Cuetzpali arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia cuetzpali)

Short answers

Cuetzpali arboreal alligator lizard: How big does the enclosure need to be?

45×45×90 cm (well ventilated / mesh), height matters.

Cuetzpali arboreal alligator lizard: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–26 °C, at night 14–17 °C.

Cuetzpali arboreal alligator lizard: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Recommended (weak UVB).

Cuetzpali arboreal alligator lizard: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: ~10–15 years.

Cuetzpali arboreal alligator lizard: Is it suitable for beginners?

No – better suited to experienced keepers (difficulty: Expert).

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–26 °C

Night temperature

14–17 °C

Basking spot

—

Humidity

70–90 % (up to ~100 % at night), good ventilation

UVB

Recommended (weak UVB)

Enclosure

Minimum size

45×45×90 cm (well ventilated / mesh), height matters

Substrate

Damp forest floor or sphagnum, plenty of branches, bromeliads, moss

Feeding

Food

Insects (crickets, locusts, roaches, worms), snails

Feeding interval

2–3×/week (juveniles more often)

Key facts

Adult size

~20–30 cm total length

Life expectancy

~10–15 years

Origin

Mexico, Oaxaca (the Sierra Madre del Sur, ~2,400 m)

Protection status

CITES App. II (EU Reg. 338/97 Ann. B); only described in 2016, very rare

Brumation

A slight winter cooling (the cooler months), but no true dormancy

Cohabitation

Keep singly or in pairs; males intolerant of each other. The reason: several males fight over territory and the best hides until one is injured or spends its life in a corner. Females usually get on but each needs its own hide; feed separately once they differ in size. For this species, only described in 2016, no species-specific observations exist; this is based on the genus.

Notes

A highland arboreal alligator lizard described only in 2016, and barely in the trade. It needs cool, humid, airy montane forest conditions; the figures are derived from genus guide values.

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Related species

• Anzueto's arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia anzuetoi) – Expert
• Aurita arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia aurita) – Intermediate to expert
• Bogert's arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia bogerti) – Expert
• Campbell's alligator lizard (Abronia campbelli) – Expert
• Campbell's arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia lythrochila campbelli) – Intermediate to expert
• Chiszar's arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia chiszari) – Expert
• Deppe's arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia deppii) – Expert
• Frost's arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia frosti) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Cuetzpali arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia cuetzpali) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (45×45×90 cm (well ventilated / mesh), height matters), substrate (Damp forest floor or sphagnum, plenty of branches, bromeliads, moss), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.