Please visit www.Phrynosoma.Org for more information on horned lizards and their care.

Horned lizard food

* * We are currently not selling ants. Please visit www.antsalive.com or http://www.freewebs.com/wichitafallsreptilerescue/harvesterants.htm for your ant orders. Thanks We may have ants available from time to time. It is now Sept 2, 09. If you need P rugosus ants you are welcome to email me and ask about availability.

Horned lizard food!

Horned Lizards (HLs) are definitely one of the more difficult reptiles to keep and can be somewhat expensive to feed. If you decide to take on the responsibilities of maintaining a healthy HL you will want to read as much as you can regarding their care and feeding. Horned lizards natural diet consists of 60% to 90% ants depending on your HL species. Feeding harvester ants helps to ensure normal growth and longevity. For more information on Horned Lizards, including caring for them go to www.phrynosoma.org
You may have heard that horned lizards can survive on crickets and meal worms, or that there may even be a spray that will provide the nutrients found in ants.  These are rumors and misconceptions.  Horned lizards need a percentage of ants in their diet (which varies depending on species). 

Ant Care
Ants can be stored in the refrigerator in the bottle they are shipped in and will keep for up to 10 days.  Regrigeration will make the ants go dormant, which will make them somewhat easier to handle.  It will take them a few minutes to become active once they are taken out of the cold. There has also been some success by some people with freezing live harvester ants and feeding them (dead frozen) to horned lizards. This is still being researched and you may have better success depending on species. If your HLs will accept them this is a good method to help get you through the winter, where ants can be difficult to come by. 
If you wish to keep the ants alive longer a good method is to put some sand in a plastic bucket or other container that has a plastic lid (ants can chew through paper or cardboard), ensuring there are tiny air holes.
Ants can be fed greens, apple or orange slices, grains and other plant materials.  Do not feed your ants meet or anthing with animal fats.  Ants also need to drink, but this can be accomplished by providing the fruits and fresh vegetables listed above.  Apple juice or water can be offered in small drops if the container is large enough.
The ants should never be allowed to overheat.  This will kill them quicker than anything.  85 degrees is about the highest temperature they can tollerate, and they must have moisture to endure this temperature for long.