Frilled Lizard

LizardsPrintable care sheet

Scientific Name: Chlamydosaurus kingii
Name Origin: Called the “frilled” lizard for the large circular frill around its neck, which it expands when threatened.
Size & Lifespan: 2–3 ft including tail; 10–15 years in captivity.
Native Habitat: Northern Australia and Southern New Guinea. Found in dry forests, savannas, and woodland edges.
Behaviors: Arboreal, fast, alert, known for dramatic bluff displays (frill open, mouth wide). Runs bipedally when scared.
Social: Solitary.
Activity Pattern: Diurnal.
Appearance Note: The frill makes the lizard look bigger to scare predators and communicate dominance.

Fun Facts

Can sprint on two legs.
Rarely uses the frill unless threatened.
Excellent climbers, spending most of life in trees.

Enclosure

Adult frilled lizards need a tall, spacious, arboreal enclosure. A single adult should have at least 4 ft long × 2 ft wide × 4–6 ft tall, with many climbing branches. Cypress mulch, soil/sand mix, or eco-earth are safe substrates that maintain humidity without mold issues.

Provide a basking spot of 100–110°F, with a cool side of 80–85°F and ambient 85–95°F. Night temps can drop to 75–80°F.

Humidity should stay around 50–70%. Strong UVB is REQUIRED (T5 HO 5.0–10.0).

Ideal range is 85–95°F. They can tolerate slightly cooler nights but should not be kept below 70°F or above 115°F for long periods.

Diet and Hydration

Frilled lizards are insectivores with occasional small vertebrate or fruit intake.

Weekly Feeding Schedule (Adult)

4–5 days per week.
8–12 large insects per feeding (adjust by body size).
Juveniles eat daily and require more protein.

Staple foods include crickets, dubia roaches, discoid roaches, superworms, hornworms, silkworms, and black soldier fly larvae.

Treats include pinky mice (rare), small amounts of berries or mango, and waxworms.

No Feed/Toxic items: Fireflies, wild-caught insects, avocado, citrus, onion, garlic.

Hydrate by offering a clean water dish, misting lightly, and allowing droplets on leaves/branches. Many drink from surface water more than bowls.

Calcium with D3 should be provided 2–3× per week, multivitamin 1× per week.

Common diet-related behavior: they often hunt only moving prey, so tong-feeding helps during slow days.

Health

Common issues include parasites (coccidia, pinworms), mouth rot, metabolic bone disease (if UVB or calcium is lacking), and respiratory infections if kept too humid and cool. External stress can lead to refusal to eat. No known uniquely fatal disease, but improper husbandry can quickly cause decline.

Handling

Frilled lizards can be skittish and stress easily with rough handling. They rely on speed and bluff displays rather than biting. Too much handling can increase stress and cause them to run or frill open. For handling, support the entire body, keep movements slow, and work from below rather than above (top-down approach triggers fear).

For shows: A well-socialized, calm individual can do great—kids love the frill, but they cannot be startled or grabbed suddenly. They can be good show animals if temperament is exceptional and they are used to people. Many individuals remain flighty, so choose only the most relaxed ones.

Requirements for Show Animals

Friendly: Possible but depends heavily on the individual.
Not messy: Yes, they don’t poop often and typically only in the enclosure.
Can do multiple shows: Only if extremely calm. Some will stress after 1–2 shows.
Can be boxed for the day: Yes, if warm and secure.
Good with heat: Excellent—desert/woodland species.