Balkan Green Lizard

1 Overview

The Balkan green lizard looks very similar to the emerald lizard. It reaches 34–50 cm in total length and prefers to perch on trees in tropical, low-elevation, humid river valleys; it is diurnal. Its striking appearance makes it quite eye-catching, and it is not difficult to keep in captivity.

Chinese Name: Emerald Lizard

Scientific Name: Lacerta trilineata

Kingdom: Animalia

Family: Lacertidae

Genus: Lacerta

Diet: Insects

Distribution: Balkan Peninsula

2 Physical Characteristics

Breeding of the Balkan green lizard is becoming increasingly common, but it remains relatively difficult to breed. Because its appearance is very similar to that of the emerald lizard, take care to distinguish their physical traits when acquiring one.

The Balkan green lizard reaches 34–50 cm in total length and resembles the emerald lizard. The snout is slightly pointed and the head is wider toward the back. Viewed from above, the head is triangular in shape. There are 8 rows of abdominal scales, and the granular scales above the eyes form a continuous row. Coloration is highly variable. Juveniles have 3–5 white stripes along the back, and adult males have a yellow throat.

3 Care Guidelines

When keeping the Balkan green lizard in captivity, good ventilation is essential; if using a sealed terrarium, provide ventilation holes on the sides. In the wild this species lives in trees within tropical, low-elevation, humid river valleys, so pay close attention to temperature and humidity in the enclosure.

An upright (tall) terrarium is best, ideally about 4 ft wide, 7 ft high and 2 ft deep, because the Balkan green lizard is very active and also requires fairly high humidity—at least 70%. Water must be supplied daily; this is the key to keeping this tropical lizard. Branches should be placed in the enclosure for climbing and perching, as the species spends almost its entire life in trees, making substrate choice less critical; if a substrate is used, leaf litter is the most suitable. Also provide a tree hollow for retreat—it need not be large, but it is important for this somewhat nervous lizard.

4 Feeding Requirements

The Balkan green lizard likes to perch in sunny shrubland. In captivity, beyond providing a suitable environment, a balanced diet is important, and scientific feeding methods matter as well.

In terms of diet, the Balkan green lizard feeds mainly on arboreal insects, but will also take appropriately sized prey such as small birds, mice and other lizards, so feeding is generally not problematic. However, note that its appetite is modest; feed small amounts frequently. On the other hand, it does not tolerate starvation well, so it is best fed daily and never left without food for more than two days.