Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis)

Short answers

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

At least 80×40×50 cm for one animal; larger for a pair or group.

Common wall lizard: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–28 °C (cooler zone 20–24 °C), basking spot 28–35 °C, at night 15–18 °C.

Common wall lizard: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB is essential (Ferguson zone 3, UV index 3–4 at the basking spot) for D3 and calcium metabolism.

Common wall lizard: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 8–12 years in captivity.

Common wall lizard: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–28 °C (cooler zone 20–24 °C)

Night temperature

15–18 °C

Basking spot

28–35 °C

Humidity

40–60 %

UVB

UVB is essential (Ferguson zone 3, UV index 3–4 at the basking spot) for D3 and calcium metabolism

Enclosure

Minimum size

at least 80×40×50 cm for one animal; larger for a pair or group

Substrate

A sand-loam mix or reptile soil with climbing stones, dry-stone walls, bark and rock structures

Feeding

Food

House crickets, crickets, roaches, small locusts, mealworms, spiders, isopods

Feeding interval

adults 2–3×/week, juveniles (almost) daily

Key facts

Adult size

18–25 cm total length (SVL 7–10 cm)

Life expectancy

8–12 years in captivity

Origin

Central and southern Europe (Iberia, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, the Balkans)

Protection status

Habitats Directive Annex IV / Bern Convention Appendix II – strictly protected in Germany. Only legal captive-bred animals, with proof of origin plus registration with the nature conservation authority.

Brumation

Yes: a winter rest of 3–4 months at about 5–8 °C (a central European species)

Cohabitation

Keeping it singly is recommended, since the species is especially aggressive towards conspecifics; one male with 1-2 females is only advisable in a large, structured enclosure with sight barriers - but never two males together.

Notes

An easily kept native species, but strictly protected – papers and registration are required. An outdoor terrarium in summer is ideal. Common mistakes: no winter rest and too little basking or UVB.

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 Common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (at least 80×40×50 cm for one animal; larger for a pair or group), substrate (A sand-loam mix or reptile soil with climbing stones, dry-stone walls, bark and rock structures), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.