Crowned pricklenape (Acanthosaura coronata)

Short answers

Crowned pricklenape: How big does the enclosure need to be?

80 × 60 × 100 cm for 1 adult animal; climbing branches close to the ground, leaf litter and ground-level hides matter more than the last few centimetres of height.

Crowned pricklenape: What temperature does it need?

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

Crowned pricklenape: Does it need UVB lighting?

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

Crowned pricklenape: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 8–10 years (an estimate).

Crowned pricklenape: 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 °C (do not overheat)

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

80 × 60 × 100 cm for 1 adult animal; climbing branches close to the ground, leaf litter and ground-level hides matter more than the last few centimetres of height

Substrate

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

Feeding

Food

Insectivorous: crickets, house crickets, roaches, earthworms, larvae; dusted with calcium and D3

Feeding interval

adults 2–3×/week, juveniles daily

Key facts

Adult size

snout–vent length 6.8–8.6 cm, with tail approx. 20–26 cm total length; one of the smallest species in the genus

Life expectancy

approx. 8–10 years (an estimate)

Origin

Eastern Cambodia (type locality), southern Vietnam (Lâm Đồng, Đồng Nai) and Laos; evergreen lowland and hill forest, records at around 480–700 m altitude

Protection status

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

Brumation

No real winter dormancy. A slight seasonal cooling of 4–5 °C over about 4–8 weeks with shortened lighting matches the dry-season rhythm of its native range.

Cohabitation

Territorial – keep them singly to be safe. A 1.x harem only under expert conditions; NEVER two males

Notes

The name is historically burdened with taxonomic uncertainty; rare in the trade. Barely any solid keeping reports – the figures are derived from genus consensus, so treat them with caution.

Do you keep this species?

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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
• Cardamom mountain horned lizard (Acanthosaura cardamomensis) – 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 Crowned pricklenape (Acanthosaura coronata) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (80 × 60 × 100 cm for 1 adult animal; climbing branches close to the ground, leaf litter and ground-level hides matter more than the last few centimetres of height), 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.