The lizard is without a doubt the most common reptile in our country: we can find it in urban centers, in the countryside, in the mountains and even at the seaside.It may seem strange but the lizard is increasingly bred as a pet : in this article we will see the main characteristics, curiosities and varieties of this fascinating reptile.
What do lizards eat?
Lizards eat insects, small worms, fly larvae and earthworms .
In addition to feeding on invertebrates, lizards eat sugary fruits such as apples, strawberries and blackberries .
If you have lizards in captivity I recommend providing them with live prey to prevent them from losing their instincts.
Why don’t lizards die when they lose their tails?
Lizards have a truly extreme defense strategy: if you grab them by the tail , these reptiles will lose it without dying .
Once the tail is lost, it continues to move due to muscle contractions and this helps to distract the predator.
Over the course of a couple of months the mutilated tail will grow back : this time the tail will be reduced to a tube of cartilage with no vertebrae.
The tail of a lizard is therefore not a vital organ: the lizard cannot therefore die from “bleeding to death” as could happen to a human whose leg is amputated.
Lizard Variety: Dragon Lizard
The dragon lizard or Australian lizard has a particular crown around its head that can even remind us of a dinosaur.
This particular crown is an excellent defense mechanism against enemies: by making the lizard larger it scares off potential predators.
Finally, the crown is very useful in regulating the body temperature of the dragon lizard.
Lizard Variety: Giant Lizard
The giant monitor lizard , better known as the giant monitor lizard , is the fourth largest lizard species in the world.
It is on average 2 meters long and weighs 15 kg: it is presumed that its bite can be poisonous.
The giant monitor lizard is carnivorous and depending on its size hunts small or large prey.
Lizard Variety: Night Lizard
Equipped with fused eyelids and vertical pupils that dilate at night, the nocturnal lizard is able to see in the dark.
Night lizards are native to Central America and the southwestern United States.
This reptile feeds mainly on insects.
Lizard Variety: Armadillo Lizard
In the western coastal areas of South Africa we find a very particular species of lizard: the armadillo lizard .
The armadillo lizard measures about 8 cm in length and is brown in color with a yellow belly: it feeds mainly on small invertebrates such as insects and spiders but sometimes feeds on plant material.
The armadillo lizard is a diurnal animal that lives in rock crevices: when under attack this reptile takes its tail in its mouth and begins to roll.
In this form the armadillo lizard is protected by the scales of its skin and the spines of its tail.
This reptile is one of the few lizard species that does not lay eggs: the female gives birth to one or two lizards.
Females give birth once a year and are responsible for feeding the young.
Lizard eggs
Lizards reproduce through the production of eggs : depending on the species, they are classified as oviparous and ovoviviparous.
In the first case the eggs are laid underground while in the second case the eggs are incubated inside the mother’s womb.
Lizard eggs are very small and white in colour: the shell is very elastic to allow the young to come out easily with a sort of tooth on their snout that will be lost after a few days of life.
The inside of the lizard egg is made up of amniotic fluid rich in nutrients, and there is also the yolk which serves to nourish the embryo.
The surface of the egg is porous to ensure that the little one has the right amount of oxygen to survive.
Dreaming of lizards: what does it mean?
The dream of lizards is associated with different meanings depending on the type and situation in which they appear to us at night, here are some possible interpretations:
- Dreaming of a giant lizard means that there are major problems with people close to us.
- Dreaming of a lizard biting you means that you need some vitality.
- Dreaming of a dead lizard means that you are tired of a less than positive period you are going through.
- Dreaming of a lizard in bed means that you women have some concerns about the subject of sex.