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Why does basilisk live only 7 years?

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Anonymous

13y ago
Updated: 8/20/2019

Common basilisks have a high metabolism, and produce a lot of offspring. They simply haven't evolved to be long-lived animals. Captive lifespans far exceed those of wild basilisks, which probably live to be 2 to 4 at most, if they survive being eaten as hatchlings. Predation is high.

Green basilisks live between 10 and 15 years in captivity.

Common basilisks are certainly not the shortest-lived reptiles. Chameleons are generally the shortest lived family of reptiles, with some species having a lifespan in the wild of UNDER one year, and captive lifespans for some species being only 3 years.

The lifespan of around 7 years is not unusual among reptiles, with anole lizards and many other smaller lizards also having a lifespan of 5 to 8 years in captivity. Perhaps it only seems odd because so many reptile species have extremely long lives...leopard geckos live around 20 years, but may live up to 30. Ball pythons live for 30 years, but have been recorded living up to 45. Tortoise lifespans are among the longest of any terrestrial animals.

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Wiki User

13y ago

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