Tips on Caring for Your Emerald Swift Lizard

Found throughout Central America, Emerald Swift lizards are known for their vibrant colors and small size. As with any pet, developing a care guide or routine is important to the health of your new Emerald Swift. These colorful creatures' average lifespan is around five to ten years, so it is important to know what one should expect when caring for this lizard.

Care Guide for Emerald Swift

Tank size

The minimum size tank for one adult Emerald Swift lizard is anywhere from around a 20 to 40-gallon tank or terrarium. According to Everything Reptiles, this tank should also have "full-spectrum lighting" for at least 12 to 14 hours of the day.

Tank Temperature

According to the same article that was previously mentioned, the temperatures of your lizard's tank should fluctuate throughout a 24-hour period. Temperatures during the day should be anywhere from 75˚F to 80˚F, while the night temperatures should be a minimum of 70˚F. During periods of basking, the temperatures should remain around 90˚F to 95˚F. A thermostat would be a great addition to maintaining this fluctuation. 

Tank Décor

It is recommended that the decorations in your Emerald Swift lizard's tank are not overtly sharp or pointy in case of potential falls. It is also important to take into consideration that lizards require a fairly humid environment (a misting system can help with this). To combat this, try using foliage or other decorations that won't absorb the moisture in the air and become moldy. Examples of these are ReptiSoil, Forest Bark and Coco Husk.

Cleaning

For day-to-day, it is only necessary to spot clean the tank. Make sure to clean any urine or feces that your lizard may have left behind. Use reptile-friendly disinfectant to clean your Emerald Swift's water bowl, refilling it with fresh water afterward. Everything Reptiles recommends deep cleaning the tank once or twice a month to keep your pet healthy and happy.

Diet

The Emerald Swift lizard's diet consists of primarily insects, as they are insectivores. This includes mealworms, hornworms, waxworms, crickets, and other smaller insects. As for drinking, a large, shallow bowl should be filled with fresh water daily.

Following these tips and doing plenty of research should help your Emerald Swift lizard to live a happy and healthy life!