Painted agama (Laudakia melanura)

Short answers

Painted agama: How big does the enclosure need to be?

100×60×80 cm (rock structures with places to climb and hide).

Painted agama: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 28–35 °C, basking spot 45–55 °C, at night 18–22 °C.

Painted agama: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB needed (Ferguson zone 3–4, UV index 4–6).

Painted agama: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 10–15 years.

Painted agama: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

28–35 °C

Night temperature

18–22 °C

Basking spot

45–55 °C

Humidity

30–50 %

UVB

UVB needed (Ferguson zone 3–4, UV index 4–6)

Enclosure

Minimum size

100×60×80 cm (rock structures with places to climb and hide)

Substrate

A sand-loam mix, a loose floor they can dig in, solid stones and roots, a heated rock

Feeding

Food

Omnivorous: insects (crickets, roaches, locusts) plus greens and flowers; calcium and vitamins

Feeding interval

adults 3×/week, juveniles daily

Key facts

Adult size

up to approx. 40 cm total length (males larger)

Life expectancy

approx. 10–15 years

Origin

Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, northern India; rocky arid regions

Protection status

Not listed under CITES; mostly wild-caught – quarantine and parasites

Brumation

A moderate winter rest is recommended (several weeks cooler, ~12–15 °C; a subtropical montane origin)

Cohabitation

Single housing. No husbandry reports exist for the black rock agama itself; for the related starred agama, care sheets advise never to keep several males together and name small groups of equally sized females as the safest form. A male with females is only advisable for breeding; the drawback is that rank fights and constant stress easily go unnoticed.

Notes

The trade name "painted agama" is used inconsistently (sometimes also for Stellagama stellio) – check the identification. The black or black-tailed rock agama; a strong warmth and UV gradient (a warm spot from HQI or halogen, for example). Usually wild-caught → faecal checks. Some figures are derived from the rock agama genus.

Do you keep this species?

Add your animal to Reptoria – Reptoria reminds you about feeding and shedding. Add your animal for free →

Look for Painted agama (Laudakia melanura) in the marketplace →

Related species

• Red-bellied rock agama (Laudakia erythrogastra) – Expert
• Starred agama (Laudakia stellio) – Intermediate
• Blue-headed tree agama (Acanthocercus atricollis) – Intermediate
• Common agama – red-headed (Agama agama) – Intermediate
• Variegated toad-headed agama (Phrynocephalus versicolor) – Expert
• Common butterfly lizard (Leiolepis belliana) – Intermediate
• Large-eared rock agama (Paralaudakia nupta) – Intermediate
• Roughtail rock agama (Stellagama stellio) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Painted agama (Laudakia melanura) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (100×60×80 cm (rock structures with places to climb and hide)), substrate (A sand-loam mix, a loose floor they can dig in, solid stones and roots, a heated rock), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.