Common basilisk (Basiliscus basiliscus)

Short answers

Common basilisk: How big does the enclosure need to be?

150×80×180 cm (tall format) for one adult animal; a group from ~300×200×250 cm.

Common basilisk: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–30 °C, basking spot 35–40 °C, at night 20–22 °C.

Common basilisk: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB needed (a UVA/UVB lamp, Ferguson zone 2).

Common basilisk: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 7–10 years.

Common basilisk: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–30 °C

Night temperature

20–22 °C

Basking spot

35–40 °C

Humidity

70–90 % by day, up to 100 % at night

UVB

UVB needed (a UVA/UVB lamp, Ferguson zone 2)

Enclosure

Minimum size

150×80×180 cm (tall format) for one adult animal; a group from ~300×200×250 cm

Substrate

A damp forest-floor or coco humus and soil mix with leaf litter; a large water section (~25 °C) is essential

Feeding

Food

Insects (crickets, locusts, roaches, superworms), fish, young mice or chicks, a little fruit

Feeding interval

adults 2–3×/week, juveniles daily

Key facts

Adult size

males up to ~80 cm total length including the tail (SVL ~24 cm), females smaller

Life expectancy

approx. 7–10 years

Origin

Central America to north-western South America (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador)

Protection status

Not listed under CITES, no special protected status

Brumation

None; possibly a slightly drier spell

Cohabitation

Keep them singly, or one male plus three or four females (a harem) in a very large enclosure. NEVER keep males together (territorial). A plain 1.1 pair is risky (the female is under constant stress) → provide escape routes and a visual screen

Notes

Shy like plumifrons; a large water section and plenty of climbing height are needed. It can run across water (the "Jesus lizard"). A very high space requirement, often underestimated.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Brown basilisk (Basiliscus vittatus) – Intermediate
• Plumed basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons) – Intermediate
• Red-headed basilisk (Basiliscus galeritus) – Expert
• Serrated casquehead iguana (Laemanctus serratus) – Intermediate
• Hernandez's helmeted basilisk (Corytophanes hernandesii) – Expert
• Eastern casquehead iguana (Laemanctus longipes) – Intermediate
• Ghost anole (Anolis lemurinus) – Intermediate
• Aguero's false chameleon (Chamaeleolis agueroi) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Common basilisk (Basiliscus basiliscus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (150×80×180 cm (tall format) for one adult animal; a group from ~300×200×250 cm), substrate (A damp forest-floor or coco humus and soil mix with leaf litter; a large water section (~25 °C) is essential), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.