Contributed by WabbyTwaxx on Flickr

Sudan plated lizards have yet to be reliably bred in captivity, so most (if not all) of the specimens available in pet stores are wild-caught (WC) rather than captive bred (CBB). Sometimes they are captive born, which is when a pregnant female is harvested from the wild, lays her eggs, and the eggs hatch in captivity. However, as we come to understand rough-scaled plated lizard care better and they become more popular as pets, more captive-bred individuals will become available.

We at ReptiFiles advise buying directly from a breeder if possible. If not possible, look to adopt a plated lizard from a rescue or someone who has lost interest and is selling theirs. WC plated lizards are likely to carry a higher parasite load than captive-bred animals, and less likely to thrive as pets.

Avoid buying Sudan plated lizards younger than 3 months old, as older individuals are more likely to survive the stress of transitioning to a new home than younger ones.

Buying In-Person

If you are buying a Sudan plated lizard in-person, you are most likely at a pet store or reptile expo. In this setting, try to get a look at the animal up close, so you can gauge its overall health:

• Is it alert, watching you and its surroundings?
• Do the spine or hip bones seem to protrude? (bad)
• Does the body seem sunken at all? (bad)
• Are the eyes clear and open?
• Are the arm and leg bones straight?
• Are the tail or toes blackened at all? (bad)
• Are there any open wounds? (bad)
• Does it seem clumsy? (bad)
• Does it try to wriggle free if held?

If you’re at a pet store, look at the enclosure:

• Is there both a heat source and UVB?
• Is the enclosure clean?
• If there’s glass, is that clean? Clean enclosures usually mean an animal is well cared-for.

Buying from a Breeder

Whenever possible, buy from a small breeder who specializes in Sudan plated lizards, not a big-box reptile distributor (Underground Reptiles, Backwater Reptiles, LLL Reptile, etc.). The narrower their focus, the more likely you are to receive a healthy, high quality animal. Some questions to ask yourself as you evaluate the breeder:

• Do they provide plenty of information in the listings for each available animal?
• Do they offer a live-arrival guarantee?
• Do they offer a health guarantee?
• Do they have a DOA (dead-on-arrival) policy?
• Do they have a good reputation in the reptile community?

Some questions to ask about the lizard:

• Does s/he have a good appetite?
• When was the last time it ate, and how much?
• Have they had any past health issues?
• Did the mother/father have any recurring health issues?
• (If adult female) Has she ever been with a male?

Of course, buying directly from a breeder often means that you have to pay more, but it’s worth the extra money to get a healthy animal. Also, buying online means that you will have to pay for overnight shipping — in the US, that’s usually around $50.