Steppe agama (Trapelus mutabilis)

Short answers

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

100×50×50 cm.

Steppe agama: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 30–36 °C, basking spot 48 °C, at night 18–22 °C.

Steppe agama: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 10.0–12 %).

Steppe agama: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 6–10 years.

Steppe agama: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

30–36 °C

Night temperature

18–22 °C

Basking spot

48 °C

Humidity

25–40 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 10.0–12 %)

Enclosure

Minimum size

100×50×50 cm

Substrate

Sand-loam they can dig in, flat stones, dry twigs

Feeding

Food

House crickets, crickets, roaches, flowers

Feeding interval

4×/week

Key facts

Adult size

15–20 cm total length

Life expectancy

6–10 years

Origin

North Africa, the Middle East – semi-desert

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

A cooler dry spell of 8–10 weeks

Cohabitation

Harem (1,2) – Männchen strikt getrennt. Der Grund: mehrere Männchen kämpfen um Revier und Wärmeplatz, bis eines verletzt ist oder dauerhaft in der Ecke sitzt. Weibchen vertragen sich meist, brauchen aber je eigene Wärme- und Versteckplätze; bei Größenunterschieden getrennt füttern.

Notes

A true desert agama: very hot, very dry and with strong UVB. It changes colour markedly with temperature and mood. Waterlogging is lethal.

Do you keep this species?

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Related species

• Steppe agama (Trapelus sanguinolentus) – Intermediate
• Pale agama (Trapelus pallidus) – 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 Steppe agama (Trapelus mutabilis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (100×50×50 cm), substrate (Sand-loam they can dig in, flat stones, dry twigs), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.