However, captive reproduction has not been achieved in a North American zoo. One reason for this is the sexual immaturity of specimens currently housed in these collections. The Dallas Zoo currently maintains 0.0.5 tuataras, S. punctatus . Two animals are maintained in a spacious exhibit terrarium, while the remaining three specimens are kept in clear wood framed Plexiglas cages off display. The exhibit is divided in half to not allow cagemate interaction.
Tuataras are fairly solitary throughout most of the year, except for the reproduction season.
Therefore, it is unwise to house multiple animals together except for reproductive purposes. Specimens maintained at the Dallas Zoo are not sexually mature, therefore it is not necessary to house animals together. A dry peat moss substrate is provided with various sized slabs of cork bark for refugia. Hide boxes are available to reserve animals and those specimens housed on exhibit can burrow in the substrate. A variety of tropical plants are also used to furnish the exhibit.