Thin lizzy: Overweight rescued reptile who sheds over half a stone hopes for home

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Giant monitor lizard looking for bedroom, garage or barn to call his own A 4ft (1.2m) long monitor lizard who came into the care of the RSPCA when so overweight, has shed more than half a stone on a diet plan with the charity, and is now looking for a unique home.

Lucio the Ornate Monitor Lizard requires a home with ample space including room for his own swimming pond, and his favourite food - snails!

He was taken in by RSPCA Brighton in June 2022, after he was surrendered by his previous owners.

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Lucio, who was already very large for his species, weighed a whopping 32.6lb (14.8kg), but has since lost almost a third of his weight, now standing at a healthy 22.3lb (10.1kg).

Lucio the RSPCA rescue monitor lizardLucio the RSPCA rescue monitor lizard
Lucio the RSPCA rescue monitor lizard

Specialised staff at the charity worked tirelessly to help Lucio shed the excess weight slowly over the two-year period, and are now searching for the ideal home for him.

Fred Bark, Head of Exotics at RSPCA Brighton said: “Lucio is a very special animal, he’s larger than life with a big character to boot. He’s always making us laugh here at the rescue centre, from his constant desire for snacks to the way he clumsily flops himself into his pool - we love him and are so fond of him.

“He’s unusually large for his species, but when he came to us he was also very overweight. Luckily, through a special diet and an exercise regime in his swimming pond, Lucio has shed the excess weight and is much healthier now. It was vital we helped Lucio lose the weight slowly, as exotic animals like him have to adapt very, very gradually to diet and exercise changes. It’s been a long road, but we’ve finally got him to a healthy weight. He’s still very big for his species, but he’s finally a healthy weight.

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“We’d love to see him adopted, but of course it’s not easy to find the right home for a 22lb (10kg) reptile. For Lucio to really thrive, he needs a home with a large walk-in space that can be converted just for him, so a bedroom, garage or barn, that could be kitted out with everything he needs, such as large branches and logs to climb on, an adjustable temperature system, T5 UVB lighting, and vitally, a swimming pond or pool for him to exercise.

Lucio before and after his weight loss thanks to the RSPCALucio before and after his weight loss thanks to the RSPCA
Lucio before and after his weight loss thanks to the RSPCA

“We know it’s a big ask as Lucio is not an easy animal to rehome, but we are still really hopeful that the perfect adopter will get in touch. Lucio is a cheeky but very sweet monitor lizard and although we love him, we don’t want to see him stay in rescue care forever, so we’d be really happy to hear from any serious experienced reptile keepers who think they could offer him his ideal home.”

Monitor lizards are incredible animals - they are intelligent, physically strong and can grow to large sizes. Due to their size, they should only ever be kept by experienced reptile keepers who can provide the space needed, but also have handling skills and experience to be able to deal with challenging situations, not to mention the financial means to provide a very specific diet for such a large, carnivorous reptile.

It is also essential that exotic animal and reptile keepers have access to a specialised exotic animal vet who specialises in reptiles, before deciding to take on such a big commitment.

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Vets for reptiles can be expensive but also some vets may not be comfortable working with such a large species so it is good practice to find a reputable exotic vet to register with before bringing a lizard home.

If you are interested in learning more about Lucio and monitor lizards please email [email protected] or call 07815525578.

The RSPCA is only able to rehabilitate, care for and rehome animals like Lucio, with the public’s help.

This winter, animal lovers can Join The Christmas Rescue and support the charity’s rescuers, veterinary teams, branches and centre staff who work tirelessly to give animals the urgent treatment and love that will save their lives.

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For thousands of terrified and injured animals, the RSPCA will turn the worst suffering into the best Christmas yet – because it will be the one where their lives change forever, and the start of many happier Christmases to come.

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