Southern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata) Fact Sheet: Diet & Feeding
- Carnivorous. Feed on wide variety of prey, anything they can catch and swallow; non-selective (Behler and King 1979)
- Commonly take as prey: (Cunningham 2006) Insects and their larvae, especially ground beetles, grasshopper, crickets, ichneumon wasps Other arthropods, such as spiders (including black widow spiders), centipedes, scorpions, sow bugs ...
- A lso consume larger food items such as other lizards, especially Western Skinks Feeding on other lizards may be common because the alligator lizard can be active when other kinds ...
- Some reports suggest bird eggs eaten; other studies question this (Cunningham 1956)
- Observation by naturalist: adult female in managed care consumed 20 grasshoppers, 11 katydid, 7 shield bugs and stink bug, and 3 spiders at a single feeding (King 1931)
How to take care of a southern alligator lizard?
Good-quality soil can make an ideal substrate for captive Southern Alligator Lizards. It is best to use organic soil, and at any cost, the soil must not have been treated with any toxic chemicals, such as non-organic fertilizers, pesticides and/or herbicides.
What is the scientific name of the California alligator lizard?
Multicarinata is the scientific name for the California alligator lizard, while E. m. Webbii is the scientific name for the San Diego alligator lizard. The third subspecies is E. m. Scincicauda, the Oregon alligator lizard, with the name “scincicauda,” translating into “skink tail.”
What is the best temperature for alligator lizards?
Alligator lizard tanks need to maintain a temperature of around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and around 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit at night. The area of the tank under the heat lamp should have a temperature of around 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
What is an alligator lizards favorite food?
Alligator lizards are carnivores that eat a diet that consists of insects and crickets. Alligator lizards are carnivores that eat insects, ground beetles, crickets, and grasshoppers.
What do alligator lizards eat in captivity?
Diet. The diet of northern alligator lizards is fairly typical for a lizard -- they mostly eat small invertebrates. In captivity, they'll readily consume crickets, earthworms and mealworm larvae. Feed your pets a variety, and dust the food occasionally with a calcium and vitamin supplement for reptiles.
Do alligator lizards eat vegetables?
Can Lizards Eat Fruits and Vegetables? Lizards are omnivores, which means their diet consists of both animal and plant matter, including fruits and vegetables.
How do you take care of an alligator lizard?
Feed them during the day after they've had time to bask under heat lamps and reach an active temperature. Cages should be long with a deep layer of wood mulch and soil. Place one larger hollow log in as a shelter. The water bowl should be anchored securely in a corner so the lizards don't overturn it while prowling.
How long can an alligator lizard live without food?
The basic life span without food for a lizard is anywhere between 2 weeks to 2 months.
Do alligator lizards eat chicken eggs?
Southern alligator lizards are carnivores and eat small arthropods, slugs, snails, lizards, small mammals, and occasionally young birds and eggs.
What can I feed a lizard in my backyard?
They can eat anything from spiders, flies, and aphids to crickets, mealworms, and dubia roaches. Some species have a diet similar to turtles and are omnivores. Omnivores eat insects too, but they also need fruits and vegetables in their diet.
Do alligator lizards carry diseases?
The alligator lizard (Elgaria sp.), can also carry Lyme-disease-carrying ticks.
Do lizards drink water?
While some animals have developed ways of extracting water from the food they eat, or reducing water lost through evaporation, desert dwelling lizards don't drink water at all; they absorb it through their skin. Scientists have always suspected that lizards absorb water much like their amphibious neighbors.
How do you take care of a California alligator lizard?
They thrive in moderate temperatures that vary between nighttime lows in the low 60s Fahrenheit to highs in the upper 80s during the day. A heat lamp on one end of the cage is important so the southern alligator lizards can bask when they feel it's necessary to dry off or for digestion.
Do alligator lizards need UV light?
Mexican alligator lizards are diurnal, meaning they are the most active during the day. The lizards' enclosure needs sunlight that makes up for about 10% of its lighting requirements. The enclosure should have a UV fluorescent tube that provides the right amount of lighting.
Do California Alligator lizards bite?
These lizards are carnivores. Are northern alligator lizards dangerous? While these lizards do bite sometimes, they are not considered dangerous. Though their bite is not poisonous, it can be painful.
How do you take care of a baby alligator lizard?
1:208:46BABY Southern Alligator Lizard Care Guide | 2021 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBeing so tiny baby alligator lizards don't require a huge enclosure. It really depends on if you'reMoreBeing so tiny baby alligator lizards don't require a huge enclosure. It really depends on if you're using a heat lamp or not if you are using a heat lamp the minimum is going to be a 10 gallon.
Do alligator lizard bites hurt?
Alligator lizards have slender grey-brown colored bodies, ranging from 7-18 cm in length, with large heads and powerful jaws, with which they can inflict a nasty, and painful bite. Their limbs are short, but alligator lizards have long tails, sometimes as much as twice the body length.
How do you take care of a southern alligator lizard?
They thrive in moderate temperatures that vary between nighttime lows in the low 60s Fahrenheit to highs in the upper 80s during the day. A heat lamp on one end of the cage is important so the southern alligator lizards can bask when they feel it's necessary to dry off or for digestion.
How do you tell if an alligator lizard is male or female?
An ultrasound can easily determine a reptile's gender and can also help to tell if the reptile is reproductively active. It is not painful and can be performed in most species that are large enough (some really small species are just too small to get accurate results).
What do alligator lizards eat?
Diet California Alligator Lizards eat a variety of invertebrates and small lizards, mammals, birds and bird eggs.
What is the largest lizard in California?
The California Alligator Lizard ( Elgaria multicarinata multicarinata is a long brown, yellow or grey lizard with red blotches on the back and 9-13 dark bands on the sides, back and tail (CalHerps). They are the largest lizards found on campus and range from 2 7/8 - 7 inches in snout to vent length (7.3 - 17.8 cm) (Stebbins, 2003) and up to approximately 12 inches (304 mm) in total length. They have yellow eyes.
How do I care for an alligator lizard?
How Do I Care for and Feed Alligator Lizards? According to PawNation, alligator lizards require ample tank space and a regular diet of small invertebrates. Alligator lizards do not have any special heat requirements aside from a heat lamp placed at one end of the tank.
What is the best substrate for an alligator lizard?
Add plenty of substrate, such as a combination of organic potting soil and cypress bark, so the lizard can burrow. Ideally, a small area of the substrate should be kept damp.
How many crickets do alligator lizards eat?
According to Reptic Zone, alligator lizards typically eat 3 to 5 crickets per day. Gut load the food before giving it to the lizard. Pet lizards require a light dusting of calcium and vitamin supplement every couple of weeks. Do not feed an alligator lizard insects larger than the space between its eyes. ADVERTISEMENT.
What temperature should an alligator tank be?
Alligator lizard tanks need to maintain a temperature of around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and around 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit at night. The area of the tank under the heat lamp should have a temperature of around 85 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Alligator lizards eat mealworm larvae, crickets, earthworms and other small insects.
What do California lizards eat?
California lizards feed primarily on arthropods such as insects and spiders. They are found in practically every habitat throughout the state. This handy guide should answer all of your questions about California’s lizards. It will also help you to quickly identify native species.
Where do alligator lizards live?
They also inhabit areas of the Sierra Nevada. Compared to its southern counterpart (which can look quite similar), the northern species possess darker eyes and a slightly different belly pattern. See the later section on Alligator Lizards for more information about Elgaria species in California.
How many lizards are there in California?
California Lizards [Identification & Full Guide] The Golden State boasts around 60 native lizard species. Among them are some of North America’s most unusual and fascinating reptiles. California lizards feed primarily on arthropods such as insects and spiders. They are found in practically every habitat throughout the state.
What is the habitat of Southern Alligator Lizard?
Southern Alligator Lizard (Elgaria multicarinata) Southern alligator lizards are known to inhabit a range of habitats but tend to favor moist, vegetated areas. Southern alligator lizards are a familiar sight for most Californians. They frequently inhabit urban areas.
What is a side blotched lizard?
Species: Common side-blotched lizard ( Uta stansburiana) Fun Fact: Male side-blotched lizards appear in three main color morphs. Herpetologists have found that these are associated with different behaviors. These traits are linked in a manner similar to a game of “rock-paper-scissors”.
What is the family of lizards?
All Native Lizards (by Family) Lizards – like all living organisms – can be grouped loosely by family (e.g. Iguanidae – the iguana family) or more closely by genus (e.g. Sauromalus – the chuckwallas). Each genus contains one or more individual species. Some species – such as the Gila monster – are easy to identify at a glance.
How big is a lizard?
It can be found in a variety of habitats and is often spotted in agricultural areas. It is a medium-sized lizard – reaching around 8 inches long – with strongly-keeled (“spiny”) scales. Most individuals are black or brown with black stripes on their upper (dorsal) surface. Some possess a bright blue underside.
What type of soil do alligator lizards need?
Good-quality soil can make an ideal substrate for captive Southern Alligator Lizards. It is best to use organic soil, and at any cost, the soil must not have been treated with any toxic chemicals, such as non-organic fertilizers, pesticides and/or herbicides.
How many eggs do alligator lizards lay?
Usually, between 5 and up to 20 eggs are to be laid by the females at some time between May, June, and July. Females lay the eggs in rodents’ burrows or in rock crevices. 11 weeks after the eggs have been laid, the young Southern Alligator Lizards are to hatch. Hatchlings are approximately 1 1/3 inches in length.
What is the closest relative of the Southern Alligator Lizard?
One of the closest relatives to the Southern Alligator Lizard is none other but Elgaria Coerulea (Northern Alligator Lizard). Provided these two types of alligator lizards are not in hand, differentiating between the two might be difficult.
Why are alligator lizards violent?
Southern Alligator Lizards tend to be violent when handled during the initial stages of their development, which is mainly due to their natural defensive mechanism against possible predators, as well as because of the fact they will not have been well-used to their keepers or to their enclosure at the beginning.
How to tell a Southern lizard from a Northern lizard?
The most reliable way to tell apart a Southern Alligator Lizard from its Northern counterpart is to check out the belly. The bellies of Southerns possess faint lines going all the way down to the center of the scale rows, whereas with Northerns, these lines , on the very site of the belly’s scale rows. There are three subspecies of the Southern ...
How big is a Southern Alligator Lizard?
On average, the body size of adult Southern Alligator Lizards measures at 5.6 inches and up to about 20 inches, including the tail. The body underside coloration is light, and the back is colored in brown-gray, dotted with black spots that are known to form multiple bands all across the width of the body.
How long is an alligator's tail?
Physical Description. Southern alligator lizards possess a fairly long tail that can reach up to twice the length of the body. The bodies of these creatures are rather large yet slender, covered in rough scales, while the limbs are short.
Diet
Feeding on other lizards may be common because the alligator lizard can be active when other kinds of lizards need to rest
Feeding
Movement of prey helps to stimulate feeding behavior, but non-moving food consumed too such as spider egg contents, dead lizards, baby mice, and insects (Cunningham 1956)
Where are alligator lizards found?
The Northern Alligator Lizard - Elgaria coerulea (found only from the Monterey Bay north, and in the Sierra Nevada.) The Panamint Alligator Lizard - Elgaria panamintina (found only in Inyo and Mono Counties.) Juvenile alligator lizards are often mistaken for different species, so they are included here separately.
What are the dark spots on the belly of an alligator lizard?
Juveniles gradually develop the large scales and heavy dark barring found on the back and tails of adults. Dark marks or stripes run lengthwise down the belly of Southern Alligator Lizards in the center of the scales.
Where are the dark stripes on lizards?
Dark marks or stripes run lengthwise down the belly of Southern Alligator Lizards in the center of the scales. Compare with the dark belly stripes of the Northern Alligator Lizard which occur between the scales here and here and below. Southern Alligator Lizards have yellow or light eyes.
Do alligator lizards live in the desert?
Check the range, also. There are no Northern Alligator lizards in most the Southern California deserts. Juvenile alligator lizards are often mistaken for skinks, (especially by those from the Southeast where similar-looking Ground Skinks are common).
