Mountain horned lizard (Phrynosoma orbiculare)

Short answers

Mountain horned lizard: How big does the enclosure need to be?

120×60×60 cm for a group.

Mountain horned lizard: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 25–30 °C, basking spot Basking spot 42–48 °C, at night 15–20 °C.

Mountain horned lizard: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 10.0–12.0).

Mountain horned lizard: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 5–10 years.

Mountain horned lizard: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

25–30 °C

Night temperature

15–20 °C

Basking spot

Basking spot 42–48 °C

Humidity

30–50 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 10.0–12.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

120×60×60 cm for a group

Substrate

A sand-loam mix they can dig in, with stone slabs, roots and a few twigs

Feeding

Food

The main food is ants; in the terrarium, substituted with many small, chitin-rich insects (small crickets and house crickets, firebrats, seed beetles, small roaches), dusted regularly with calcium and vitamins

Feeding interval

Adults daily to every other day, small portions.

Key facts

Adult size

7–11 cm

Life expectancy

5–10 years

Origin

Mexico, endemic — highlands between 1500 and 3352 m, semi-arid scrubland and pine-oak forests with a temperate climate

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

A cooler rest of 8–12 weeks at 10–15 °C

Cohabitation

Solitary or as a group, 1.2 or 1.3 is common. Horned lizards are loners but not pronounced territorial fighters – in good habitats they live very densely, one Mexican study counted around 155 animals per hectare. So what matters is less separating the males than providing enough basking spots and digging area for all animals, plus separate feeding if there are size differences. Do not mix different species and subspecies.

Notes

A highland species, live-bearing; it needs cool nights.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Regal horned lizard (Phrynosoma solare) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Greater short-horned lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Coast horned lizard (Phrynosoma coronatum) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Giant horned lizard (Phrynosoma asio) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Round-tailed horned lizard (Phrynosoma modestum) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) – Expert
• Desert horned lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos) – Beginner with some knowledge
• Anegada ground iguana (Cyclura pinguis) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Mountain horned lizard (Phrynosoma orbiculare) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (120×60×60 cm for a group), substrate (A sand-loam mix they can dig in, with stone slabs, roots and a few twigs), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.