Helmeted Basilisk. The helmeted basilisk has a fabulous appearance. Origin and habitats in nature
Helmeted Basilisk(Basiliscus plumifrons)
Class - reptiles
Order - scaly
Family - corytophanidae
Genus - basilisks
Appearance
Adult lizards reach a length of up to 60-80 cm. The basilisk's tail makes up almost two-thirds of the length of its body.
The helmeted basilisk got its name because of its bright green color and distinctive crest starting on the head and ending on the tail. The crest on the head of males is larger than that of females.
Habitat
Inhabits the tropical rainforests of Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia and Panama.
Prefers to stay in thickets along river banks.
Lifestyle
They are excellent swimmers, able to stay underwater for up to half an hour. They also run well and quickly, sometimes reaching ground speeds of up to 11 km/h. It has the ability to run on water, keeping its body on the surface by rapidly alternating kicks of its hind legs.
Helmeted basilisks are omnivores, feeding on greenery covered with dark leaves, a small amount of vegetables, and insects ( earthworms, crickets, mealworm larvae), snails, small frogs.
Reproduction
Mating in basilisks can last up to 20 minutes. Pregnant females become fat after 2-3 weeks, at the same time they begin to look for a place to lay eggs. Each clutch contains 9-18 eggs. A female basilisk can lay eggs up to 4-5 times during the breeding season. Incubation period is 8-10 weeks. Sexual maturity occurs at 1.5-2 years.
If you are going to buy a basilisk, it is better to take a pair - a female and a male, this will make it easier for them to live in captivity. To keep these lizards you need a spacious vertical type with swimming pool. Minimum size The size of the terrarium is 130x60x70 cm. The pool should be such that the lizard can fit in entirely. Since basilisks, unfortunately, have a habit of quickly polluting water, it will have to be changed frequently. Another way out is to design the pool according to the principle of an aquarium, providing it with a filter system. In this case, you can even plant aquatic plants in it and introduce some cheap and unpretentious fish. Then the animal will be content, having the opportunity to diversify its menu with fish, and observing the underwater activities of the lizard will be much more interesting!
Basilisks are very mobile, so in a small terrarium you should not use live plants - just put a snag on which the animals will spend most time. But if it’s large enough, then with the help of living plants you can create a corner of a real tropical forest! Plants must be strong enough so that your pets do not break them when moving.
Daylight hours for a basilisk are 12-14 hours. The illumination may not be very high, but extra light will not hurt. Daytime background temperature is 26-33°C (- up to 35°C). Like many other reptiles, basilisks require local heating. It can be organized using an incandescent lamp with a reflector, a mirror-coated lamp, or a special heating lamp for reptiles. It is necessary to install such a lamp at some distance from the snag - moving along it, the animals themselves will choose a place with a suitable temperature regime. To avoid thermal burns, place the heater in such a way that the lizard cannot get close to it. The animal should also be able to crawl to a cooler area of the terrarium to avoid overheating.
At night time optimal temperature is approximately 24°C. Relative humidity quite high - 80-90%, which requires daily spraying of the terrarium. Moisturizing can be done twice a day using a sprayer. indoor plants. By the way, basilisks love to be sprayed! Like many tropical reptiles, basilisks need ultraviolet irradiation.
In captivity, you can offer them products that are sold in a pet store, or you can teach the basilisk to eat foods that are not typical for them in the wild. wildlife, for example, of plant origin: sprouted wheat grains, pieces of fruit (bananas, oranges, pieces of sweet pears) or cottage cheese, which, by the way, is very useful for them. Lizards in captivity need calcium, so it is recommended to debon it before feeding. feeding insects in crushed eggshell.
Helmeted Basilisk is an unusual lizard from the genus Basilisk. In my own way appearance she is very similar to a dinosaur. Helmet-bearing basilisks have the ability to float on the surface of the water and run quite quickly across it. They live in tropical forests, in thickets near rivers or in trees.
At night, reptiles sleep, and in the morning they go hunting. Their prey can be various insects, as well as chicks and even small fish, which they snatch directly from the water.
The character of basilisk lizards is quite timid. There are many in the jungle voracious predators who are hunting them. Many lizards do not even live to be two years old, as they become their prey. Basilisks are constantly on guard and at the slightest danger they immediately take flight.
The task of sexually mature males is to protect the territory. Females are responsible for food.
These lizards can be kept in captivity. At proper care, their lifespan can be about ten years. Basilisks are completely safe for humans. They are not aggressive or poisonous.
Description of the helmeted basilisk
This is a fairly large lizard with a bright green color. On the sides of the reptiles there are light inclusions. Basilisks have a small head with a wide mouth. On the back of their head they have a flat outgrowth about four centimeters long, which resembles a helmet. This is where these unusual lizards got their name.. On the back of these reptiles there is a crest, which is covered with vertebral processes. It is larger in males than in females. Basilisks have short forelimbs with long claws. The toes of the muscular hind limbs have a scaly edge.
Male weight maybe about 600 grams, but the weight of females is no more than 400 grams. Body length of these amazing lizards can reach 80 cm. The tail occupies two-thirds of the length of the lizard’s entire body.
Helmeted basilisks are excellent swimmers and divers. These animals are able to stay under water for about half an hour. On land, lizards also move very quickly. They can reach speeds of about ten kilometers per hour.
Maintenance and care of helmeted basilisks
Lizards can be kept in captivity, but for this they need a spacious vertical terrarium. For one adult basilisk you need a terrarium, the volume of which should be about 200 liters. It should contain plants that imitate thickets. There should also be branches and various driftwood that will serve as an imitation of trees.
To illuminate and heat the terrarium, special lamps for reptiles with ultraviolet radiation are used. They must work about 13 hours a day. During daylight hours, the temperature should be about 29 degrees, and at night it can be reduced to 21 degrees Celsius.
Since the habitat of helmeted basilisks is wet rainforests, then the humidity in the terrarium should be high (about 80%). In order to maintain it, it is necessary to spray the terrarium with water. Worth knowing that excessive humidity can contribute to the development of fungal infections in basilisks.
The character of helmet-bearing lizards is nervous and excited. It is very difficult to tame these animals. Only lizards of different sexes can be kept together. Two males should never be kept together. They cannot stand each other, they will constantly sort things out and start fights among themselves.
Diet of helmeted basilisks
Helmeted basilisks are omnivores. Their diet may include:
Twice a week you should add special vitamins for reptiles to your food. And also do not forget that food must be sprinkled with calcium.
Young lizards need to be fed twice a day. Adults are fed four times a week.
Reproduction of helmeted basilisks
To breed lizards was successful, it is necessary to properly house these animals. Great value when breeding have the following factors:
- Temperature.
- Humidity.
- Lighting.
Basilisks are considered sexually mature at one and a half to two years. They mate in about 20 minutes. Three weeks after pregnancy occurs, females begin to look for a suitable place to lay eggs. A clutch may contain more than fifteen eggs. Females can lay eggs about five times during the breeding season. The incubation period lasts about ten weeks. Then small basilisks are born. The body length of young reptiles is about 11 cm. Basilisks grow quite quickly. First days of newborns feed on the contents of the yolk sacs. When they are empty, young lizards go hunting for the first time.
Basilisk, also called basilisk, is quite unusual and beautiful name for a simple lizard. Why exactly this lizard received it, there are two versions. The first one talks about what she has on her head skin fold, resembling a crown. And the word basilisk, translated from Greek language means - the king of snakes.
The second version, more mythical, found similarities in the lizard with the invented basilisk, which had a rooster’s head with a tuft, a frog’s body and a long snake tail.
Types of basilisks
Scientists call basilisks large lizards that grow up to one meter long. But, despite such parameters, the individual itself is small because only one third of the animal is its body. All the rest - a long tail Basilisk.
They are divided into four types, which differ in color, size and place of residence.
— Basilisk vulgaris or helmet-bearing - inhabits the Center of America and Colombia.
— Double-crested basilisk- lives in the Panamanian and Costa Rican forests.
— Mexican striped basilisk- His homeland is Mexico and Colombia.
— Crested Basilisk, it lives in the Panamanian, western Colombian and Ecuadorian rainforests.
Description and character of the basilisk lizard
These lizards live in the countries of Mexico and America. They are inhabitants of wet tropical forests and everything is yours free time they sit on trees and bushes that grow near water. They also love to bask in the sun, climbing on a stone or dry branch.
Females and males of basilisks differ slightly in appearance. For example, a female is smaller than her male. A large fold of skin in the form of a triangular ridge grows on the head of male basilisks; in females it is practically invisible.
The crest also grows along the entire length of the back and up to half of the tail. Nature gave them such differences for a reason. Males actively guard their possessions, so they wear this outfit to intimidate uninvited guests.
If the male encounters a stranger on his territory, he inflates the skin pouch located on his throat, showing his aggression and superiority over the enemy.
For females, everything is different; like all women, they like to gather in a group near some eligible groom, and wash all his bones. And their instinct of self-preservation is more pronounced; girls prefer to remain invisible, disguising themselves as some kind of twig.
Lizards live in families; one male, as a rule, has two or three females, but nothing more, otherwise the women will not get along. Families of lizards live in one place and do not migrate anywhere.
Basilisks have very long fingers and large claws at the ends of their fingers. They need claws of this length to move freely through trees and bushes, and to sit on a branch for a long time, firmly grasping it.
These ancient animals weigh from two hundred grams to half a kilogram. But there are also larger specimens. The color of basilisks can be grassy green, or light brown with an olive tint.
Zoologists have noticed that lizards bred in captivity differ in color, with turquoise shades predominating. Their belly white, and light spots are visible on the back.
Although these lizards have a slightly unpleasant appearance, they are very timid by nature. And as soon as they feel alarm and danger, they immediately start to run away.
But this is only if they are not far from the water. And if there is no rescue reservoir nearby, they have no choice but to fall through the ground, that is, bury themselves in it.
They are hiding in forest floor from fallen leaves, rotten twigs and branches, or instantly burrowing into the sand. To prevent sand from getting into the animal's nostrils, it has special protective partitions there that slam shut at the right moment and block all exits and entrances.
And just like that, with its nostrils closed and completely immobilized, the lizard can be for a long time until she is completely sure that her life is not in danger.
They breed all year round, females lay eggs several times with an interval of three to four months between clutches. One clutch can contain up to ten eggs.
After two and a half months, offspring are born, but they immediately have to leave their parents' house and look for a place to live. Otherwise, the basilisk predator can easily eat its child.
Basilisks have many enemies in the water, on land and in the air. And if they can notice and hide somewhere in the thickets, then from some mammals leading night look life, lizards suffer the most.
Features of the basilisk lizard
Basilisks are the only ones in everything globe that are able to run on water. They do this when danger threatens, they run as fast as they can, on their hind legs, and don’t even think about drowning.
I wonder how they do it? The solution is simple, it's all about the paws. First of all, their fingers, they are so long that when immersed in water, they capture an air bubble with them, the leg does not sink.
Then between them there are small membranes that help to push off the water well. And of course the speed of movement, because out of fear, it reaches ten to twelve kilometers per hour. So, run By water basilisk maybe up to half a kilometer. Then, quite tired, he dives under the water and does not emerge for a whole half an hour!
Basilisk at home
The main thing you need to know when buying a lizard is that it is domestic. An individual caught by poachers and brought in later has very little chance of survival. During catching and transportation, she suffered enormous stress and, as a result, all the animal’s diseases worsened.
The terrarium should be voluminous and tall; its optimal size for one individual is two hundred liters. You need to plant a lot of greenery in the basilisk's new home; they will really like a ficus tree or dracaena.
Don’t forget about dry tree branches, snags and stumps, on which the lizard will warm its body under the lamp. It would be nice to install a pool; you can use a smaller aquarium.
It is already known that basilisks are shy, so the walls of the terrarium should be visible to the lizard. Use paper to cover the outside of them, or tint the windows with something.
Otherwise, following its instincts, frightened, the lizard will start to run and then it will definitely break against the glass wall, since it is not visible to the animal.
It is very important that basilisks live in pairs, but under no circumstances should you house two males. They will fight among themselves until one is left.
Basilisk food
The basilisk lizard is a carnivorous animal, so ninety percent of its diet should consist of meat, the rest is plant food. Animals are very fond of newborn rats, mice and lizards.
You can also throw pieces into a pool or aquarium. raw fish. They will like various midges and insects, cockroaches and locusts, grasshoppers and worms.
Small lizards are fed several times a day and only with live food, always sprinkled with a nutritional supplement for reptiles. And an adult animal is fed four times a week, adding plant foods to the diet.
The terrarium should be heated with heating lamps, they are placed with reverse side so that the animal does not get burned. Only one half of the home needs to be made warm, the other half ten degrees cooler. You need to place two thermometers in the lizard’s house for constant monitoring. temperature regime.
Purchase an ultraviolet lamp for reptiles to control the lizard's daylight hours, it should last at least twelve hours.
This will significantly improve the body’s absorption of calcium, the animal will receive required quantity vitamin D, metabolism is normalized. By following all the rules of keeping, the animal has every chance of living hand in hand with you for ten years.
The basilisk (Basiliscus basiliscus) can easily be called one of the most interesting and brightly colored representatives of the iguana family (Jguanidae). The ancient Greeks called the basilisk a fairy-tale monster that killed people with its gaze. The name was introduced into taxonomy in 1768 by von Laurenti. The appearance of these completely harmless tree lizards fully justifies their name - adult males have a high wedge-shaped skin ridge on the back of the head, a high skin fold runs along the back and front of the tail, supported by the elongated spinous processes of the vertebrae. Together with the throat sac, which is extremely common in iguanas, the head helmet and dorsal crest serve as signal organs that function as an indicator of the animal’s condition, both in mating season, and it’s dangerous at the moment! awn. Four species of basilisks are distributed over a vast territory - from southern Mexico to the north South America. The main color of basilisks is greenish or brown, often with stripes or spots on this background. Animals swim and dive beautifully.
They feed on insects, fish, tadpoles, and fruits. Most often, the helmet-bearing basilisk Basiliscus basiliscus, reaching a length of 90 cm, is kept in terrariums. Hans-Gunther Petzold (Germany) writes that basilisks have repeatedly bred in captivity. More detailed data on the reproduction of the helmeted basilisk in captivity is provided by Jiri Niedl (Czech Republic). In 1970, the herpetological station in Chlum (Czech Republic) received a pair of young basilisks brought from Yucatan as a gift from Professor Vogel. The male weighed 170 g with a length of 34 cm, the female - 110 g with a length of 59 cm. Basilisks were kept in a terrarium with a capacity of 160x100x160 cm, which had a pond. Sand and moss litter (Leucobryum sp.) were used as a substrate; temperature was 24-29°C. The basilisks were fed crickets, cockroaches, newborn mice, live fish, vegetables, bananas and apples. By the end of the year, the male weighed 195 g, the female - 120 g.
Soon a clutch of eggs was discovered - 5 pieces measuring 18X13 mm. The eggs were laid in the moss. After some time, a second clutch was discovered, and after another six months - a third. A total of 15 eggs were laid. The eggs were incubated at a temperature of 24-28 ° C, river sand was used as a substrate (the thickness of the sand layer was 2 cm), on which a 6-centimeter layer of moss was laid. The moss cushion in which the eggs lay was regularly sprinkled with water. Of the hatched cubs, only six survived. A month and a half later, nine more eggs were laid, from which the cubs hatched. The brood was fed fruit flies, flies, small spiders, larvae of crickets and small tree beetles, and a pulp of bananas and apples. It was never possible to observe copulation itself. Young basilisks were raised by I. Needle Jr. Three lizards were kept in a terrarium with a capacity of 50x40x30 cm heated by a 75 W lamp. The temperature was constantly maintained at 26-34° C. It remains to add that, obviously, it is necessary to separate the male from the female for some time. Otherwise, frequent egg laying will occur, and the animal’s body will be exhausted.
Do you want to get a basilisk...
Currently, in the CIS, basilisks are bred in Tula, Kharkov and Dnepropetrovsk, from where they spread to other regions. Contact pet stores in your city or directly to reptile breeders. Animals bred in captivity are usually healthy, of excellent quality, and adapted to living conditions near humans. In addition, you will be provided with the necessary information for their successful maintenance and breeding.
Before us is a male green helmeted basilisk ( Basiliscus plumifrons) - one of the four representatives of the basilisk family and the great, great... great grandson of that legendary mythical monstrous dragon basilisk. According to the description of Pliny the Elder (1c), the basilisk was endowed with the supernatural ability to kill not only with poison, but also with its gaze and breath, from which the grass dried and the rocks cracked. Our modern “granddaughter” is much safer. It is, of course, not poisonous, although the jaws have retained sufficient strength and the teeth are sharp. The bite of an adult male is quite painful, and the lizard can also scratch with its well-developed claws. But it usually doesn’t come to this. Having a size of about 80 cm (and the length of the tail is about 3/4 of the total length of the animal), the basilisk, even despite its hypertrophied conceit, is aware of the difference in weight categories and gives way to a person. Unless you show enviable persistence and chase the animal first by jumping along elaborate branches tropical trees, then from a considerable height, rush after him into the river and manage to run through the water at a decent speed for several tens of meters, or you will have to dive to the bottom and try to feel in muddy water hidden animal. As you can see, competing with a dragon is hopeless; it is universal. In general, bipedalism, or in other words, the ability to move using one pair of limbs, is a rather rare feature of some modern reptiles. Basilisk is one of them. Phenomenally developed hind legs and long fingers with scaly edges allow the lizard to quickly run not only on land but also on water. In this case, the front legs are pressed against the body, and the tail acts as a balancer and steering wheel.
Attention! Transportation.
Basilisks must be transported individually in opaque hard boxes with wet filling (strips of wet foam, paper, etc.). If the travel time exceeds 15 hours, transportation in small plastic terrariums equipped with a drinking bowl. The temperature during transportation should not fall below 15° and rise above 30°.
Male basilisks are extremely territorial. Within their territory, they do not tolerate the presence of another male, and if the stranger does not retreat after a theatrical performance, during which the lizards swell, protrude their throat sacs and nod to each other, then the conflict can escalate into a bloody fight, possibly with a fatal outcome for one of the rivals. From one to several females can live on a male’s site at the same time. Stronger males, as a rule, do not offend their female friends and, on the contrary, from time to time they themselves receive small beatings from them. Females, as befits females, sometimes boil among themselves, but usually without serious consequences. Seasonality in the tropics is weak, so reproduction of basilisks continues throughout the year. During this time, the female makes several clutches, each of which contains 8-16 eggs. The timing of incubation in nature is unknown, but in the case of artificial incubation at t? 27-28°C, the young will hatch in 75-85 days. The young dragonets are holding on dense thickets along the banks of reservoirs. They are completely defenseless and can even suffer from their own predatory parents. Only caution and innate agility can help.
Construction of the terrarium
A pool is required, the size of which should at least allow the lizards to be completely submerged in the water. Basilisks often defecate in water, so if the reservoir is small, daily water changes are necessary, in case large swimming pool Properly organized filtration will help. A large body of water can be designed as an aquarium with soil, aquatic plants, snails, fish (preferably cheap ones, since lizards will reduce their number from time to time). It is not recommended to place live plants in a small terrarium, since energetic pets will quickly render them unusable, so be content with artificial ones. By correctly arranging living plants, you can create a unique image in a large enclosure rain forest. In general, than bigger size If you set aside a room for basilisks, the more aesthetic pleasure you will receive.
As befits a real dragon, the basilisk is a predator. In fact, any animal of digestible size can become its victim, be it an insect or lizard, a small rodent or bird, fish or other aquatic organism. Having noticed its prey, the basilisk quickly jumps, sometimes to a fairly large distance, precisely grabbing it. If the victim resists or is too large, the dragon will maul it until it is completely killed. Paradoxical as it may seem, dragons also have enemies. First of all, these are large birds and mammals that hunt basilisks at night, when they are asleep and vulnerable. There is another alien enemy - man. In addition to destruction for the sake of their economic needs natural environment habitats, there is also a targeted capture of dragons, which are then transported to the commercial exotic animal trade network various countries. 90% of basilisks caught in the wild die at various stages of capture, transportation, holding at dealers, in pet stores and, finally, directly from hobbyists. So, brothers of men, in the fate of the dragon, our role, as a rule, is determined by the sign “-”
Conditions of detention
Duration daylight hours 12-14 hours. Light levels may be low, but large quantity Light again won't hurt. Average daily temperatures are recommended within 26-29°C. Local heating is required, carried out using an incandescent lamp with a reflector or a mirror-coated lamp. Focus it on a specific area of the driftwood, where the temperature should rise to 35°C. Recommended night temperatures are from 18° to 24°C. Spraying is desirable, but not necessary. Basilisks love it when water is sprayed directly on them, while they blissfully close their eyes.
Is it possible to stop the deforestation of rain forests? Most countries with jungles are weak the developed countries, the political and economic background of which is unlikely to allow any change in the situation for the better in the near future.
The diet of basilisks in captivity consists mainly of feeding insects, such as crickets, cockroaches, and zofobas larvae. You can offer locusts, although lizards don't really like them. Once a week it is useful to give newborn mice or rats. Basilisks love small lizards, so when you are outside the city, do not be lazy to catch a few for your pet, it will be a real delicacy for him. Some individuals take it from tweezers small fish, however, this type of food should not be abused. The share of plant foods in the diet is small and depends on a number of factors. So, according to some amateurs, young basilisks are raised together with herbivorous iguanas ( Iguana iguana) of similar size, imitating the latter, learned to eat a wide range of different foods, including cottage cheese and sprouted wheat grains (which, by the way, is very healthy).
In contrast, some experts paint a grim prospect of tropical rainforests eventually disappearing by 2020. Also in the animal trade market, as long as there is a demand, new batches of basilisks crippled by barbaric captures will be removed from the wild.
UV irradiation, vitamins, minerals
When choosing a UV irradiator, first of all, consult with reptile breeders who have tried one or another type in practice, because frequency, exposure time, distance from the irradiator to the animal - these are the most important parameters that a salesperson in an electrical goods store will not be able to tell you. Since this is a topic for a separate article, here we present one of the possible options. Household UV irradiator produced by the Kharkov plant ZEMi-1, irradiation frequency - once a week, exposure time 8-10 minutes, distance to the animal 1-1.5 meters. Try to prevent the lizard from looking at the lamp during irradiation or shade its eyes.
Many terrarium keepers, especially beginners, consider the use of vitamin preparations to be a decisive factor in determining success in keeping and breeding reptiles. In this regard, let me advise you to focus on the quality of food for your pets. Provide a varied, complete diet for the same crickets, cockroaches, food rodents and as a result, rest assured, the lizards will receive a sufficient amount nutrients and vitamins. In captivity, lizards, especially juveniles and pregnant females, usually lack calcium. Before feeding, sprinkle the insects with crushed eggshells and problems with calcium metabolism will disappear.
Large-scale captive breeding is perhaps the only real way that will, firstly, significantly reduce the intensity of exploitation of natural populations and secondly, in the future, create a satellite population of captive animals.
Which is more often than other animals from the genus Basilisks kept in terrariums. The size of an adult reptile reaches 60-80 cm in length, about two to three of which is the length of the tail. The color of the helmeted Basilisk varies from bright green to brownish-olive. But offspring bred in captivity often have a bluish-green color. The belly of this lizard is yellow. Along the back of the lizard you can see small white or blue spots, and on the sides there are black stripes along the entire body to the tail. As the Basilisk gets older, these spots and stripes may become more blurred or disappear altogether. This color allows basilisks to remain unnoticed when they are hidden and sitting on branches. On these long fingers you can see sharp claws, which help this species, which leads a semi-arboreal lifestyle, easily move through the tropical forest.
A distinctive feature of males is a sail-shaped crest that adorns the head, back and extends to the tail. On the head, this crest resembles a helmet in shape and consists of two parts, different in size, which is why the species is called helmet-bearing. Moreover, the female has only a smaller crest on her head, while males have both of them. Also distinctive feature males have a blue-yellow throat pouch, which they inflate to show their superiority in territorial competition.
These animals owe the name “basilisk” to their mythical past, in which they were considered very dangerous animals due to the fact that they were little explored. And therefore they began to be called “snake king”, which is exactly how the word “basilisk” sounds in translation from Greek.
Another alternative name often seen is “Jesus lizard.” Basilisks received this name due to their ability to move across the surface of water over long distances. To escape from predators, basilisks can travel up to 20 meters, running on the surface of the water at speeds of up to 11 km/h. This is made possible thanks to anatomical structure Basilisk.
Their hind legs are much stronger and larger than their front legs and have special skin bags located around the toes. These skin sacs open and fill with air only in water. In order to keep the skin sacs around the basilisk's toes from filling with water (this will weigh down its paws and prevent it from "sliding" through the water), it must move its hind legs very quickly - this is why basilisks run so quickly through the water. At the same time, it raises its front paws and tail above the water. The tail also plays very important role in this process, it helps balance, and therefore the basilisks do not throw it away when attacked by predators. When the hind paws are not on the water, these skin bags are closed so as not to increase the friction force when running. This allows basilisks to run well not only on water, but also on land.
Origin and habitats in nature:
The genus Basilisk (Basiliscus) belongs to the Corytophanidae family. Previously, this genus was classified as a family (Iguanidae), but relatively recently, herpetologists identified nine species of helmeted lizards as a separate family. The family consists of three genera: Basiliscus, Corytophanes, and Laemanctus. In turn, the Basilisk genus consists of four main species: Basiliscus basiliscus(Common basilisk), Basiliscus galeritus (Crested basilisk), Basiliscus plumifrons (helmeted basilisk) and Basiliscus vittatus (Mexican striped basilisk).
The helmeted basilisk species inhabits the tropical forests of Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama from the Caribbean Sea.
The habitats of the helmeted Basilisk are in most cases located in lowlands located 500 m below sea level, but there have been cases when basilisks were found in areas 1200 m above sea level.
Lifestyle:
This is a lizard that leads a diurnal, semi-arboreal lifestyle, and therefore can often be found on trees and bushes growing near rivers and reservoirs. Sometimes in nature, helmeted basilisks can be seen on stones or logs, where they bask in the rays of the tropical sun. Wherever you meet this amazing woman, it will in any case be a place hidden from prying eyes.
If you get a little closer to the basilisk, it may not even move. But if you come too close, then the lizard will quickly jump into the water and, taking advantage of its amazing ability to run on water, will so quickly disappear from your field of vision or slip away among the bushes that you won’t even have time to understand anything.
In addition, the helmeted basilisk is an excellent swimmer with complete immersion in water. There have been cases when the basilisk spent up to 2 hours being completely immersed in water.
The helmeted basilisk is one that lives strictly on certain territory, where you can only meet one male and two or three females. Two males do not get along in the same territory, but it is worth noting that this is a species of gregarious lizards, and they must necessarily live as a family, since otherwise they begin to get bored and this can lead to the death of the animal if it is not placed in a family in time. However, it is necessary to ensure that the young are separated from the adults, since the stronger adults can eat the weaker ones (the young). Disputes are also often observed among females, but they are less pronounced; the main thing is that the number of females in one territory does not exceed three.
Basilisks often become prey birds of prey, large fish and mammals. And if they can escape from enemies who hunt only during the day, then mammals that lead a nocturnal lifestyle often overtake basilisks while they are sleeping.
It is important to note that for keeping it is necessary to choose only basilisks bred in captivity, since animals caught in the wild almost never live long, as they tolerate transportation and changes in living conditions very poorly.
Terrarium: To keep the helmeted basilisk you will need one equipped with a pool. The minimum size of a terrarium for two or three adult individuals should be 130x60x170 cm. The size of the pool should be at least the size of the lizard. The water in the pool must be changed every day, or it must be equipped with filters similar to an aquarium. You can also keep small, unpretentious fish in the water, such as guppies, this way you will provide the basilisks with the opportunity to hunt prey in the water, diversifying their diet. But in any case, the water must be changed as it becomes contaminated in order to avoid the appearance of harmful microorganisms.
Content temperature: The background temperature in the terrarium during the day should be 28-30 ºC, night temperature can drop to 20-25 ºC. The temperature at the heating point can reach 35-38 ºC.
Lighting: Daylight hours for basilisks should be 12-14 hours. As is the case with other tropical lizards, basilisks need to be installed (for example,). It must be placed at a sufficient distance from the placed snags so that the lizard does not get burned.
Humidity maintenance: The humidity in the basilisk terrarium must be maintained at 70-90%. At the same time, the humidity should be higher at night than during the day. In addition, during the tropical rainy season, it is recommended to spray the terrarium 3-4 times a day using a spray bottle. To maintain humidity, it would be an excellent solution to install a small waterfall that will flow into the pond. In this way, the issue of water flow in the pool can also be resolved.
Decor: Basilisks are quite active lizards; they definitely need a place closer to where they can warm up after swimming. In addition, they love to move around the terrarium, where for this they need to place several thick driftwood that could support all the individuals living in the terrarium at once. It is also necessary to place it in case the lizards want to hide. . As with other tropical lizards, live, non-poisonous plants with dense leaves can be placed in a basilisk terrarium. But you should be prepared for the fact that sooner or later your pets will damage them with their sharp claws. In this case, the plants must be replaced.
Feeding in captivity:
The helmeted basilisk is a fairly omnivorous lizard. They should be offered mainly insects as live prey: . Adults can also be fed small mice and small non-poisonous fish.
In the wild, basilisks consume flowers and leaves as plant food. tropical plants. Basilisks bred in captivity can be trained to consume plant foods, which is not part of their diet in the wild. Such food includes sprouted wheat, as well as pieces of bananas, soft pears, oranges and other fruits, soft vegetables, and berries.
Feeding in captivity must be supplemented.
Young basilisks need to be offered food once a day, but adults can be fed 3-4 times a week.
Breeding in captivity:
The helmeted basilisk becomes sexually mature at the age of 1.5-2 years. Basilisks can reproduce all year round. Females are capable of laying several clutches per year, which consist of 8-18 eggs. The female's pregnancy lasts approximately 2 months, after which she lays eggs. All eggs laid are covered with a leathery shell and should have an even white color.
Females should be closely monitored and if they increase in size in the area abdominal cavity, then a container should be placed in the terrarium. It is recommended to choose a plastic container, about 20 cm high. At the bottom of the container you need to put a layer of sand, 2 cm thick, and a layer of moss, 6 cm thick. The substrate in the masonry container must always be moistened. As soon as the female has finished laying and weaned, she can be transferred to the incubator. The incubation process is 26-31 days, with constant temperature at 26-34° C. The helmeted basilisk does not have the instinct to care for offspring, and therefore young individuals cannot be left with adults, as they can be eaten by their parents.
After hatching, the offspring of helmeted basilisks can not be fed for two days, since during this time they absorb the protein obtained from the egg. After which you can start offering them a crushed mixture of bananas, pears and apples. Small basilisks prefer to stay in thickets near water. They are very careful, timid and agile - this is what saves them in the wild from numerous enemies.