Smith's arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia smithi)

Short answers

Smith's arboreal alligator lizard: How big does the enclosure need to be?

Approx. 45×45×90 cm for one adult animal (arboreal, height before floor area; a well-ventilated mesh or hybrid enclosure).

Smith's arboreal alligator lizard: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 19–25 °C (high cloud forest up to ~2,800 m; keep cool, sustained temperatures above 27 °C are dangerous), basking spot 27–30 °C (small, short-use basking spot; avoid overheating), at night 13–17 °C (a clear night-time drop matters).

Smith's arboreal alligator lizard: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB recommended (low, Ferguson zone 1–2, UV index 1–2; cloud forest / partial shade).

Smith's arboreal alligator lizard: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: genus guide figure 10–15 (up to 20) years; not documented for this species.

Smith's arboreal alligator lizard: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

19–25 °C (high cloud forest up to ~2,800 m; keep cool, sustained temperatures above 27 °C are dangerous)

Night temperature

13–17 °C (a clear night-time drop matters)

Basking spot

27–30 °C (small, short-use basking spot; avoid overheating)

Humidity

75–95 % (cloud forest, close to saturated at night), together with very good air movement

UVB

UVB recommended (low, Ferguson zone 1–2, UV index 1–2; cloud forest / partial shade)

Enclosure

Minimum size

approx. 45×45×90 cm for one adult animal (arboreal, height before floor area; a well-ventilated mesh or hybrid enclosure)

Substrate

Moisture-retaining (coco humus or sphagnum), plenty of thin climbing branches, lianas, cork, epiphytes and bromeliads

Feeding

Food

Insectivorous: crickets, house crickets, roaches, locusts, caterpillars, small snails; dust with calcium and vitamins

Feeding interval

adults 2–3×/week, juveniles ~daily to every other day

Key facts

Adult size

small to medium: approx. 18–25 cm total length (the tail about as long as the body); species-specific measurements are barely documented

Life expectancy

genus guide figure 10–15 (up to 20) years; not documented for this species

Origin

Endemic to Chiapas (Mexico), the Sierra Madre de Chiapas; cloud forest at about 1,800–2,800 m, including the El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve (Campbell & Frost 1993)

Protection status

CITES Appendix II / EU Annex B (the whole genus Abronia since 2017); EU Regulation 338/97 Annex B; specially protected in Germany – proof of origin and registration required. It occurs in a protected area; wild-caught animals are effectively not legally available

Brumation

A slight seasonal cooling or dry spell (a highland climate) may help; no strict winter rest or brumation is documented

Cohabitation

Keep them singly (the standard). Strictly territorial – males fight and must NEVER be kept together. A pair or harem (1.1 or 1.2) only in a very large, structured enclosure with visual barriers, by experienced keepers for breeding; females are more tolerant. There are no species-specific data for this rare species → keep them singly to be safe

Notes

IUCN Least Concern, but locally rare and confined to a few sites in Chiapas; threatened by deforestation. A very high-altitude cloud-forest species – especially temperature-sensitive, and to be kept rather cool. NO species-specific husbandry data; the figures are derived from the genus and are conservative. Not in the regular trade. Live-bearing. The husbandry figures are uncertain.

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Related species

• Anzueto's arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia anzuetoi) – Expert
• Aurita arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia aurita) – Intermediate to expert
• Bogert's arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia bogerti) – Expert
• Campbell's alligator lizard (Abronia campbelli) – Expert
• Campbell's arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia lythrochila campbelli) – Intermediate to expert
• Chiszar's arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia chiszari) – Expert
• Cuetzpali arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia cuetzpali) – Expert
• Deppe's arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia deppii) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Smith's arboreal alligator lizard (Abronia smithi) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (approx. 45×45×90 cm for one adult animal (arboreal, height before floor area; a well-ventilated mesh or hybrid enclosure)), substrate (Moisture-retaining (coco humus or sphagnum), plenty of thin climbing branches, lianas, cork, epiphytes and bromeliads), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.