My Cordylus Tropidosternum

[OffshoreMetal]

Hey everybody , I got a Cordylus Tropidoternum ( Tropical Girdled lizard ) About a week or 2 ago. Tought about sharing some pics.
Btw , Its a female and she HATE being handeled. I handeled her for the pics but its been only 2 times since i got her and probably will not do it often.
The guy at the pet shop said she was close to be 1 year old, So she wont grow much more. He said she is at about 3/4 of her max size.
Sorry about my ugly nails , I took the pics right after i got from work

 

[Jevgenija]

Congratulations!
We have a family of Cordylus tropidosternum tropidosternum (1.2.0). They are not so communicative species. After several months they can allow to watch them. They do not go to your hands like geckos

 

[OffshoreMetal]

Nice. Yeah this is a Shy species , When she see me she will run like there's no tomorow to go in her hide i can rarely look at her and if i do , I cant move much

 

[Jevgenija]

"Don't worry, be happy!" and patient It is normal, that C.tropidosternum does not trust you. We were waiting a half-year to have a possibility only to look to them for free and feed them from tweezers.

As a solution - I can advise you to use on glass-terrarium sticky film, that let you see your reptile, not otherwise

As example of the terrarium to C.tropidosternum please find the picture above:

As you see there is an imitation of the rock with many splits to hide

 

[rase0121]

"Don't worry, be happy!" and patient It is normal, that C.tropidosternum does not trust you. We were waiting a half-year to have a possibility only to look to them for free and feed them from tweezers.

As a solution - I can advise you to use on glass-terrarium sticky film, that let you see your reptile, not otherwise

As example of the terrarium to C.tropidosternum please find the picture above:

As you see there is an imitation of the rock with many splits to hide

nice viv!
also yes there are very shy mine runs off as soon as i open the door
what do you use?window tint?
also only thing i would say that needs to be done to that viv is the uv need to be closer unless you could use an mvb like a low watt megaray eg the 60w externally ballasted as the uv wont be sufficient from a tube at that distance if you cant have a mvb then use a reflector and hang the tube lower(best within 6 inches) i know it wont look as good but its for the best

 

[Jevgenija]

Dear rase0121

Thanks for compliment!

As for me I do not use anything. And till last week I really thought that my achievement (an allowance to watch them without or with open door) was the best-possible result. Now I had reached the next trust-level in my relationship with C.tropidosternum. It is surprise for me. When I have answered in this thread, I believed that I enjoy a maximum of their communication culture already. I was wrong. From last week one of them let me to pet him and sometimes to take to the hands :king:

About lighting: if I understand correctly you pointed, that UVB should be accessible within 6 inches (= 15 cm). Here it is. The lizards have a chance to get UVB from such distance from the branch. The height of pictured terrarium is 58 cm. If I did not understand your advice, please, repeat it me in another words

And it should be mentioned MVB - is smth new for me ...

 

[OffshoreMetal]

Nice ! I can already look my C. Tropidosternum and rarely , Really rarely pet her for a couple of seconds before she just run away Lightning fast. I dont know lf they are all like that but mine loves water. loves to go in his water dish ans spill it everywhere before crawlig in the sand. Making her covered with wet sand
I love Geckos but its really fascinating how a different specie of lizard is so different in apparence and behaviour. If i try to bet him backward , Its simply impossible because of all the little spikes

 

[Jevgenija]

OffshoreMetal,
My trio of C.tropidosternum likes the water too. At first day they were sluging together in their water dish as in jacuzzi

If you will plan an expansion - please take a closer view to Crotaphytus collaris or Crotaphytus insularis. You can not imagine how communicative they can be



My C.insularis (female) ask to take her on hands and are ready to take particiapation with me in all domestic cares , only internet is not interesting for her.


What do you do?


Not interesting


And they sleep so funny!

 

[rase0121]

Dear rase0121

Thanks for compliment!

As for me I do not use anything. And till last week I really thought that my achievement (an allowance to watch them without or with open door) was the best-possible result. Now I had reached the next trust-level in my relationship with C.tropidosternum. It is surprise for me. When I have answered in this thread, I believed that I enjoy a maximum of their communication culture already. I was wrong. From last week one of them let me to pet him and sometimes to take to the hands :king:

About lighting: if I understand correctly you pointed, that UVB should be accessible within 6 inches (= 15 cm). Here it is. The lizards have a chance to get UVB from such distance from the branch. The height of pictured terrarium is 58 cm. If I did not understand your advice, please, repeat it me in another words

And it should be mentioned MVB - is smth new for me ...

if they are mercury vapour bulbs then they should be no closer than 12inches (30 cm's) as they give off alot of uvb and any closer than 12 inches from the bulb uv levels can be dangerous

flourescent bulbs should be around 6 inches from a basking spot for them to be effective

hace a look at UV Guide UK - Ultraviolet Light for Reptiles - UVB reptile lighting on test

 

[Jevgenija]

hace a look at UV Guide UK - Ultraviolet Light for Reptiles - UVB reptile lighting on test

Thanks for link!