Sheltopusik or Eurasian Glass Lizard History and Care
Furthermore, the sheltopusik is uncommonly responsive (especially to those who provide its meals!) and accepts a wide variety of foods – pink (new-born) mice, crickets, earthworms, mealworms, waxworms, eggs, canned lizard diet and canned dog and cat food – to name a few. Cone-shaped teeth assist in crushing snails, a favored prey. After eating snails, sheltopusiks remove the snails’ slime from their jaws by rubbing their mouths against the ground. In the wild, they actively forage for beetles, spiders, grasshoppers, caterpillars, mice, shrews, voles, ground nesting birds and their eggs, small snakes, lizards and their eggs, and carrion. Averaging 2-3 feet in length, exceptionally large specimens can top 4 feet.
Glass lizards, as their name implies, quickly autotomize (shed) their tails when handled or captured by a predator. The eastern glass lizard, O. ventralis, of the southeastern USA and Europe’s slow-worm, Anguis fragilis (note the species’ name!) are particularly adapt in this regard. Pet sheltopusiks usually become so tame that tail shedding is rarely a consideration if they are handled gently.
I will discuss captive husbandry details in the future – for now, please keep this lizard in mind when choosing a pet, and write me with any questions you may have. Thanks, Frank.
Interesting sheltopusik photos are posted at:
http://www.naturephoto-cz.eu/ophisaurus-apodus-picture-676.html
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about 3 years ago
Hi Frank,
I have a quick question I have had my Sheltopusik for three years now. When I got her she had some pretty bad flesh wounds that took some time to heal. So now that’s all healed up. Anyway my question is are they normally dry? she almost crispy and her scales seem to stick up. Because I’m not to sure on what her humidity should be. Any help would be great. Thanks
about 3 years ago
Hi Trina,
Thanks for your question.
The dry, raised areas are likely the result of scar tissue having built up below the scales. I have seen this among many lizards and snakes – it doesn’t look great, but seems not to cause any problems. One thing I would watch for is that dry skin does not get caught on this area when the lizard sheds. If you notice this happening, use a shed aid such as Shed Ease Conditioner at shedding time.
Sheltopusiks dwell in dry areas but take advantage of morning dew and are particularly active after rains. I have found they do best if their cage is sprayed lightly with water each morning – enough to dampen the top layer of the substrate, but not so much that it stays wet for more than an hour or so. Otherwise the substrate should remain dry.
I hope this has been of some help -please write back and let me know what type of substrate you use, as this will affect how much humidity will be retained, and with any further questions. Good luck.
Best regards,
Frank
about 3 years ago
Hi again,
Thanks for taking the time to answer my question it helped to put some of my worries to rest. Anyway we have tried a number of different beddings for her. Paper, coconut shavings, some types of wood chips, we found though that for her, ground up corn cob seems to be the winner for now. The dust from the coconut shavings and wood chips would clog in her nose and under her scales. She is misted everyday already, and seems to do well in the corn cob stuff.
Thanks Trina
about 3 years ago
Hi Trina,
Thanks for the note and glad I could be of help.
Corn cob should be fine, assuming the animal can get enough traction. If she seems to have difficulty in moving about, a handful of sphagnum moss mixed into the corn cob will give her scales somrthing to grab onto.
Please keep me posted on her progress and pass along anything interesting you might observe.
Best regards,
Frank
about 2 years ago
Hi Frank. Thanks for your interesting and informative article on the sheltopusik. I have owned one for about a year now and I want to determine it’s sex in hopes of breeding. How can the sex of these lizards be determined? Thanks. – Tom
about 2 years ago
Hello Tom, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog and the kind words, much appreciated.
Unfortunately it’s difficult to differentiate the sexes unless you are able to view a number of individuals together. Mature males tend to have broader heads than do females, but age and also place of origin (they have a wide range, and vary in appearance from population to population) plays a role.
The region just below the cloaca is “fuller” in males than in females, and the tail tapers more dramatically below this point in the males (this due to the presence of the internal hemipenes in the males. However, this is not nearly as evident as is the case with snakes, (in case you have experience with them).
Males usually fight if housed together, so if unsure you’ll need to be very careful when introducing a new animal.
Sorry I couldn’t offer an easier method…I’ve only been able to easily differentiate the sexes when viewing large groups at importer’s facilities.
Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
about 1 year ago
my son found a “snake” in the back yard. it seemed to have a wounded tail, that appeared to be “growing back”. this did not make since to me, i do not know a lot about snakes but i do know the tails do not grow back. so after looking on the net for hours i saw no info on this “snake” and no info on snakes growing their tails back, just info saying they do not. anyhow we took it to our local “snake” museum, and with a strange look they told use it wasn’t a snake but was a glass lizard and we should put it back as they do not make “good” pets. so i just got home and found your web page and thought i’d ask you what you think. it seems ok to keep it according to the other posts but would like more info.
about 1 year ago
Hello Jodie, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog.
Please let me know where it was found – there are several species in Europe and N. America, and their care differs; I should be able to ID it for you based on capture site, and could then advise on its care.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
about 1 year ago
thanx frank for getting back to me so quickly
we found “him” in our compost pile in our back yard. we live in wilmington nc, (blocks from a river and 7 miles from the beach). he was easy to catch and seems fairly “non-aggressive”, he’ll let use hold him but becomes very still. thank for any info you can give us, we have found some helpful info on the net but all seems to conflict with the other…
thanx
jodie
about 1 year ago
Hello Jodie, Frank Indiviglio here.
My pleasure….
Three species of glass lizard are found in NC – the Eastern (Ophisaurus ventralis), Slender (O. attenuatus) and the Mimic (O. mimicus). The eastern is the most common; the Slender usually struggles violently when restrained and the Mimic has a very small range in NC. The care of all is similar.
They spend much time below ground, and so should be provided with a sand/peat or sand/coconut husk mix of 4-8 inches in depth. A covering of dried grass or plastic plants will encourage it to emerge from its burrow. Be sure to use a screen top with Cage Clamps as they are escape artists. Mist the tank w/water once daily but the soil should not be damp; provide a shallow water bowl.
Diet should be as varied as possible – crickets, waxworms, mealworms, earthworms, wild-caught insects; some individuals will also take canned silkworms and snails ; offer canned monitor/tegu diet as well. The info provided for the European glass lizard, re temperature, UVB and vitamin/mineral supplements, applies to native species.
American Glass Lizards are more high strung than the European species, and should not be handled very much – calm behavior does not mean an absence of stress; they will, however, adapt well and may eventually feed from the hand.
Good luck, enjoy and please write back if you need further info.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
about 1 year ago
Thank you so much!
i just looked up all three i really can not tell which it really looks like the eastern and the mimic not so much the slender. Anyhow thanks again, and could i send you a pix to see if you can tell?
either way, thanx again
jodie
about 1 year ago
Hello Jodie,
You’re welcome…you can send a photo to findiviglio@thatpetplace.com, but difficult to use photo as ID depends on differences in spots/stripes about the head – must be clear, close up. If you’d like to try with the animal in hand, view the lizard from above, and look at the back of the head/neck:
Eastern – 2 stripes along top of body end at head; head/snout has small dots/spots
Slender – Three stripes along top of body, no spots
Mimic – 3 stripes along top of body, the 2 outermost stripes end in a series of spots; spots are lined up, not scattered.
Please let me know how you make out,
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
about 1 year ago
my son has a “glass snake” lizard lol and i have moon drops liquid uvb does it need this vitamin? i do not want to give it to it if it doesn’t need it or will cause harm to it and i have not found many sites about these reptiles, i know they eat worms,crickets,slugs,frogs,birds , eggs, so on and the do not need UV due to being nocturnal, but i do not know if they need the moon drops for nocturnal reptiles
and we use a regular bulb for day and night but do we need to heat the dirt/sand in its tank and what would be the best way to do that? i have a water bed heater that has a thermostat could i place it on the outside under the tank and if so what temp would it need to be at? for day and night it goes from 50-120 degrees
about 1 year ago
Hello Jessica, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog. Please let me know what type of glass lizard your son has (species if known, or else European, American, etc) as care differs. Actually, most are active by day and do best with a UVB source, although some spend a great deal of time below ground.
Please also send info as to the temperatures you maintain and the diet, so that I can provide you with specific advice.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
about 1 year ago
Hello Jessica, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog. Please let me know what type of glass lizard your son has (species if known, or else European, American, etc) as care differs. Actually, most are active by day and do best with a UVB source, although some spend a great deal of time below ground.
Please also send info re the temperatures you maintain and the diet, so that I can provide you with specific advice.
I look forward to hearing from you,
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
about 1 year ago
here is a link to one that looks exactlly like our no diffrences, we live in florida about an hour away from panama city beach ( the panhandle)
ours is about 1 ½ feet long eating crickets, earth worms, slugs, have not tried a pinkies or frogs yet it hides during the day in a tunnel or in the roots of grass in his tank is eating about 5 crickets every other day, right now has a 60 watt bulb soft white compact fluorescent bulb the spiral type and is kept in room about 75-89 degrees as it is cooler at night do not know if it needs UV light, as far as what I could find online they do not need UV ? But it is a one that was caught wild eats well and was by our house in the shallow edge of our fresh water lake. VERY CAILM doesn’t mind being held at all. It’s tall has broken off in the wild but has already grown back- growing back pattern less do I need to use a under tank heating source for the dirt/sand in tank? And if so what temps does it need to be during day and night, and do I need to give it moon drops? Liquid UVB?
about 1 year ago
http://www.247wildlife.com/photos/snake046.jpg
about 1 year ago
Hello Jessica, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for the feedback. It is almost certainly an Eastern Glass Lizard, Ophisaurus ventralis. Three related species occur in your area – the markings on top of the head are a sure means of ID, The Peterson Field Guide to Reptiles/Amphibians of Eastern/Central USA has line drawings which are useful, but the photo shows a typical Eastern.
They do get UVB exposure in the wild, and likely rely upon skin-generated Vitamin D3…a Zoo Med 5.0 would be ideal; check temps after you add the 5.0 – you may be able to do without your other bulb. Your temperatures are fine, can go to high 60’s at night if need be. You do not need a sub-sand heater.
The varied diet you are providing is ideal; rather than moon drops/liquid UVB I suggest alternating between Reptocal and Reptivite w/D3 as a supplement – 1x weekly when wild invertebrates are the main diet, 3x weekly during periods when you rely largely upon domestic crickets (please see my article Feeding Crickets as well).
Sounds like you are on the right track – Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
about 1 year ago
untill i get the uvb 5.0 light would the moon drops do the trick?
about 1 year ago
Hello Jessica,
Thanks for the feedback; the moon drops are not likely to be an effective substitute as the lizard probably (judging from studies on related animals) does not effectively absorb D3 from its diet, but rather (or more effectively, perhaps) manufactures it in the skin in the presence of UVB (D3 then allows the animal to utilize dietary Calcium). However, you can add the bulb when you are able – a 2-3 week delay will do no harm.
Enjoy, and please let me know if you need anything further,
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
about 1 year ago
i meant a sheltopusik aka european glass lizard are these available in the uk legally?
about 1 year ago
Hello Dan, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog. In the UK, the Sheltopusik is protected under the European Protected Species Act of 1994. However, it may be legally kept if proof is shown that the animal was captive born, collected outside the EU, or in captivity before 1993, or if a special license is obtained. You can read more about these requirements and other UK protected species here.
Please let me know if you need further info,
Good luck and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
about 10 months ago
My husband brought home a glass lizard he found at work. We live in North Florida and he found him “basking” on a stack of rotting lumber. The lizard did not retreat upon approach and has either lost his tail previously and is growing it back or something else is wrong with it.
We have him in a 20gallon long tank with a heat lamp and have been feeding him crickets, mealworms, and waxworms.
We can not keep him, but want to be sure he is healthy enough to survive if we put him in our back yard with a pile of lumber, moss, and reptile bark. If not are there any rescues in the North Florida area?
Thanks!
Candace
P.S. He is a biter
about 10 months ago
Hello Candace, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog. Very nice to hear of your concern and efforts…your set-up sounds ideal as a temporary home. Just be sure the lizard can hide and has a water bowl; do not handle it or worry too much about feeding.
At this time in N Fla they are just becoming active and may not feed right away; it was basking to warm up and likely did not escape as it was not up to optimal temperature when found. The “glass” part of their name is fitting – most wild ones lose their tail at some point; they are well-adapted to re-grow without incident.
I suggest releasing the lizard as soon as a few warm days in a row are predicted; release early in the day. Wild-caught lizards are quite stressed by confinement; this, combined with an immune system that is not yet operating fully due to the effects of winter leaves them open to a variety of health problems at this time of the year.
If the bite broke your skin, be sure to clean and disinfect well; a call to your family doctor would be a good idea. Glass lizards are not dangerous per se, but any animal bite may transfer a variety of micro-organisms that could cause severe infections.
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
about 10 months ago
Thank you! We will be letting him go in the morning
He didn’t break the skin when he bit, but we did sanatize the area.
about 10 months ago
Hello Candace, Frank Indiviglio here.
My pleasure….Thanks for you’re the update; I’m sure it will be fine. Very nice of you to take such an interest in these under-appreciated little beasts!
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted on any observations.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.
about 6 months ago
I keep looking for more information on scheltopusiks. there doesn’t seem to be much out there. I volunteer with my local zoo and became facinated by scheltopusiks. I purchased two a month ago. they were shipped in the same bag, they are in the same tank, and they appear to get along. they have not fought, even when they have both grabbed the same worm. are they in anyway social animals. I saw where you had said two males would fight, would females fight? also, I have seen some videos where they eat small amounts of fruits and veggies but can’t find anything in print. do you have any info on this,
thanks, pam
about 6 months ago
Hello Pam, Frank Indiviglio here.
Thanks for your interest in our blog. Nice to hear you are volunteering at a zoo; that is how I got started in the field.
Females may fight over food; some references claim that they are also territorial, but I have not seen evidence of that. In some habitats, they occur in extremely dense populations (I don’t recall exact reference, an article some years ago in Herpetologica, I believe) so perhaps food availability affects territorial behavior.
Stomach analysis studies attribute vegetation to incidental swallowing along with prey; I cannot recall any citing plant matter as a food item. All zoos that I’m aware of keep them long term on meat-only diets. However, there was vegetable material in the cat/dog food that those under my care consumed, and I’m sure long term captives would try fruits/vegetables as you describe. I would not include as regular part of the diet, however, given the longevities they achieve on typical captive diets.
Please let me know if you need any further information. Good luck, enjoy and please keep me posted on their progress…not many are being kept these days in the USA.
Best regards, Frank Indiviglio.