Alligator Lizard?

[fantasticp]

Found this guy a couple of weeks ago at work. I think his tail was crushed by a forklift. I had originally planned to release him into a nearby canyon in the spring, but I started to feed him with tongs since he is pretty clumsy and can't catch food before it hides/burrows, and he is getting kinda friendly so I might keep him after all. You should see how excited he gets when he sees the tongs anywhere near his cage.

I am not a lizard person, so should I be dusting his food with anything other than calcium? He is a total pig, too, as long as he isn't fat, should he be eating six or seven bugs 2/3 the size of his head every day? Any other tips?

http://img10.exs.cx/img10/3171/lizzy7pi.jpg

P.S. I am getting him a bigger tank tomorrow. The kk in the pic was all I had at the time to put the little guy in at the time and I have been super busy. His tail has scabbed over nicely though.

 

[thedreadedone]

he's really pretty, havent seen that one before - looks like a skink?
if he is a skink, then eating like a pig is no suprise, also, the ones ive worked with are all pretty bad at catching their food - they'll let the food sit on their head or tail and twist round in a confused sort of way.
the ones at the zoo have other food apart from bugs - they occasionally get pinkie mice in egg and fruits

 

[Heartfang]

Fiesty little critters they are. Like to bite, but doesn't hurt. I used to catch them in my grandma's barn when I was a kid and would relocate them to a nice open field with lots of logs around. Occasionally I'd keep them and what I would do is keep them in a container out side. To feed them, sounds gross but I did it, I would go as far away from my house as possible, throw some fresh chicken on the ground, come back in a few days, gather up the maggots in a glass bottle and feed the lizards the maggots. Mind you I never actually touched the maggots with my bear hands. Yuck. Well, I would only keeo them for about two weeks then I would set them free in the field.

 

[fantasticp]

they occasionally get pinkie mice in egg and fruits

what kind of egg?-and how? hard boiled?, over easy or raw?
I was thinking of trying a pinkie also tomorrow when I hit up the pet store for some other things. I am pretty sure it is a southern alligator lizard. I live in San Diego, and searching the net I found a pic of one from Orange County that looked just like it.

 

[thedreadedone]

the pinkies were dipped in raw egg

 

[Mantid Mafia]

Cool lookin' lizard..good luck with em'

 

[Schlyne]

I would dust with calcium and herpavite (vitamin supplement, pick one, just make sure both of them don't have d3). Go for a 50/50 mix.

 

[Megalodon]

I saw some of these guys at a pet store the other day, might pick one up.
What i was reading was to feed them gutloaded crickets that are dusted

 

[fantasticp]

I saw some of these guys at a pet store the other day, might pick one up.
What i was reading was to feed them gutloaded crickets that are dusted

I have been feeding him crickets, superworms, and two kinds of roaches. I was debating the pinky, but I don't think he is big enough yet. Bought stuff to dust them with today. You should totally get one. Thanks for everyone's replies.