There are dozens of lizards that are in the Agama family but not all of them are commonly kept as pets. Commonly cared for lizards that are in the Agama family include bearded dragons, frill-necked lizards, and Chinese water dragons but there are also many lizards that are simply referred to as agamas such as the red-headed agama or the butterfly agama. This makes it difficult to know what type of agama lizard one may be referring to if they simply call it an agama therefore Latin names are helpful in determining the exact species and care requirements for the agama in question.

Agamas in the Wild

Lizards that are commonly referred to as agamas (not bearded dragons, frill-necked lizards, water dragons and other lizards that are in the agama family but not often referred to as an agama lizard) are from Africa. They naturally live in forested areas but due to the destruction of their natural habitats they are often found throughout villages searching for food during the day. Despite being active during the hottest parts of the day they will retreat into the shade if temperatures reach above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Males usually live in groups of at least six females and will whip their tails and fight with males if they feel threatened.

Housing Pet Agamas

Depending on the size of the agama you are caring for your enclosure may be quite large. The tank should be considered spacious as these lizards have long tails and need to be able to move about the enclosure. Since they need a hot basking area as well as somewhere for them to cool off, if your tank isn't big enough you won't be able to create a proper thermal gradient and the entire tank may be too hot.

Lighting for Pet Agamas

Agamas of all kinds need a source of full spectrum lighting. UVA/UVB lights should be provided for 10-12 hours a day and come in various forms. Traditional fluorescent bulbs, compact fluorescent bulbs, and mercury vapor bulbs are all options for your agama enclosure. The invisible wavelength of light helps metabolize the calcium your agama eats by producing vitamin D3 in their skin. The white light these bulbs give off also provides your agama with the much needed normal light cycle of day and night. Without UVB lights metabolic bone disease can develop and your agama's appetite, bone density, and activity level will suffer.

Heat lights are also vital to the health of agamas. Since agamas come from very hot environments it is impossible to create a basking area close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit that some agamas need without using heat lights. Ceramic heat emitters and a variety of heat lights are available. Some heat lights emit white light, which should only be used during the day, while others emit red, a purple/blue light, or no light at all, which can be used during the day as well as at night.

Feeding Agamas

Agamas primarily eat insects. Crickets, worms, and other insects should be gut loaded prior to feeding your pet agama to ensure your lizard is getting a mouth full of nutrition rather than empty calories. Calcium powder should be dusted on the crickets and other food items at least once a week to make sure your lizard is getting what he needs from his food.