British Reptiles : Lizards 



obtained from various dealers, may be kept as pets, 

 and as such prove most interesting to their owners. In 

 order to keep them in a healthy state it is essential that 

 the captives should be placed in surroundings which 

 are as near as possible a reproduction of their natural 

 conditions. It must be remembered that these creatures 

 delight in sunshine, so their cages should admit abun- 

 dance of light and be placed where the sunlight can 

 reach them. They like at times to retire from obser- 

 vation, and to meet this habit it is advisable to place 

 stones, pieces of bark, and damp moss in the vivarium, 

 so that they can -play their game of hide-and-seek. 

 The floor of the vivarium should be covered with earth 

 or sand, and a drinking vessel, with water, should also 

 be provided. The little reptiles may often be seen 

 resting, quite composedly, in their water. 



A vivarium, as the cage provided for such animals is 

 usually termed, may be purchased, and different styles 

 of vivaria, varying considerably in price, are on the 

 market. But the student who is handy with tools can 

 easily make what is required at an outlay of a few 

 coppers. A fair-sized shallow box, to be obtained from 

 the grocer, may readily be converted into a vivarium. 

 Secure a box, say about 2 feet long, 18 inches wide, 

 and 9 or 12 inches deep. One of the sides is to 

 become the floor, and the bottom is made the back. 

 A large portion of the wood of the bottom should be 

 cut out and a sheet of glass be fixed into the opening 

 thus made. The front of the vivarium should also be 



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