Breeding Green Basilisks & Related Species: Expert Guide – Part 2

Please see Part 1 of this article for further information on keeping and breeding Green Basilisks (Basiliscus plumifrons), American or Brown Basilisks (B. basiliscus) and Banded Basilisks (B. vittatus).

Nesting Behavior

Female Green Basilisks deposit 7-15 eggs in a 6-10 inch deep pit that they evacuate in moist soil (please see Part I of this article for details).  The front and rear legs are then brought into play in re-filling the nest site. 

Some folks have reported that female Green Basilisks peer into the nest several times before covering it, and then wait near the nest until the fill-soil dries out a bit and matches the surrounding earth in appearance.  I’ve not observed this, but can attest that, once covered, the nest is very difficult to find.  This is especially true in large terrariums or zoo exhibits…in fact, co-workers of mine have found Green Basilisk hatchlings in large exhibits without having been aware that a nest was present.

Incubating the Eggs

The eggs should be removed to a reptile egg incubator set at 82-85 F.  At these temperatures, the eggs will hatch in 60-70 days.  The hatchlings average just over 5 inches in length, and usually begin feeding within 1-7 days.

Hatchling Care and Feeding

Green Basilisk hatchlings are quite hardy if properly cared for, but will languish if not provided with UVB light and vitamin/mineral supplementation as described in Part I of this article.

Guppies and small minnows are an ideal calcium source, and dietary variety, including wild-caught insects, is essential.  Basilisks are one of the few lizards that accept earthworms, and these are an ideal food source for both young and adult individuals.  Soft-bodied roaches (i.e. Orange-Spotted Roaches) and silkworms are also favored.

Young Green Basilisks should be maintained at 80 F, and have access to a basking site of 85-90 F.  Sexual maturity is usually reached by age 18 months, but males may begin to do battle at the tender age of 6 months, and so should be segregated early.

Banded and Brown Basilisks

Female Banded Basilisks produce up to 18 eggs.  The eggs seem to tolerate a wide range of temperatures, and have successfully hatched in 75-150 days at 77-93 F.

Brown Basilisk clutches contain from 8-20 eggs, which hatch in 70-90 days at 84 F.