Reeves' butterfly lizard (Leiolepis reevesii)

Short answers

Reeves' butterfly lizard: How big does the enclosure need to be?

200×80×60 cm for a group.

Reeves' butterfly lizard: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 28–34 °C, basking spot Basking spot 42–48 °C, at night 20–24 °C.

Reeves' butterfly lizard: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 12.0).

Reeves' butterfly lizard: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 6–12 years.

Reeves' butterfly lizard: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

28–34 °C

Night temperature

20–24 °C

Basking spot

Basking spot 42–48 °C

Humidity

50–70 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 12.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

200×80×60 cm for a group

Substrate

A deep sand-loam mix they can dig in, with tubes

Feeding

Food

Crickets, locusts, roaches and house crickets, dusted regularly with calcium and vitamins

Feeding interval

adults 3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

35–50 cm

Life expectancy

6–12 years

Origin

Southern China and Vietnam

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

A cooler rest of 6–8 weeks at 16–20 °C

Cohabitation

Keep in pairs (1.2); never house males together. The reason: several males fight over territory and the warm spot until one is injured or spends its life in a corner — for this species, aggressive encounters between conspecifics are even directly documented. Females usually get on but each needs its own warm spot and hide; feed separately once they differ in size.

Notes

It lives in self-dug burrows and eats mainly plant material. It needs a great deal of floor area and deep substrate.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Common butterfly lizard (Leiolepis belliana) – Intermediate
• Spotted butterfly lizard (Leiolepis guttata) – Intermediate
• Red-banded butterfly lizard (Leiolepis rubritaeniata) – Intermediate
• Oriental garden lizard (Calotes versicolor) – Intermediate
• Painted dragon (Ctenophorus pictus) – Intermediate
• Common flying dragon (Draco volans) – Expert
• Green crested lizard (Bronchocela cristatella) – Intermediate
• Himalayan agama (Paralaudakia himalayana) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Reeves' butterfly lizard (Leiolepis reevesii) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (200×80×60 cm for a group), substrate (A deep sand-loam mix they can dig in, with tubes), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.