Anyone out there happen to know what this little guy is?
loc. CA.
>>2128032
Baby alligator lizard
They are apparently very good pest control and pretty hardy since they can be a little more active during the cool weather.
>>2128038
Funny that one, I only kept him because I accidentally almost stepped on him twice, and he's surprisingly chill.
Right now I only hold him for about a minute when taking him out to feed him in a bucket, so he starts to associate my hands with feeding time. Move very slow if you do hold him, if he's staying very still or keeping his eyes closed, then he's scared and stressed.
Currently I'm trying to do research on the northern alligator lizards as they are slightly different than the southern.
Look up a LOT of stuff if you decide to keep it, but I recommend leaving him around your house because they are such good pest control.
You can buy mealworms and go outside and feed the wild lizards and get them used to you though. Just takes some patience. I have some more info I can share later but right now I'm only on a phone.
>>2128053
These guys interest me, got any more info? These guys and blue bellies are really the only lizards I see around here in California. A few days ago I saw two big ones messing around in my yard. Looked like a male and female, probably bangin. I was tempted to try to catch one but they ran away. I also have PTSD from when one bit me as a kid when I had them as pets. I think we ended up releasing them.
>>2128067
Here's a good pic that I got of one in my backyard
>>2128068
woe, that sucker looks huge
mean lookin
>>2128068
One of these was in my livingroom as a kid, they hiss at you if they feel threatened.
It's a Lagartixa... I used to catch them as a kid and put them in the fridge and they'd become like living statues for 10 minutes which was enough time to do a pencil or charcoal sketch of them... when the body temperature rises again they blast off at high speed. LOL
>>2128107
Oh wow buddy, I hope you understand that's cruelty basically.
>>2128068
That's a full grown alligator lizard and what the baby will look like when older, though that looks almost like a southern one? Op are you in northern Cali or southern?
>>2128067
Blue bellies is usually the nickname for fence lizards which are really fast, usually docile little guys.
>>2128053
Ok, so expanding on this a bit. If you want to feed the 'local wildlife' heh, don't feed mealworms too often. They have pretty hard bodies and can clog up their systems and possibly cause an impaction. Crickets are better.
If you've caught an alligator lizard and are keeping it, I would only give a mealworm like once a week for a baby. Also, and this is just my experience here, I have had crickets kill baby alligator lizards before. Recommend killing the cricket before feeding it, though you can probably just catch some wild bugs and throw a few in a bucket for the lizard. They really like spiders and when they are adults, according to google, can even eat black widows. Another good reason to keep them around for pest control.
My of this stuff I'm just learning from researching online, so you can do the same. I tried to find some stuff on northern allies on youtube but the only really informative stuff was about southern allies, which are a bit different.
Kristoffs reptiles was a good channel/youtuber I found and he does a pretty good job of making a caresheet for a southern one.
Now, legally I found out you are only allowed to have two that you caught or found on your own property, and do not take from other areas. I'm planning on hitting up the library when I get a chance, and I actually want to try and breed these guys in captivity. I know there are lots of good 'pet' lizards out there, but alligator lizards are hardy, small, somewhat docile, but also pretty lively for lizards. I think they could make pretty good pets after a few generations of being bred in captivity.
>>2128149
I'm going to start setting money aside to get some good tanks and, obviously, for research. If my local college offers anything on herp care I'll take it, otherwise I'm just going to buy as many carebooks as I can find on these guys.
After I feel like I've gotten enough knowledge on them, I'll start looking into the licensing process and the regulations on how many you can keep in captivity and such, but I'm hoping there might be some other local people that already have some as pets so I can try to outbreed. Definitely don't want any kind of inbreeding going on.
>>2128149
Santa Cruz California
>middlish?
>>2128157
If it's mostly warmer climates, it's probably southern then, which means they need different care as far as temps and set up go.
I'm still experimenting with mine a bit, as he seems to like the cooler, moisture area most of the time, but does like to bask too.
>>2128162
The weather here has been going up n down lately. Usually though, I would says it is mostly on the warmer side.
I never had a lizard. I just found this one by chance. He was "stuck" between the sliding door/screen door that leads to my backyard.
As far as what he/she "likes" I still haven't got a clue warm/cool/moist. Just trying different things.
He/she doesn't seem to be a picky eater. Pretty much eats any type of insect I give him. Usually spiders and those huge thin looking mosquitoes.
>>2128169
Mosquito hawks? Been trying to feed those but he doesn't like em.
They do enjoy basking though, so if you get the chance try to look for a good bulb that will provide the (uvb?) rays they need. The reptile general would be a good place to check out for questions on that.
I'm going to try and get one of those pvc tanks when I get payed again.
>>2128175
I think those are the ones, super long suckers!
Yeah, I was planning on getting him/her a bulb
I have mine in a tiny ass glass tank. I go back and forth about dishing out some $$ for something bigger. Tight on cash as of late.
>>2128210
Well luckily it's still tiny so you won't need much more than a ten gallon right now, probably want to up it to a 20 when you can though.
They also don't have much of an urge to roam, I think the longest distance recorded so far was a half a mile. Doesn't mean you shouldn't give them some good space if you can though.
They like to burrow to, and the southern one's like being in caves, so a few hides or plants would probably be good. Right now I just have a critter keeper with a few rocks stacked up so he can get under it, a small water dish, and I switch between putting him out in partly shade, partly sun, and near the heater in the house for today when it's muggy and foggy.
Monitor it though, without a thermostat it's easy to let the cage get too hot. I check on him about every half hour unless it's obvious the shade of the tree is covering his keeper.
