How to Feed a Horned Lizard

Horned lizards (genus Phrynosoma), also known as horned toads, eat mainly small insects in the wild. In captivity, feed your pet a variety of live invertebrate foods such as harvester ants, flies, small crickets and mealworms. Some insects are available from reptile suppliers, and you could catch others in your yard for variety. A calcium and vitamin supplement keeps your lizard healthy.

Things You'll Need

  • Live food
  • Aquarium net
  • Plastic tub
  • Reptile calcium and vitamin supplement
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Instructions

    • 1

      Identify the species. A number of species of horned lizard appear in the pet trade, all with slightly different feeding and care requirements. There are also some unrelated species with the same name. A breeder will know the species, but an animal sanctuary might not or might have misidentified the animal. General pet stores also frequently misidentify their animals. Measure your pet and examine it closely before comparing to photos in a guide. If you are unsure, ask a vet who specializes in reptiles during the initial check-up.

    • 2

      Acquire a supply of live food from a reptile supplier. Most species of horned lizard mainly eat harvester ants, which you may need to order, while others are happy with small crickets or mealworms. To save money, raise a supply of two or three different types of live food in separate tanks. Always feed small insects to the lizard; horned lizards have weak jaws and small stomachs. They struggle with larger items, such as adult crickets.

    • 3

      Collect non-toxic insects from your home and garden with the net and plastic container. Suitable insects include houseflies and many species of ant. Ensure that no insecticides or other chemicals have been used in the vicinity within the last few weeks.

    • 4

      Dust the food with a reptile calcium and vitamin supplement as per the instructions.

    • 5

      Feed the horned lizard a few prey items daily or every couple of days. Do not put more than a few insects in their tank at a time. Some insects, especially harvester ants, pose a threat in large numbers. If the lizard eats all the insects quickly, add more. For most species of horned lizard, about three quarters of these prey items should be harvester ants.