Keeping and breeding of minor lizard (Sceloporus minor Cope, 1885) at BION Terrarium Center
Sceloporus minor Cope, 1885 is a species of small sized Iguanidae lizards of the Phrynosomatidae family. They are most often found at altitudes between 3000 and 3470 m a. s. l. in arid semi-desert regions of Mexico (Northern Quéretaro and Guanajuato, Western Zacatecas, most of San Luis Potosí, to Western Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, Coahuila, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Aguascalientes). The name is the Latin noun minor, “little,” and may have referred to a perceived lesser version of Sceloporus torquatus Wiegmann, 1828. (https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Sceloporus&species=minor; Webb, Axtell, 1994; Lemos-Espinal, Smith, 2007; Arenas-Monroy et al., 2012). They inhabit stony places that warm up well with a large number of shelters and sparse vegetation (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiny_lizard).
Keeping.We keep our breeding stock of S. minor in pairs (1.1) or trios (1.2) in glass terrariums of 90*60*50 cm (35.43*23.62*19.68 in) with flow ventilation that consists of roof made of fine metal wire net and the same area in lower front part of the terrarium. Decoration includes rocky elements, vertical imitations of stony walls, ceramic sherds as hiding places, hollow stones etc. Water and feeding dish are always presented inside the terrarium. We use 1-2 cm (0.39-0.78 in) of dried clay as substrate.
Temperature. We keep fairly high ambient temperatures of +28 – +30 °C (82.4-86.0 F) at daytime. At nigh time temperatures do not get lower than +25 °C (77.0 F). Temperature at basking spot is about +45 °C (113.0 F).
