Alligator lizards are well adapted to city environments and easily live in cracks and landscaping. They will sneak into garages, woodpiles, and other sheltered areas. They shed their skins like snakes in one big piece. These reptiles may look like baby alligators, but what do they eat? Let’s find out.
What Do Alligator Lizards Eat?
Alligator lizards are carnivores that eat insects, ground beetles, crickets, and grasshoppers. They are opportunistic feeders that take advantage of any resource they can find, including cannibalizing their own kind if that’s the most convenient food source. Whatever they catch and can swallow whole is considered fair game, from tiny flies to baby mice. Here’s a list of foods alligator lizards eat:
MealwormsMothsScorpionsHornwormsWax WormsWasp larvaeCricketsGrasshoppersCockroachesCentipedesBeetlesTadpolesFliesSpidersSpider EggsSnailsSlugsPinky Mice
Alligator lizards don’t prefer baby mice, but they will eat them if the insect population isn’t big enough for them. Their teeth are sharp, so they can eat insects with hard shells as well as other crunchy prey. They’re known to eat prey that’s their body length if the opportunity is right. Some female alligator lizards won’t eat for a month before birthing their live young. Once the babies are born, the alligator lizard goes back to a normal eating routine. Alligator lizards stalk their prey so they can pounce on them. They do this in trees and by digging in the ground. If they’re in captivity, they need to be given a special substrate that allows them to dig.
What Do Baby Alligator Lizards Eat?
A baby alligator lizard eats live prey that fits in its mouth from the beginning. Mother alligator lizards go through a live birth and then leave the babies to fend for themselves. The live birth attribute differentiates alligator lizards from a lot of other lizard types in the same territory. Most lizards lay eggs and wait for them to hatch. But like the alligator lizard, when they emerge, they’re fully independent.
What Alligator Lizards Live in North America?
There are a bunch of alligator lizards that live in North America. What differentiates these lizards from each other is their coloration and habitat. Most have very similar scale configurations, and all of them have elongated tails. These are the two main types of alligator lizards in the western United States and vicinity:
Northern Alligator Lizard: This alligator lizard lives in the northwest portion of the United States and Canada, from California to British Columbia. It is found as far east as Montana.Southern Alligator Lizard: This alligator lizard lives in all of California, including Baja California.
Most alligator lizards hibernate in the winter in burrows they’ve made. You can tell the different kinds of alligator lizards apart by looking at their scaling and the color of their eyes. Each of the lizards listed above has a few subspecies. Some are named for the state they live in, like the California alligator lizard, and the Oregon alligator lizard. Others have regional names, like the San Francisco alligator lizard or the Shasta alligator lizard. This is by no means an extensive list of the alligator population worldwide. This lizard lives in a variety of terrains with subtle differences in appearance and behavior. Other species of alligator lizards also have their own subspecies.
How Do Alligator Lizards Avoid Predators?
If an alligator lizard is caught somewhere by the tail or has its tail bitten off, it will grow it back to full size. A full-size tail varies by subspecies, with some being half a body length while others are twice the body length. While the color of alligator lizards varies widely, all alligator lizards blend in with the foliage that they live in. They’re excellent in the water and will use it to swim away from predators. While they live on land full-time, they are adept swimmers.
How Does an Alligator Lizard Detach Its Tail?
An alligator lizard removes its own tail in a process called autotomy. A commonality among most lizards is they can detach their tail. Every alligator lizard was born with a weak part in its spine that runs through its tail. When something terrible happens, the muscles expand, the bone breaks, and the entire tail falls off. The tail breaks off in such a way that blood loss is minimal. It is still a major inconvenience for alligator lizards as their tail is kind of prehensile. This means that they’re able to use it as a fifth leg in certain circumstances, so it makes them vulnerable to be missing their tail. It detaches as a last resort. While alligator lizards will regrow their tails after this happens, it won’t be as long or as colorful as the original. The bone doesn’t regrow, but cartilage does to take its place.
What Eats Alligator Lizards?
Predators of the alligator lizard include:
WeaselsHawksSnakesRodentsSkunksOpossumsRaccoonsCoyotesFoxesBullfrogsOwls
When alligator lizards find themselves in the city, they’re also prey for domesticated animals like cats.
Do Alligator Lizards Bite?
Yes, alligator lizards bite. Some people say it’s the worst nonvenomous reptile bite they’ve experienced. Alligator lizards don’t like to be handled and will defecate on you as well as try to bite you if you attempt to pick them up. The worst fecal offender is the Madrean alligator lizard. It not only defecates, but it also rolls around in its own mess to try and get poop on its perceived danger. It’s best not to handle an alligator lizard unless you’re with experts who know what they’re doing.
Can I get Salmonella from Alligator Lizards?
Yes, you can get Salmonella from alligator lizards. Symptoms of Salmonella infection include fever and stomach problems. It’s important to wash your hands if you’ve touched an alligator lizard.
