11 Commonly Asked Questions About Lizards

I started keeping reptiles over 25 years ago, and few creatures in the animal kingdom have fascinated me as much as lizards.

The first one I got was an iguana. I didn’t know it at the time, but this was absolutely the wrong lizard for a beginner! I loved him immensely however, and learned everything I could to provide him with the best home possible.

As I’ve gotten older, my passion has turned more to teaching others about the wonderful world of reptiles.

I’m often asked questions about lizards from people who know nothing more than what they learn at the zoo, so today I thought I’d answer some of the ones I am commonly asked.

1. Do lizards move around at night?

When most people picture a lizard, they envision it basking somewhere in the sun. Maybe on the side of a tree, laying in a tree branch, or perhaps out in the open.

It would make sense to think of all lizards as being diurnal (active during the day), when they can absorb the warmth of the sun’s rays.

Do lizards move around at night? While the vast majority of lizards are only active during the day, there are several species which are nocturnal and active at night. The most notable of these is the leopard gecko, which hides during the day and comes out to hunt for insects at night. Twilight goannas, desert night lizards, the monkey-tailed skink and **LINK** gila monsters are a few examples of other lizards that mostly move around at night.

You probably know that all reptiles, including lizards, are considered “cold blooded” creatures. We call them ectotherm animals. This means their body can not maintain a steady temperature on its own, and they are dependent on the environment to stay warm.

This is why most reptiles are found in warmer climates, and there are relatively few in the cooler areas. It’s also why many people don’t realize some lizards are out at night when cooler temperatures prevail.

Most are able to become active at night because they get their warmth from surface areas that remain heated from the sun after nightfall.

2. Why do lizards lick you?

This question comes most often from people familiar with bearded dragons, who are notorious for licking everything!

They aren’t the only lizard to do this though. Leopard geckos, iguanas, tegus, heck pretty much every lizard does it!

So why do lizards lick you? Lizards lick you, and anything else for that matter, to get a better sense of you and their environment, much like a dog sniffs everything. Instead of using an olfactory system (sense of smell) like dogs, lizards use what’s called a Jacobson’s organ. This is an organ located in the roof of the mouth. The lizard gathers molecules on its tongue, places that against the Jacobson’s organ, and its brain translates this into a chemical message which is kind of a combination of taste and smell.

The Jacobson’s organ is so advanced, that snakes and lizards with forked tongues can even use it to gather air molecules to determine which direction to go to find prey! The brain can decipher which fork has the most “scent” on it, telling the reptile where to go, and how far they have to travel.

So the next time you see a lizard licking you, think of it as a dog giving you a good sniff!

3. How do lizards eat their food?

The diversity of life on this planet is amazing. One thing all life has in common though, is the need to take in nutrition.

Snakes swallow their prey whole. Cows use rumination to chew and then re-chew their food. Starfish extend their stomachs out of their body and onto the food to begin digesting it. And spiders practically drink their food after breaking it down with digestive fluid.

How do lizards eat their food? Most lizards are insectivores. They crush the exoskeleton of the insect, and then swallow it down with very little chewing. Some lizards have teeth, like the Komodo dragon. They prefer to swallow their food whole, but will also rip off pieces of flesh and gulp down the chunks. The small number of herbivore lizards eat the same way. They tear off chunks of vegetables and swallow them down with very little chewing.

Since reptiles don’t actually chew their food, their digestive system has to do most of the work to break down the food.

Insectivores and carnivorous lizards take longer to digest their food. This is why they go longer periods of time between meals. They will usually only eat once every few days.

Plant eating lizards eat daily, but have been known to ingest small pebbles to assist the stomach in breaking down the fibrous plant materials.

4. Do lizards play dead?

Opossums aren’t the only animal to play dead!

Most lizards are predators. Only the adult Komodo dragon is considered an apex predator however, meaning the others are further down the food chain. They all have to worry about being eaten, and must therefore find a way to protect themselves.

Many species of lizards have developed a method of playing dead in order to avoid being eaten by other predators. It is most common among juvenile lizards, although there are numerous adult lizards who have been observed playing dead too.

Many predators don’t eat carrion. If they didn’t kill it, they don’t want to touch it. This is natures way of preventing the spread of disease in wildlife. If a lizard does a good enough job acting as if it is already dead, it has a chance to survive.

Of course this is a last resort. It’s literally a gamble for its own life.

5. Why do lizards bob their head?

Have you ever walked up to a reptile enclosure and seen the lizard begin bobbing its head up and down?

This is a display by many lizards including bearded dragons, anoles, iguanas and more.

Why do lizards bob their head? There are several reasons why a lizard might bob its head. Some will do this to demonstrate that this is their territory and you are trespassing. They will do this to show dominance too. It’s like saying I am big and strong, so you’d better leave me alone! Lizards have also been known to bob their heads as part of the courtship ritual for mating.

Some people have theorized that head bobbing might sometimes be a way to simply acknowledge the presence of another lizard of the same species so as not to get eaten.

It can be kind of like a hand wave. A way to say “Hello. I am here, you are there. We’re the same group so let’s not eat each other.”

6. How do lizards live in the winter?

Whereas the majority of lizards live in warmer or even tropical climates, some can be found in cooler environments. Environments that are cool enough to experience winter, and even temperatures below freezing.

Atlas day geckos for example, live in high altitudes where they experience cold and snow. Many types of skinks, fence lizards and glass lizards survive in areas that experience all four seasons, including winters with below freezing temperatures.

So how do lizards live in the winter? Lizards survive in the winter through a process called brumation. As ectotherms, a lizards body temperature is dependent on their environment. When it’s 25 degrees, their body is 25 degrees. At around 55 degrees however, most lizards will begin brumating. Their metabolism will slow dramatically, and they will enter a deep sleep much like hibernation.

There are a few differences between brumation and hibernation though.

• During hibernation, an animal still maintains an internal temperature warm enough to sustain it. With brumation, the body temperature still drops to match the surroundings.
• When an animal hibernates, they will remain asleep even on warm days if it is still in the middle of winter. Brumating lizards will wake up when it’s warm outside. They may go out and bask in the sun and even drink water, only to return to brumation later in the day when it gets cold again.
• During brumation, a lizards metabolism can slow to the point of seeming completely dead.

7. Do lizards get bored?

Yes, lizards get bored. Lizards like to do more than eat and sleep. They need to be mentally stimulated and physically active to prevent boredom from setting in. They like to explore their surroundings, have variety in their diet and experience new things within reason.

Lizards in captivity are also susceptible to stress induced health issues, which means “experiencing new things” has to be kept to a minimum. They like to feel safe and secure above all else. Hiding food in different parts of the enclosure, and occasional handling are the extent of what they need to prevent boredom.

8. Why do lizards have white poop?

If you’ve ever seen reptile poop, you might have noticed part, or even all of it was white.

Why do lizards have white poop? Lizards have white poop because they urinate and defecate through the same orifice. The white part you are seeing is actually uric acid crystals. A lizard’s body removes every last bit of hydration it can. Once the majority of the moisture is removed from the urine, it gets combined with the rest of the waste, leaving you with what appears to be white poop.

Lizards have evolved highly efficient systems to endure the often times harsh environments they live in.

9. Where do lizards sleep at night?

As I stated earlier, most lizards are diurnal. They are active throughout the day, and sleep at night.

Where do lizards sleep at night? In captivity, lizards usually sleep in a hide box in their enclosure. In the wild, they will find someplace where they feel safe and secure. For lizards like leopard geckos, this means hiding in rocky crevices or caves. Iguanas on the other hand, will typically climb a tree and cling to the side or rest on a branch. Some lizards like the Gila monster, will actually dig out their own burrows to sleep in.

One thing is for certain; wherever a lizard chooses to sleep, it will be at least somewhat hidden and secure.

10. Do lizards fart?

Yes lizards fart. Farting is actually the release of built up gas given off by bacteria that feeds on the waste throughout the digestive system. As with other animals, you probably won’t notice it with smaller lizards, but bigger ones can let them rip!

You’ll notice when it is about to happen because the lizard will often times raise the base of its tail slightly, as if it is about to use the restroom.

11. Should I buy a pet lizard?

I have written numerous articles on this subject.

Obviously I am very passionate about reptiles, and think they make wonderful pets. They are not for everyone though.

Dogs and cats are domesticated, and have many of the same needs as us humans. Reptiles are different. As I’ve pointed out, they have highly evolved systems capable of surviving a wide variety of harsh conditions.

Those highly evolved bodies are also highly specialized.

They adapt well to their natural environments, but not so well if they stray too far from home.

Temperature, humidity are two very crucial elements they need to survive. Too hot or cold, too humid or dry, and reptiles will begin developing health issues and may die. And I can tell you, the temperature and humidity in your home usually aren’t adequate for them to survive for long.

On the flip side, learning about their natural environment, and replicating it as perfectly as possible is immensely rewarding. Not to mention the fact that they are simply beautiful to look at.

At the end of the day the choice is yours. All I can advise is to make sure you do your research before getting one. You are responsible for its life and well being.

If you’d like to learn more, here’s an article I wrote on What It’s Like To Own A Pet Lizard.