Girdle-Tailed Lizards

Physical Description: These lizards are small to medium sized with armor like scales that cover their bodies called osteoderms (bony plates). They are light to dark brown in color getting up to about 12 inches in length. As a defense, they will curl into a ball to protect their underside.  

Predators: Birds of prey, mongooses, skunks, rats, coyotes, and domestic cats. 

Lifespan: It is not well documented in the wild how long they can live, but under human care they can live up to 20-25 years. 

Reproduction: 

Girdle-tailed lizards are ovoviviparous, meaning giving birth to live developed young. Males will fertilize the females internally and the eggs will hatch inside the mother. Mating occurs when there are changes in the environment, usually in the winter season. She gives birth to one to four babies. The young are immediately independent upon birth. These lizards, unlike most, are very social living in groups of up to 60 individuals.  

Fun Facts: 

• When they are stressed, they will curl into a ball to protect their underside.  

• Due to their spiny armor, they are often called “mini dragons.” 

• They are quite social and like to be in large groups, up to 30-60 individuals.  

• With the young being independent immediately from birth, mothers may sometimes still feed their young which is a rare behavior among lizards. 

• They communicate by tail-wagging, head-bobbing, and tongue-flicking.  

Conservation Messaging: 

Purposeful Pet Ownership 

Girdle-tailed lizards are becoming threatened by the illegal pet trade. Due to them being social lizards, it is easy for poachers for pick them off as a family units to be sold off as pets in pet stores. Their dragon like looks make them a desirable pet. However, they are not native to the US so before buying these lizards one should know where they were bred, as catching them from the wild is decreasing their populations. Potential pet owners should know the amount of care, lighting/heat sources, diet and space that they require. Reptiles require specific lighting, humidity, space, nutrients, substrate, heating, and if they do not receive the proper care then that reptile’s health can decline rapidly. It can be difficult to find veterinarians that are equipped to care for reptiles if they get sick. Be sure to fully research any pet before buying one. While you may think a reptile would make a cool pet, it’s important to know all of the care that goes into providing that animal with the best possible welfare, and as mentioned before reptiles require a lot of extra care. It is important to make sure that if you do buy an exotic pet that you are buying it from a reputable breeder, someone who knows how to properly care for the animal and hasn’t taken that animal from its natural habitat. Do not release an unwanted pet into the wild. While you may think that you are doing something good by releasing the animal back into the wild, animals that have been kept under human care often do not know how to survive on their own out in the wild and could end up getting hurt or dying if left to their own devices.