Hi Everyone, I’m hoping to find some beaded lizard keepers on here and maybe get some inspiration for my enclosure. First what size do you y’all use? Second if you could post pics of your MBL enclosures that’d be awesome, trying to deck out a 7x2x2 enclosure for our new boy!
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I do believe @ballornothing may be of help here.
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Let me know what species and I can tailor the info a little better. I’ll keep it somewhat generic to start.
I keep a decent sized group of Heloderma exasperatum and a couple each of Heloderma horridum & Heloderma Alvarezi. All my lizards come from my closest friend and venomous mentor Steve Angeli. I frequently work with him at his facility so I’ve worked with all of the Helodermatids including one charlesbogarti that now resides at Reptilandia.
The number one mistake I see people make with these animals is keeping them too hot and too dry. Even large adult beaded lizards spend the majority of their time under ground. They do not like to be kept above 85* for any extended period of time, unless they have a gradient and can cool down. Don’t make it a swamp but they’ll do best with a consistent 40-50% humidity.
Beaded habitat is more coastal scrub than desert although it’s low precipitation in most inland areas. They’re mostly active at night when temps aren’t so crazy. So even though it’s hot where they’re from, they’re hiding somewhere cool and damp during the day.
In a cage that large I would offer multiple water sources as Daniel Beck (Biology of Gila Monsters and Beaded Lizards) found that the majority of captive Heloderma were somewhat dehydrated. I would ensure that at least one water source is large enough for an adult lizard to soak in, I’m sure you’ve found that they love to soak.
You need to have a secure lock. And I suggest a secondary lock. Not one of the jewelry locks that holds on with screws. If they ever figure out how to get a nail between the glass and the edge of the box, they’ll get out constantly. I had an adult get out while I was out of town and TOTALED my colubrid room.
Younger lizards will climb a fair amount. Mature adults I’ve found to be quite lazy once they know you’re their door dasher and food is consistent. If you want to really dive into it, hop on iNaturalist and check out where they’re found, then google for landscape photos in those areas.
Depending on how well you’ve socialized it, if you aren’t able to cut it’s nails, I’d figure out some way to put rough tile or something that can help file down it’s nails in usable parts of the enclosure. If you’re struggling with socialization let me know and we can work through that. You really don’t want an angry Beaded in your hands and you’re going to find everything is twice is hard if you can’t handle it.
This is from me handling an adult with untrimmed nails for about an hour at an educational presentation.
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I appreciate all the information! It’s been extremely informative. We are keeping Heloderma exasperatum, do you believe a 7x2x2 is suitable for most it’s life? Also could you possibly attach a lock you recommend. I have a kages 7x2x2 with sliding glass doors if that helps at all haha. Again thank you so much for all the info!
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I keep pairs of adults in 4x2x2 so you’ve got more than enough space. Exasperatum are the easiest species to work with, and almost 100% of them time you’ll end up with a calm tractable animal if you work with it.
I like these locks
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Awesome you’ve been great thank you again for all the info!
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Do you have your lizard already? There is no charge for advice 
but you still have to pay a picture tax sooooo……
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We don’t have him just yet trying make sure our enclosure is dialed in we just put a deposit down on him I’ll attach a photo from the breeder.
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Seems like he’s done a little work with it already. Just be aware that a bite is EXTREMELY painful. Even from a little guy. We’re talking set your hand on fire and hit it with a hammer pain.
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Oh my goodness he is so adorable! I bet you are so excited to get him!
There’s a gentleman on CB who has a huge beaded lizard? At least I am fairly sure it is and its name is Puppy! And it’s puppy dog tame.
Anyhoo I can’t wait for you to get him! 
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@ballornothing That’s what I’ve heard, we are gonna be taking all precautions when handling and I’m gonna attempt to learn his body language the best I can to avoid the bite, I purchased kevlar gloves to start the handling process gloved.
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