Rhino-horned lizard (Ceratophora stoddartii)

Short answers

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

80×50×80 cm.

Rhino-horned lizard: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 18–25 °C (COOL), basking spot 26 °C, at night 14–18 °C.

Rhino-horned lizard: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 5.0).

Rhino-horned lizard: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 5–8 years.

Rhino-horned lizard: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

18–25 °C (COOL)

Night temperature

14–18 °C

Basking spot

26 °C

Humidity

80–95 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 5.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

80×50×80 cm

Substrate

Coco humus, moss, thin branches, dense planting, a rain system

Feeding

Food

Small house crickets, crickets, wax moths

Feeding interval

3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

15–19 cm total length

Life expectancy

5–8 years

Origin

Sri Lanka – montane cloud forest

Protection status

Export from Sri Lanka is prohibited; IUCN "Vulnerable" – hardly legally available in Europe

Brumation

A cooler spell of 8–10 weeks

Cohabitation

Single housing is the least stressful. A pair (1.1) or one male with several females works reliably if there are several basking and hiding places so subordinate animals can avoid each other; feed separately as soon as the animals differ in size. Two males do not go together: they defend territories and are territorial.

Notes

The male has a striking nasal horn. A cloud-forest species from over 1,200 m: permanently cool, very humid and shady – room warmth is lethal. Extremely rare and for specialists only.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Oriental garden lizard (Calotes versicolor) – Intermediate
• Spotted butterfly lizard (Leiolepis guttata) – Intermediate
• Painted dragon (Ctenophorus pictus) – Intermediate
• Common flying dragon (Draco volans) – Expert
• Green crested lizard (Bronchocela cristatella) – Intermediate
• Himalayan agama (Paralaudakia himalayana) – Intermediate
• Horsfield's salea (Salea horsfieldii) – Expert
• Kakhien salea (Salea kakhienensis) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Rhino-horned lizard (Ceratophora stoddartii) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (80×50×80 cm), substrate (Coco humus, moss, thin branches, dense planting, a rain system), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.