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ReptileTerrestrialIntermediate
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Jewelled Lacerta
Timon lepidus
The impressive ocellated lizard from southwestern Europe requires a large 150x60x60 cm terrestrial enclosure. Best provided with deep soil/sand mixtures, prominent rocky hides, high UVB output, and an omnivorous diet.
Class:Squamata
Order:Squamata
Family:Lacertidae
Subfamily:Lacertinae
Genus:Timon
Species:Timon lepidus
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
40 - 60 %
Day temperature
24 - 26 °C
Ambient temperature
26 °C
Night temperature
18 - 22 °C
Basking spot
38 - 42 °C
Adult size
26 cm
Minimum enclosure
>= 300 L
UVB
Medium
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Timon lepidus is native to southwestern Europe, including Spain, Portugal, southern France, and extreme northwestern Italy (Liguria). It inhabits sunny, dry biotopes such as scrublands, olive groves, dry stone walls, and rocky hillsides.
Taxonomy and Genetics: A member of the Lacertidae family, originally described by Daudin in 1802. It has several distinct subspecies, with Timon lepidus lepidus being the nominate form. Genetic studies show regional variations across the Iberian Peninsula.
Behavior and Habits: Active, diurnal, and highly intelligent. They are alert baskers that spend morning hours heating up before hunting. While quick to flee in the wild, they adapt well to captivity and can become remarkably calm and interactive.
Morphology: This is the largest lizard native to Europe, with mature males reaching 60 to 80 cm in total length. They possess a heavy, muscular head, a bright green or yellow-green dorsal pattern overlayed with black reticulations, and brilliant blue ocelli on their sides.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: An adult requires a large terrestrial enclosure measuring at least 150x60x60 cm. Provide a deep substrate mixture of topsoil and play sand. Decorate with heavy, secure rocks, cork bark logs, and climbing branches to create a complex environment.
Lighting and Heating: Requires high-intensity lighting. Establish a hot basking zone of 38-42°C using halogen flood lamps, alongside a cool area of 24-26°C. High-output T5 linear UVB (10% or 12%) is critical for long-term health and growth.
Humidity and Hydration: Keep ambient humidity around 40-50%. A shallow water dish must be provided at all times. Additionally, include a humid hide box packed with damp moss or coco peat to assist with clean skin sheds.
Feeding and Supplementation: Opportunistic omnivores. The bulk of their diet should consist of gut-loaded insects (roaches, crickets, locusts), supplemented with snails, occasional pinky mice, soft fruits, and calcium-dusted leafy greens.
Compatibility: Adult males are highly territorial and will fight aggressively, often resulting in severe injuries or death. House them individually or as a male-female pair, provided the enclosure is large enough to allow separation.
Health and Common Diseases: Vulnerable to metabolic bone disease (MBD) if UVB output degrades or calcium is neglected. Can suffer from obesity if fed too many fatty prey items, and internal parasites which require veterinary screening.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Timon lepidus is native to southwestern Europe, including Spain, Portugal, southern France, and extreme northwestern Italy (Liguria). It inhabits sunny, dry biotopes such as scrublands, olive groves, dry stone walls, and rocky hillsides.
Origin
Europe, Mediterranean, and West Asia
Reptile profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 26 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 26 cm. The ReptTraits v1.2 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 26 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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