Taylor's shield-tailed agama (Xenagama taylori)

Short answers

Taylor's shield-tailed agama: How big does the enclosure need to be?

80×40×40 cm.

Taylor's shield-tailed agama: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 28–33 °C, basking spot 42–45 °C, at night 18–22 °C.

Taylor's shield-tailed agama: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Essential (UVB 10.0).

Taylor's shield-tailed agama: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 6–10 years.

Taylor's shield-tailed agama: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

28–33 °C

Night temperature

18–22 °C

Basking spot

42–45 °C

Humidity

30–40 %

UVB

Essential (UVB 10.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

80×40×40 cm

Substrate

A deep sand-loam mix they can dig in (for burrowing)

Feeding

Food

Insects, a few flowers and greens

Feeding interval

adults 3–4×/week

Key facts

Adult size

8–10 cm

Life expectancy

6–10 years

Origin

Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti – semi-desert

Protection status

Not listed under CITES

Brumation

A cooler dry spell of 6–8 weeks

Cohabitation

Keep in pairs or as a harem (1.2); males kept separately. Two males do not work together - they fight over territory and basking spots until one is seriously injured or permanently pushed into a corner. One male with several females, however, works reliably. Multiple heat and hiding spots matter so lower-ranking animals can get out of the way, and feed separately once animals differ in size.

Notes

A tiny agama with a flattened tail that it uses to seal its self-dug burrow. It needs diggable, firm ground – pure sand collapses.

Do you keep this species?

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

Look for Taylor's shield-tailed agama (Xenagama taylori) in the marketplace →

Related species

• Shield-tailed agama (Xenagama batillifera) – Beginner
• 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

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Taylor's shield-tailed agama (Xenagama taylori) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (80×40×40 cm), substrate (A deep sand-loam mix they can dig in (for burrowing)), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.