Red-headed basilisk (Basiliscus galeritus)

Short answers

Red-headed basilisk: How big does the enclosure need to be?

120×80×150 cm (tall format) for one adult animal (the absolute minimum is ~90×90×120 cm); larger is better.

Red-headed basilisk: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–30 °C, basking spot 35–40 °C, at night 20–24 °C.

Red-headed basilisk: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB needed (a UVA/UVB lamp, Ferguson zone 2).

Red-headed basilisk: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: approx. 8–10 years.

Red-headed basilisk: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–30 °C

Night temperature

20–24 °C

Basking spot

35–40 °C

Humidity

70–90 %, up to 100 % at night

UVB

UVB needed (a UVA/UVB lamp, Ferguson zone 2)

Enclosure

Minimum size

120×80×150 cm (tall format) for one adult animal (the absolute minimum is ~90×90×120 cm); larger is better

Substrate

A damp forest-floor and coco humus mix with leaf litter; a large water section (24–28 °C), cleaned often

Feeding

Food

Mostly insects (crickets, locusts, wax moths, roaches), occasionally pinkie mice; little fruit

Feeding interval

adults 2–3×/week, juveniles daily

Key facts

Adult size

males up to ~70–90 cm total length including the tail (the smallest basilisk species), females considerably smaller

Life expectancy

approx. 8–10 years

Origin

The Pacific side: western Colombia and Ecuador northwards to Central America

Protection status

Not listed under CITES, no special protected status

Brumation

None

Cohabitation

Keep them singly, or one male plus two or three females (a harem) in a large enclosure. NEVER keep males together (territorial)

Notes

The most delicate and trickiest basilisk species, hard to breed, and nothing for beginners. Very shy, with a high humidity and water requirement; it defecates in the water → frequent cleaning. Rarely kept, and German-language husbandry data are thin (some figures are derived from English specialist sources).

Do you keep this species?

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

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Related species

• Brown basilisk (Basiliscus vittatus) – Intermediate
• Plumed basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons) – Intermediate
• Common basilisk (Basiliscus basiliscus) – Intermediate
• Serrated casquehead iguana (Laemanctus serratus) – Intermediate
• Hernandez's helmeted basilisk (Corytophanes hernandesii) – Expert
• Eastern casquehead iguana (Laemanctus longipes) – Intermediate
• Anegada ground iguana (Cyclura pinguis) – Expert
• Barbour's anole (Anolis barbouri) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Red-headed basilisk (Basiliscus galeritus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (120×80×150 cm (tall format) for one adult animal (the absolute minimum is ~90×90×120 cm); larger is better), substrate (A damp forest-floor and coco humus mix with leaf litter; a large water section (24–28 °C), cleaned often), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.