Description
- Common Name: Smith’s Night Lizard
- Scientific Name: Lepidophyma smithii
- Locality/Morph: Wild Type
- Sex: Sexed Pair
- Age: Adult
- Source: LTC
- Native Range: Central America—primarily southern Mexico through Guatemala and Honduras
- Natural Habitat: Humid tropical and subtropical forests, often found under leaf litter, fallen logs, and in rock crevices; terrestrial but may climb low vegetation; nocturnal and secretive
- Diet: Small live insects—crickets, roaches, locusts, etc
- Basking Temperature: Not required; prefers ambient warmth of 24–28°C
- Ambient Temperature: 22–26°C (night drop to ~20°C)
- Average Adult Size: 12–18 cm total length
Smith’s Night Lizard (Lepidophyma smithii) is a small, secretive, nocturnal lizard with a subdued colouration of dark brown or grey, often accented with faint patterning that provides effective camouflage in leaf litter and rocky forest floors. Unlike many active lizard species, L. smithii relies on its cryptic behaviour and stillness to avoid predators, making it a fascinating species for observation rather than handling.
This species is viviparous, giving birth to live young rather than laying eggs, a remarkable adaptation that allows it to thrive in its forest-floor microhabitats. Females are capable breeders on their own, producing small litters of fully-formed young.
In the wild, Smith’s Night Lizards occupy dense, humid forest floors, seeking shelter under logs, rocks, and leaf litter. Captive enclosures should replicate this environment, incorporating abundant hiding spots, soil or leaf litter substrates, and low-level climbing structures such as cork bark or small branches. They thrive in stable humidity conditions of 70–90%, with moderate airflow to prevent stagnation.
Lepidophyma smithii feeds primarily on small insects. A varied diet of crickets, roaches, locusts, and other small insects, dusted with calcium and vitamins, supports growth and overall health. Feeding is best done in subdued lighting or at night to mimic their natural foraging behaviour.
Smith’s Night Lizards are delicate, slow-moving, and largely nocturnal, making them ideal for observation rather than frequent handling. In well-maintained conditions with proper temperature, humidity, and diet, they display natural behaviours such as nocturnal foraging, burrowing, and exploring confined territories—providing a captivating glimpse into the life of a secretive Central American forest dweller.
Livestock Delivery:
Livestock is delivered in our own heated reptile courier vans. Delivery time from ordering will depend on your location and when we next have a van in your area, this will usually be a maximum of 2 weeks. You will receive a date and time slot by phone or email, so please ensure you enter these correctly at checkout. Delivery fee for livestock depends on location, prices start at £45. Livestock orders over £500 (+VAT) are delivered free of charge.
Livestock Sale Terms:
If multiple animals are in stock then not all will be pictured, so the photo above may not be exact animal available.
All prices are per individual unless otherwise stated. All livestock is subject to availability, whilst we try to keep the website as up to date as possible errors may happen, in this situation you will be contacted to arrange a refund/alternative.
Errors can happen with sexing and morph identification. Should this be discovered before leaving us you are entitled to a refund. After the animal leaves us it is the customers responsibility to inform us within 48 hours of the animals arrival. Failing to do so may lose the customers eligibility for a refund.
It is the customers responsibility to have the correct setup available and ready for the animal, if you need any advice please do get in touch. We have the right to request proof of setup at any time, failure to provide an image of an appropriate setup or any image at all, may result in a full order cancellation and refund.
Guarantee for all inverts & amphibians is 24 hours. All other livestock is 48 hours. If issues/concerns are notified upon delivery, then this may be extended. All health related queries will be subject to a full investigation should an issue arise. Failing to provide us with the information we request may void any form of guarantee. If we find reason from the information that its injury or death was caused by negligence or incorrect husbandry then the guarantee may be void. Should death or abnormalities occur then you must inform us as soon as possible. In the unlikely event that an animal passes away please photograph the dead body and freeze until you have heard from us. If death or illness occurs after 7 days, and no health issues were reported, then Ridgeway will not be held responsible.
We have the right to refuse any sale, refund or guarantee at any time if we feel it is necessary.
Livestock sales are for customers aged 18+, if under this age you must have prior parent permission. If we have any reason to suspect this is not the case we will contact you before the animal is released.
When purchasing an animal from us you automatically agree to these terms of sale.
