Eastern glass lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis)

Short answers

Eastern glass lizard: How big does the enclosure need to be?

120×60×60 cm for one animal (ground-oriented).

Eastern glass lizard: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 24–28 °C, basking spot 30–33 °C (basking spot), at night 18–22 °C.

Eastern glass lizard: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB needed (Ferguson zone 2, UV index 2–3; e.g. a 5–6 % T5 HO).

Eastern glass lizard: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 10–15 years (documented up to ~15 years in captivity).

Eastern glass lizard: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

24–28 °C

Night temperature

18–22 °C

Basking spot

30–33 °C (basking spot)

Humidity

65–75 % (offer a damp moss hide)

UVB

UVB needed (Ferguson zone 2, UV index 2–3; e.g. a 5–6 % T5 HO)

Enclosure

Minimum size

120×60×60 cm for one animal (ground-oriented)

Substrate

Moisture-retaining sand or a sand-soil mix they can dig in (at least 10 cm) with leaf litter; replace the substrate every 3–4 months

Feeding

Food

Insectivorous: crickets, roaches, black soldier fly larvae, earthworms, snails; occasionally small vertebrates or reptile eggs

Feeding interval

adults 2–3×/week, juveniles daily

Key facts

Adult size

approx. 46–108 cm total length (head and body up to ~30 cm, the rest tail), legless

Life expectancy

approx. 10–15 years (documented up to ~15 years in captivity)

Origin

The south-eastern USA (mainly Florida); pine forest, wet meadows, dune margins with sandy soil

Protection status

Not listed under CITES; no special protection requirements in Germany

Brumation

A slight rest period (a shorter day length and somewhat cooler, ~15–18 °C for a few weeks) helps; no strict winter dormancy is needed

Cohabitation

Single housing. Both care sheets on the eastern glass lizard expressly advise against keeping several animals together; one animal per enclosure avoids conflict and bites. For breeding the animals can only be put together briefly and under supervision; a permanent pair is not documented.

Notes

Rare in the trade; the care is partly derived from its habitat and biology. Very active and skittish, and prone to shedding its tail – handle it gently. Lighting about 13 h in summer / 11 h in winter.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Moroccan glass lizard (Ophisaurus koellikeri) – Intermediate
• Slender glass lizard (Ophisaurus attenuatus) – Intermediate
• Madrean alligator lizard (Elgaria kingii) – Intermediate
• Asian glass lizard (Dopasia gracilis) – Intermediate
• Slow worm (Anguis fragilis) – Intermediate
• Hart's glass lizard (Dopasia harti) – Intermediate
• Italian slow worm (Anguis veronensis) – Intermediate
• California legless lizard (Anniella pulchra) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Eastern glass lizard (Ophisaurus ventralis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (120×60×60 cm for one animal (ground-oriented)), substrate (Moisture-retaining sand or a sand-soil mix they can dig in (at least 10 cm) with leaf litter; replace the substrate every 3–4 months), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.