ID on this lizard please

[JESTERx626]

I found this lizard outside, must be native to here because I found it outside my house and captured it.
It's about 12-13" head to tail, half is only the body so it's not as large as one might think.

 

[UrbanJungles]

Alligator Lizard

 

[skippy]

specifically: Elgaria multicarinata webbii - San Diego Alligator Lizard

lots of fun

 

[-Exotic]

Yee a alligator lizard...

toooo bad it dosen't grow to a full size alligator.

 

[beetleman]

ooh yeah,very awesome lizard ya want to see real alligators?..........come on down where i am(south fla.)they are a plenty and i mean PLENTY!

 

[davidbarber1]

specifically: Elgaria multicarinata webbii - San Diego Alligator Lizard

lots of fun

Correct. I had a family of these guys living around my house for years when I was in San Clemente. I do miss them alot. We don't get them out here where I live now

David

 

[halfwaynowhere]

yep. alligator lizard. I used to keep them as pets when I was younger (what got me interested in herps in the first place, actually).

If you plan on keeping it, I'd check and treat for mites.

 

[dtknow]

and renew your CA fishing license.

They seem like they would do well in captivity do. Not as flightly as other lizards. Probably learn to eat from your hand before long.

If not, release it and keep an eye out. Though they are quite secretive lizards...part of the reason they can survive even in quite urban areas.

 

[ErinKelley]

Ooo alligator lizards are so much fun! I had some of a different species, can't think of it at the moment, maybe this one...it was a long time ago.

http://www.fws.gov/arcata/fisheries/herps/images/lizards/northern_alligator_lizard.jpg

They were born live from a female in a pet store. I ended up buying all 4 of them, they were so tiny and fun. Very enjoyable if you plan on keeping it.

 

[Beardo]

yep. alligator lizard. I used to keep them as pets when I was younger (what got me interested in herps in the first place, actually).

If you plan on keeping it, I'd check and treat for mites.

Huh? Why would they need to check for mites on a wild caught North American reptile? You do know that reptile mites are an exotic species and not native to NA, correct?

 

[skippy]

perhaps "ticks" was the intended pest:} i know i've seen ticks on at least 50% of the alligator lizards i've come across.

 

[halfwaynowhere]

one that i caught several years ago had a really bad case of mites. I guess its possible they were something else, but they were small and mite-like. definitely not ticks or anything. He died shortly afterwards. We didn't have any other reptiles at the time, so they didn't come from anywhere else.

I did not know that reptile mites aren't native to north america, though... hmm...

 

[joshuai]

Huh? Why would they need to check for mites on a wild caught North American reptile? You do know that reptile mites are an exotic species and not native to NA, correct?

with all the lizards in north america, and mexico i find it hard to believe that there is no mites that will go after lizards.
There are two species of Clacaridae found in North American reptiles: C. faini in the snapping turtle, and C. beeri in the painted.

 

[Beardo]

You may find it hard to believe, but the 2 species you mentioned are host-specific. They have not been documented on any other reptile species.

Fact is, there has never been a documented case of a lizard or snake from NA being found with a native mite species.