Lizards are often seen in the wild, but in some countries, they are kept as pets too.
Whether you have an interest in reptiles or you’re wondering about getting a pet lizard and want to know more, there are many fun and interesting facts about lizards that will blow your mind!
There are more than 6,000 different lizard species.
Did you know that an iguana is a type of lizard?
Geckos and chameleons also fall into the lizard family, so while you might be used to referring to all these as reptiles, you’d be correct in saying they are all types of lizard too.
When you start to think about all the different reptiles out there that fall into the lizard category, it’s definitely not tricky to imagine why there are thousands of them!
Lizards can move their eyelids.
Humans can move their eyelids, so why would we expect other creatures to do anything differently?
In another part of the reptile family, snakes don’t have eyelids at all.
However, lizards not only have eyelids, but they can move them easily and voluntarily.
This is one of the few differences between lizards and snakes.
Lizards live almost everywhere.
Apart from Antarctica, there are no continents that are not home to some species of lizard.
They find homes in deserts, marshland areas, and forests.
Many of them live on the ground, in trees, under and around rocks, and within holes and bogs, which they often create for themselves.
Lizards don’t need to be near water.
Many types of lizards do not need to be close to the water in order to survive since they will often absorb all the water they need from their food.
Some lizards can go their entire life without drinking any water at all.
That’s one of the reasons why many of them live near the desert, while others live near ponds and other bodies of water.
When there is no water, lizards retain the water which is already in their bodies and instead loses salts through their skin.
They need sunshine.
Since lizards are cold-blooded creatures, their body temperature is susceptible to change quickly depending on the environment and surrounding temperature.
Without sunshine, lizards are not able to survive for very long.
This explains why there are no lizards in Antarctica among the most extreme cold temperatures and why they live mainly in deserts and in southern countries.
However, lizards aren’t able to withstand the sun when it reaches its peak.
So even in the desert, they will find shade during the hottest parts of the day.
Lizards eat a varied diet.
While lizards may not drink much water throughout the day, they have a varied diet that provides them with the nutrients they need.
This often includes grass and other leafy plants, small insects such as crickets and beetles, berries, and seeds.
Some lizards, such as the dragon lizard, will eat the eggs of other smaller lizards if they find them.
There are different sizes of lizards.
Some people have seen lizards in the wild, and others keep lizards as pets.
Whether you’ve ever seen one with your own eyes or not, there are various shapes and sizes.
The size often depends on the diet of the lizard and whereabouts it lives.
The smallest are barely a couple of inches in length, while the larger lizards can be as long as eleven feet!
The tail of a lizard isn’t very strong.
At first, it may seem like this is a bad thing.
However, some lizards have tails that are designed to be weak in order to quickly lose a predator.
Other animals will generally grab a smaller animal by its tail, so a lizard is able to get away and break free without causing itself excessive damage.
Furthermore, a lizard is able to grow its tail back if it is broken off.
A lizard’s tail acts as a defense mechanism against predators and anything seeking to hurt it.
Lizards have several defense mechanisms.
A tail that is easily broken off is just one of the ways that a lizard can protect itself against danger.
Many lizards are born with the ability to run quickly and get away from danger, managing to escape even before a predator has the chance to grab its tail.
Other lizard species have a harsh bite or appear larger and more frightening when confronting the enemy.
Only three types of lizard have venom – the Komodo Dragon, the Gila monster, and the Mexican beaded lizard.
The Komodo dragon is dangerous to humans.
The Komodo dragon is the only type of lizard that is dangerous to humans and which is capable of causing death to humans.
While you may get hurt by another type of lizard, none has the venom of a Komodo dragon.
Komodo dragons belong to Indonesia and can grow up to 10 feet in length.
One bite from this type of lizard is enough to kill a human.
Many lizards are kept as pets.
While the majority of the lizards in the world are living in the wild, there are hundreds of thousands of them being kept as pets.
They are generally small in size, but that doesn’t mean they don’t need a lot of care or attention.
The bearded dragon, leopard gecko, and crested gecko are among the best types of lizard to keep as pets.
You should always read about the specific type of lizard you are buying as a pet and learn the best way to care for it.
Some lizards can change color.
One of the appealing things about lizards is their ability to change color.
This is what makes chameleons, a type of lizard, so interesting and attractive for pet owners.
The anole lizard, for example, can be kept as a pet and is able to change its color from bright green to red and then to brown – all to fit in with its surroundings or send out a signal to its mate.
Lizards are delightful creatures, and there are over 6,000 species of different sizes and colors.
Lizards are found on every continent but Antarctica. Regardless of where they live, one thing Lizards have in common is that they all love the sun!
If you’re inspired to take on a lizard as a pet, be sure to do your full research so you know exactly how to take care of them properly.
Otherwise, go and enjoy them outside or at the zoo!
