Helmeted basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons). Helmeted basilisk (basiliscus basiliscus) Habitat in nature

Helmet-bearing basilisk (lat. Basiliscus basiliscus) is one of the most amazing lizards from the family Corytophanidae. The basilisk runs through the water, staying on its surface by rapidly alternating strikes of the hind limbs. For such wonderful art, he is often called “Christ’s lizard.”

Not everyone is given the talent by nature to run across the surface of the water up to 400 m, while developing a speed of up to 12 km/h. Main secret this art consists in special structure hind legs. The lizard's toes are very long, and on their outer side there are special membranes made of modified scales.

At rest, they look like a fringe growing abundantly around the toes, and while running on water they straighten out, increasing the supporting surface of the feet.

Distribution and behavior

Helmeted basilisks live in Central America. These lizards prefer to live in damp tropical forests, growing in Nicaragua, Panama and Costa Rica. Here all year round It's stiflingly hot. Daytime temperatures range from 25°C to 30°C, and air humidity rarely drops below 60% and increases greatly during the rainy season.

Being an arboreal lizard, the basilisk spends most of its time in the crowns of trees growing along the banks of fresh water bodies.

He leads a daily lifestyle, and at night he sleeps peacefully, lying on a convenient branch. At dawn it gets out to sunny place and, having warmed up well, goes in search of food.

The basilisk feeds on a variety of insects and invertebrates. His hunting trophies Sometimes there are small chicks and small fish. He snatches fish out of the water with amazing dexterity. Adult lizards diversify their menu with ripe fruits.

This reptile has a great many enemies, so its character is, to put it mildly, timid. He flees at the slightest threat, quickly jumping from branch to branch. Helmeted Basilisk runs on water not because of religious ecstasy, but solely from toothy predators and voracious birds. To escape from birds, he often jumps into the water from tree branches.

Having stunned the adversary with its sprinting jerk, the basilisk hides in the abyss of the water and quickly swims away. This increased alertness helps him survive in the nightmarish conditions of the jungle. True, despite their outstanding abilities, the majority of basilisks do not live up to two years, becoming prey to their ubiquitous enemies.

When it comes to defending its possessions from competitors, the helmet-bearing basilisk turns from a despicable coward into a brave warrior.

Two males are capable of thrashing and biting each other for a long time, until the weakest leaves the home territory, and the winner gets the harem of females living on it. The male declares his rights to the territory with the help of ritual nods of his head. The area of ​​the home plot can be from 500 to 1000 square meters.

Reproduction

The mating season begins with the arrival of the rainy season. At this time, air humidity rises to 80% and after the drought, the desired coolness sets in. In the third week of pregnancy, the female looks for a secluded place to lay eggs. To do this, she descends from the tree to the ground.

The female methodically presses her muzzle to the soil in search of the most favorable temperature and soil moisture for incubating eggs. Having found a suitable place, she lays 15-17 eggs, 2.1 to 2.4 cm long and 1.2 to 1.5 cm wide, burying them in the sand. During one season, each female is able to lay several clutches.

Incubation lasts 8-10 weeks, after which small lizards approximately 11 cm long are born.

They pierce the shell with a special egg tooth, which later falls out. The first days of their lives, the cubs do not hunt, feeding exclusively on the contents of yolk sacs. When food supplies run out, they go on the first hunt in their lives.

They grow quickly and already at the age of 5 months the males begin to fight among themselves for a place in the sun. Lizards become sexually mature only at 18-24 months of age.

Description

The body length of an adult reptile is 60-80 cm, of which up to 50 cm is the tail. Body weight ranges from 250-500 g. The body is completely covered with small scales and has a bright green or bluish-green color. The tail has alternating yellow and brown stripes, and there are large light specks on the sides.

The head of the basilisk is decorated with a small skin outgrowth resembling a two-bladed helmet. The head itself is small, with a wide mouth. Eyes with bright orange irises are set on the sides of the head. Males have a high crest along the ridge. A low ridge also extends along the upper side of the long tail.

The short forelimbs are armed with long claws. The muscular hind limbs are much larger than the front ones. All five toes of the hind legs are equipped with scaly membranes.

The life expectancy of the helmeted basilisk in captivity is longer than in natural conditions. Many individuals live up to 5-6 years.

Have you ever heard about a lizard that can run on water? Today you will have a great opportunity to meet her - after all, this is helmeted basilisk! We will tell you not only about the reptile’s habitat, but also about keeping it at home.

Description of the helmeted basilisk

Helmeted Basilisk– it’s more likely ancient lizard 30 cm long, weighing 250-600 g. The first thing that catches your eye is the long fingers with rather sharp claws. But, special part occupies the tail of a reptile, growing to almost 2/3 of the body length. Are you probably interested in running on water? It's true the helmed basilisk has this ability, allowing you to keep your body on the water thanks to alternating strikes of your hind legs on the water. In addition, the lizard is excellent swimmer, underwater without air for about half an hour. Basilisk accelerates on water at a speed of 12 km/h and can easily run 400 meters!

HABITAT AND LIFESTYLE OF THE HELMET BASILISK

Where do helmeted basilisks live?

Helmeted Basilisk is common in South and Central America, as well as in Florida.

The reptile reaches sexual maturity only at 1-5-2 years of age, but as soon as lizards reach this age, they begin mate more than once, because at one time the female can lay 3-4 eggs, and in a year from 10 to 20.

Helmeted basilisks feed mainly insects, small vertebrates such as birds, fish and snakes, but also plants and flowers.

Contents of the helmeted basilisk

Certainly, for content any reptile needs a terrarium in which you can install trees, branches, driftwood and various plants(dracaena, ficus). Moss, mulch and their mixture are excellent as soil (apply a layer of 5-7 cm). Of course, the terrarium must have lighting, the correct temperature and humidity. To ensure your pet can absorb calcium and regularly receive vitamin D, install a UV lamp, but only for 10-12 hours daily. Maintain the temperature in the terrarium at 24-25 degrees during the day and 20 at night.

You must understand that in nature helmeted basilisk lives with a humidity of 60-70%, which is why it is so important that he feels comfortable. Monitor the same humidity using a hydrometer, or spray your reptile's home yourself every day. A pond wouldn’t hurt either, because the basilisk loves water very much, it’s its element, so to speak. Your pet will definitely be grateful for such a purchase, where he can splash around and just relax.

At home you can feed your pet with crickets, mealworms, cockroaches, zoophobes, grasshoppers, cabbage, dandelions, lettuce. It is best to cut the plants before serving, but it is not recommended to leave only one type of food; it is best to alternate. We feed, for example, 4 times a week with plant food, and 3 times with live food. Nutrition daily!

So we found out that helmed basilisk really runs on water, and that it can be kept at home, like many reptiles. Follow our recommendations and your pet will be healthy and happy.

VIDEO: ABOUT LIZARDS

IN THIS VIDEO, WE OFFER YOU TO LEARN A LOT OF INTERESTING ABOUT HELMED BASILISKS

Why zoologists named this harmless lizard in honor of the evil Basilisk, no one knows, but in nature it exists, as it does official name individuals - helmet-bearing (helmet-like crest, do you see on the head?) Basilisk. The habitat is exclusively the territory of Central America, therefore, in order to observe Basilisks, of which there are 4 species, you will have to cross the ocean.

If we talk about characteristic features Basilisk, then the tail is much longer than body, approximately 2/3 of 80 cm, is the length of the lizard. The body and tail are flattened on the sides, something like a “thickened knife blade” and a sharp ridge along the entire back. In general, scale up for thrillers and shoot live “dinosaurs” without resorting to layouts or imagination. A scary lizard, you see for yourself. But at the same time, it is a herbivore and vegetarian, and therefore harmless to other inhabitants of Central America.

Based on the correct answer, the places where the Basilisk lives are trees growing near rivers, and danger forces it to run on water, sensing which, the lizard first begins to menacingly rotate its head, and then rushes away through the water.

P.S. The question remains open: when I read about Basilisks, I didn’t understand why it was prescribed by nature to have 100 teeth when it feeds on grass...

Helmeted Basilisk ( Basiliscus plumifrons) is one of the most unusual lizards that can be kept in captivity. Bright green in color, with a large crest and unusual behavior, it resembles a miniature dinosaur.

But, at the same time, the helmeted basilisk needs a fairly spacious terrarium, and it is nervous and completely tame. Although this reptile is not for everyone, with good care it can live quite a long time, longer than 10 years.

Habitat in nature

Habitat four existing types Basilisks are located on the territory of the Central and South America, from Mexico to the coast of Ecuador. The helmeted one lives in Nicaragua, Panama and Ecuador.

They live along rivers and other water basins, in places abundantly heated by the sun. Typical places are thickets of trees, dense reeds and other thickets of plants. In case of danger, they jump from branches into the water.

https://youtu.be/gq9f4hI4wwI

Helmeted basilisks are very fast, they run superbly and can reach speeds of up to 12 km/h, and can also dive under water in times of danger. They are quite common and do not have any special conservation status.

• The average size of a basilisk is 30 cm, but larger specimens are also found, up to 70 cm. Life expectancy is about 10 years.
• Like other types of basilisks, helmeted ones can run on the surface of the water for considerable distances (400 meters) before plunging into it and swimming. For this feature they are even called “Jesus lizard”, alluding to Jesus, who walked on water. They can also stay underwater for about 30 minutes to wait out danger.
• Two-thirds of the basilisk is the tail, and the crest on the head serves to attract the attention of the female and for protection.

Basilisk runs in the water:

In nature, helmet-bearing basilisks, at the slightest danger or fear, take off and run away at full speed, or jump from branches into the water. In a terrarium, they can crash into glass, which is invisible to them.

So good idea keep them in a terrarium with opaque glass, or cover the glass with paper. Especially if the lizard is young or caught in the wild. A terrarium measuring 130x60x70 cm is sufficient for only one individual; if you plan to keep more, then choose a more spacious one.

Since they live in trees, there should be branches and snags inside the terrarium that the basilisk can climb. Live plants are also good, as they shelter and camouflage the lizard, and help maintain air humidity.

Suitable plants are ficus, dracaena. It is better to plant them so that they create a shelter where the timid basilisk will be comfortable.

Males cannot tolerate each other, and only basilisks of different sexes can be kept together.

In nature:

Substrate

Acceptable various types soils: mulch, moss, reptile mixtures, rugs. The main requirement is that they retain moisture and do not rot, and are easy to clean. The soil layer is 5-7 cm, usually this is enough for plants and to maintain air humidity.

Sometimes, basilisks begin to eat the substrate, if you notice this, then replace it with something completely inedible. For example, a reptile mat or paper.

Lighting

The terrarium needs to be illuminated using UV lamps 10-12 hours a day. UV spectrum and length daylight hours are critical for reptiles as they help them absorb calcium and produce vitamin D3. If the helmeted basilisk does not receive the required amount of UV rays, it may develop metabolic disorders.

Note that the lamps must be changed according to the instructions, even if they do not fail. Moreover, these should be special lamps for reptiles, and not for fish or plants.
All reptiles should have a clear separation between day and night, so lights should be turned off at night.

Heating

Native to Central America, basilisks nevertheless carry quite a bit of low temperatures, especially at night. During the day, there should be a heating point in the terrarium, with a temperature of 32 degrees, and a cooler part, with a temperature of 24-25 degrees.

At night the temperature can be around 20 degrees. For heating, you can use a combination of lamps and other heating devices, such as heated stones. Be sure to use two thermometers, one in a cool corner and one in a warm corner.

Water and humidity

In nature, helmeted basilisks live in quite humid climate. In the terrarium, the humidity should be 60-70% or slightly higher. To maintain it, the terrarium is sprayed with water daily, monitoring the humidity using a hydrometer. However, too high humidity is also bad, as it promotes the development of fungal infections in lizards.

Basilisks love water and are excellent dives and swimmers. Constant access to water, a large body of water where they can splash, is important for them. It could be a container, or a special waterfall for reptiles, that’s not the point. The main thing is that the water is easily accessible and changed daily.

Feeding

Helmeted basilisks eat a variety of insects: crickets, zoophobus, mealworms, grasshoppers, cockroaches.

Some eat naked mice, but these should only be given occasionally. They also eat plant foods: cabbage, dandelions, lettuce and others.

They need to be cut first. Adult basilisks need to be fed plant foods 6-7 times a week, or insects 3-4 times. Young, twice a day and insects. The food should be sprinkled with reptile supplements containing calcium and vitamins.

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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 northern 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 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 genus 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 supernatural ability to kill not only with poison, but also with a look, a breath that dried the grass and cracked the rocks. 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 in 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 fatal for one of the opponents. 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 fight with each other, 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 not known, but in the case of artificial incubation at t? 27-28°C, the young will hatch in 75-85 days. Young dragonets stay in dense thickets along the banks of reservoirs. They are completely defenseless and can even suffer from their predatory parents. Only caution and innate agility 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 in the form of 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 larger 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 habitat, there is also a targeted capture of dragons, which are then transported to commercial network trade in exotic animals 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

Daylight hours are 12-14 hours. Light levels may be low, but more 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 required. 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 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 small fish from tweezers, but you should not abuse this type of food. The share of plant foods in the diet is small and depends on a number of factors. Thus, according to some amateurs, young basilisks raised together with herbivorous iguanas (Iguana iguana) of similar size, imitating the latter, learned to eat wide range a variety of food, 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 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 suffer from calcium deficiency. Before feeding, sprinkle the insects with crushed eggshell 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.