I have 2 Pink-bellied Swifts - sometimes known as the Rose-bellied spiny lizard due to the Males bright pink belly and blue markings - named Steve and Irwin after the late Steve Irwin as they were purchased on the same day as his tragic accident. They are native to Texas and northern areas of Mexico often discovered on fence posts or among clumps of cacti, but they can also be found in the dry forests of more tropical regions. Although they are often described as semi-arboreal, much of their time is spent on the ground foraging for insects under leaves or other debris. Steve and Irwin are very active during the day and great to watch as the only time they stop moving about is at night when they burrow under the sand to sleep. They are both about 5” (13cm) long and can live for around 5 years. Pink-bellied Swifts do not make the best handling lizard as they are small, extremely fast and great jumpers, making catching them very difficult

Their enclosure is 18” (46cm) wide, 15” (40cm) deep and 15” (40cm) high which is just big enough for them both. They will also need a secure lid that is checked every time it is used as they are fantastic jumpers and will no doubt try to escape if given the chance. Repti-Sand was used for the substrate as this particular species loves to hide and sleep under the sand at night. Logs, rocks and plastic plants were used to finish off the decoration for their habitat. For temperature control a 40w red bulb, connected onto a Habisat Night and Day controller set at 90 ° F (32 ° C), is used. Due to the size of the container it is harder to create a cooler area so a strategically placed log allows the area underneath to be cooler. A UVB fluorescent light, which covers the full spectrum, is on for around 12 hours per day to provide the daylight period they require. Humidity, provided by spraying, should be kept at around 50-60% to help aid skin shredding. More information on heating and lighting can be found on the ‘Housing' section of this website.

Steve and Irwin eat a variety of live insects, such as crickets, small locust, mealworms and wax worms, dusted with a multiple vitamin and mineral supplement a couple of times a week. Clean water should always be provided as this is one of the very few species of lizard that will happily and frequently drink from a bowl.