Lizards

The term lizard refers to a widespread group of reptiles. The difference between a lizard and a snake? Most people would say legs. But there are lizards without legs. The real answer is external ears and eyelids. Lizards have external ears that are not covered by skin. They also have eyelids that they can close voluntarily. Lizards can be as small as a pygmy chameleon and as large as a komodo dragon. Click on their picture to see their biography.

Pearl

Columbian Black and White Tegu or Gold Tegu (Tupinambis teguixin). These lizards grow up to 3 feet! They live in tropical rainforests in the upper parts of South America. Their tail is as long as their body and they use it for defense. It is very hard and strong and if threatened they will whip it back and forth.
These tegus are carnivores, which means they eat mostly meat. Their meals would include small mammals, lizards, small birds, fish, and insects. Columbian Black and White Tegus are known to be aggressive and avoid human contact when they can.

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Blueberry

Northern Blue tongue skink (Tiliqua scincoides intermedia). Skinks are a type of lizard that usually have short necks and legs, and long bodies and tails. There are about 800 different species of skinks in the world. Northern Blue tongue skinks are the largest in the skink family and are found in the northern region on the mainland of Australia living in forests, woodlands, and grasslands. They use their brightly colored blue tongue to warn off or startle predators so they don't become lunch. In the wild they eat insects, greens, berries and wildflowers which makes them omnivores. Their favorite thing to eat is snails!

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Loki

Chinese Water Dragon (Physignathus cocincinus). The water dragon got its name from its behavior of always living near water. If threatened the water dragon will quickly jump off their branch into the body of water below and swim away using the long tail. They can hold their breath for 25 minutes! These amazing lizards can be found in India, China, and southeastern Asia.

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Leonard

Russian Legless Lizard (Pseudopus apodus). Do you know the real difference between a snake and a lizard?? Nope, not legs!! Lizards have external ears (ear holes) and eyelids. Snakes no not have external ears and they do not have eyelids, instead they have a special clear scale that protects their eyes. Different legless lizard species live in many places around the world and come in different sizes and colors. Russian legless lizards prefer to live in dry grasslands and hunt snails, slugs, worms, and other small invertebrates. They are sometimes referred to as "glass lizards" for their unique adaptation of being able to drop their tail. If a predator grabs onto their tail, it will break off and sometimes break into several pieces appearing as if it shattered like glass. By being able to drop their tail, the lizard can escape while the predator is busy with the pieces of tail left behind.

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Sampson

Savannah Monitor (Varanus exanthematicus). Info coming soon.

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Argos

Mali Uromastyx (Uromastyx maliensis). This lizard with the unusual name can be found in the deserts of Africa. They have the amazing adaptation of being able to survive without drinking water by secreting salt from their nostrils. They can get all the moisture they require from the food they eat, which is insects and plant material. Their large club-like tail is used to help protect them from predators. When threatened they will whip it back and forth trying to hit the offender and scare them away.

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Bindi

Bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps). These lizards live throughout Australia. They get their name from their characteristic dark hue on their throat. When threatened they puff out their throat which displays a deepened hue depending on their color. The most common bearded dragon's throat turns black, thus appearing like a beard on the lizard's chin.
Bearded dragons have hard spikes that run the length of their body. This is for protection as well as competing amongst other bearded dragons. When young, these lizards eat mainly insects and as they grow bigger they like to eat more green vegetation than anything else.

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Freckles

Leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius). These geckos live in southern Asian deserts. Leopard geckos are ground dwelling and nocturnal, which means they are awake at night and sleep during the day. They eat a variety of invertebrates including crickets, worms, and grub. They store fat in their large tails to use when food is scarce. The tail also helps protect against hungry predators. If the predator grabs ahold of the tail, the leopard gecko releases the tail and runs away with it's life. They can regrow their tail, though it takes a lot of time and energy and it never looks as pretty as the original.
Leopard geckos differ from other commonly known geckos. They have hard velvety skin instead of soft and moist. They have claws instead of pads. And they also have eyelids to keep out harsh sands. Most geckos do not have eyelids and must lick their eyes to keep them clear and moist.

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Puff and Smaug

Red Eyed Crocodile Skinks (Tribolonotus gracilis). Info coming soon.

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