🐾 LandCare difficulty: BeginnerLegal complexity: Low
Sudan plated lizard
Broadleysaurus major · also called Great plated lizard, Western plated lizard, Rough-scaled plated lizard, Round-nosed plated lizard
A robust, armored, hardy African lizard often recommended as a forgiving large lizard for keepers ready to provide floor space and deep substrate. It is a calm, diurnal omnivore that adapts readily to a hot, semi-arid terrestrial setup, though many individuals stay shy and are best treated as display animals.
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Quick facts
| Size | Stout, heavily armored lizard typically 40-50 cm total length (up to ~60 cm), with rectangular plate-like keeled scales and a lateral skin fold along each flank |
| Lifespan | 10–20 years |
| Social needs | solo |
| Native region | Eastern and sub-Saharan Africa, from Ethiopia, Eritrea, and South Sudan south through Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, M |
| Origin | Old World |
| Climate | ⛅ Subtropical |
| Family | Gerrhosauridae |
| Genus | Broadleysaurus |
Part of the Skinks & plated lizards
Smooth- to plate-scaled, often terrestrial and fossorial lizards — generally hardy, diurnal, and good-natured, needing diggable substrate, a basking gradient, and UVB.
Habitat & space requirements
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Habitat & enclosure
Provide a spacious terrestrial enclosure (minimum ~120 x 60 cm / 48 x 24 in floor space for one adult; bigger is better) with secure hides and a deep substrate for digging, since they are accomplished burrowers. Offer a basking zone of 35-40 C (95-105 F), ambient ~26-30 C (80-85 F) gradient, and a cooler end around 24 C. Maintain moderate humidity (~40-60%) with a humid hide for shedding. Provide UVB for this diurnal, sun-basking species. A sturdy water dish for drinking and soaking is appreciated.
Substrate
A deep, diggable substrate such as a topsoil/coconut-fiber/sand mix that holds a burrow without being dusty. Depth matters more than the exact blend — these lizards dig and shelter underground. Keep one section slightly moist for a humid retreat while keeping the basking area dry.
Equipment & setup
Overhead halogen basking heat for a 35-40 C basking spot, a quality T5 UVB lamp, deep digging substrate, multiple hides (including a humid hide), and a sturdy water/soaking dish. A large, escape-proof enclosure with a tight-fitting lid is important given their strength and digging.
Diet
An opportunistic omnivore. Offer a mix of insects (crickets, dubia roaches, mealworms, occasional waxworms) and plant matter — leafy greens, mixed vegetables, and some fruit — plus the occasional pinky mouse for adults. Dust feeders with calcium and a multivitamin on a regular schedule. A varied omnivorous diet keeps them in good condition; avoid relying on a single feeder type or over-feeding fatty insects.
Behavior & temperament
Diurnal, generally placid but often shy and skittish, especially as wild-imported adults. They are strong burrowers and will wedge into crevices, inflating the body to anchor themselves when threatened. With regular gentle interaction many become calm and tolerant, but individuals vary widely; some never settle for handling and are best kept as display animals. A stressed animal may thrash or, rarely, give a defensive bite. Keep one per enclosure to avoid territorial conflict.
Health
Hardy and resilient when basics are met. Watch for metabolic bone disease from insufficient UVB or calcium, obesity from over-feeding fatty insects, retained shed in dry conditions, and respiratory infection if kept too cool or damp. The vast majority on the market are wild-imported and may carry significant parasite loads, so a vet fecal check and quarantine are important; captive-bred or well-established imports settle quickly.
Tips, DIY & hacks
A forgiving large lizard for a prepared keeper: many tame with consistent gentle handling, but support the body and never grab the tail, and accept that some stay shy. Provide enough floor space and substrate depth to let them burrow — denying this is a common husbandry shortfall. Most are wild-imported, so quarantine new arrivals, get a fecal exam, and allow time to acclimate before frequent handling.
Sources
- Sudan plated lizard - Wikipedia (reference)
- The Ultimate Sudan Plated Lizard Care Guide - ReptiFiles (care guide)
- Broadleysaurus major - GBIF (database)
- Wikipedia: Sudan plated lizard (wiki)