Herptiles

Ophisaurus apodus

European Glass Lizard

Ophisaurus apodus (Pallas, 1775)

Basic info

Common names
  • Scheltopusik
  • Armored glass lizard
  • European Glass Lizard
Species nameOphisaurus apodus
Scientific nameOphisaurus apodus Pallas, 1775
Taxonomy
Chordata
Ophisaurus apodus

Further Reading

Temperatures & Season

Day time temperatures

Background summer24 - 28 °F
Background winter2 - 6 °F
Basking spot30 - 35 °F

Night time temperatures

Background summer16 - 22 °F
Background winter2 - 6 °F

Season

Winter treatmentbrumation
Photoperiod summer14 hours
Photoperiod winter10 hours

Microhabitats

Microhabitats are specific small habitats that an organism inhabits within its broader environment. These can vary greatly depending on the species and can give us insights into the preferred living conditions of each reptile. Understanding these microhabitats can be key to providing the correct care for these animals in captivity.

  • Fossorial
    Fossorial
  • Leaf litter
    Leaf litter
  • Forest floor
    Forest floor
  • Foliage or shrubs
    Foliage or shrubs
  • Grassland or savanna
    Grassland or savanna

Ferguson Zones

Ferguson Zones are a way to classify the amount of UV light that reptiles are exposed to in their natural habitats. These zones help us understand and replicate their natural light conditions in captivity, promoting the health and wellbeing of the reptiles. Below, we detail the specific Ferguson Zones of the Chinese Water Dragon, along with recommendations for replicating these conditions

The Ferguson Zone in which the European Glass Lizard has been placed has been chosen based upon an assessment of its typical basking behaviour and likely microhabitat in the wild.

2
Partial sun or occasional basker
UVI range avarage: 0.7-1, UVI max recorded: 1.1-3

Recommended lighting methods in captivity

Shade method

This method provides low-level 'background' UV at levels matching the Ferguson Zone Range, over a large portion of the enclosure. The highlighted area in the table below represents this range for the European Glass Lizard.

1
2
3
4
1
2
3

Sunbeam method (only for large enclosures)

This method uses the 'Max UVI Recorded' value as a guide for the upper limit of the UVB gradient in captivity. This maximum should be the highest level which a European Glass Lizard can obtain at its closest approach to its UVB lamp. The highlighted area in the table below represents this range for the European Glass Lizard.

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

More in-depth information about Ferguson zones can be found here: https://jzar.org/jzar/article/view/150

Biomes

These are the biomes the European Glass Lizard was found in. Click here to learn more about terrestrial ecoregions and biomes.

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References

  1. Baines, F.M., Chattell, J., Dale, J., Garrick, D., Gill, I., Goetz, M., Skelton, T. and Swatman, M. 2016. How much UVB does my reptile need? The UV-Tool, a guide to the selection of UV lighting for reptiles and amphibians in captivity. Journal of Zoo and Aquarium Research. 4, 1 (Jan. 2016), 42–63. DOI:https://doi.org/10.19227/jzar.v4i1.150.
  2. Ophisaurus apodus Pallas, 1775 in GBIF Secretariat (2021). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org
  3. iNaturalist. Available from https://www.inaturalist.org
This website is created by Jefrim Keijzer | All species