×120 cm for one adult animal (a large arboreal species, height matters)), substrate (Coco humus or forest floor with leaf litter and moss, plus a drainage layer), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.