The Northern Alligator Lizard is a medium sized lizard that is native to the North-Western United States. Their range also extend into parts of South-Western Canada.
Northern Alligator Lizard Description
The Northern Alligator Lizard has an elongated body with short legs, similar to a Blue Tongued Skink. They have a distinctive fold of skin that runs along the side of their body between their front and back legs.
The color of the lizard can vary greatly from brown, tan or grey to an olive green or yellowish appearance. They have darker colored markings that run the length of their body which often take the form of a checkered pattern.
They are a medium sized lizard that can grow to a total length of about 20cm. However, about half of this length is made up of the tail.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Northern Alligator Lizard can be found along the Pacific Coast in the Western United States. Their range extends along much of this coastline but doesn’t extend too far inland.
The Northern Alligator Lizard can be found as far North as British Colombia in Canada where it is found in the Southern parts of the region.
Their range extends as far South as the Sierra Nevada in California. This means that their range extends through Washington and Oregon to reach California.
To the East, their distribution extends into Northern Idaho and the Western Portion of Montana. Their range isn’t believed to extend as far East into Nevada in the Southern portion of their range.
The Northern Alligator Lizard likes to live in areas that are cool and humid but they do need access to heat for thermal regulation. Coniferous forest and Woodlands with sunny openings are prime habitats for this lizard.
They can also be found in high grass, sagebrush habitats, near streams or in rocky outcrops. These lizards are very adaptable and thrive in a range of habitats.
They main restriction is that they need shaded areas to keep cool, especially in Southern portion of their range.
Feeding a Northern Alligator Lizard
In the wild, the majority of a Northern Alligator Lizard diet is made up of insects such as crickets, beetles, slugs, spiders and moths.
However, they will also eat larger prey when the opportunity presents itself. They will eat small mammals such as baby mice and are even known to eat the occasional small lizard.
In captivity, the bulk of their diet can consist of insects. You should offer them a varied diet of crickets, roaches, locusts, beetles, mealworms and superworms etc.
Variety is the key to a healthy diet for any lizard. You can supplement their diet with the occasional pinkie mouse once they are large enough to eat them.
Northern Alligator Lizard Enclosure
A Northern Alligator Lizard needs to be kept in a reasonably sized enclosure as they are a medium sized lizard. At a minimum, you should offer them a 3ft x 1ft x 1.5ft enclosure.
You can provide them with a larger enclosure if you want and the lizard will certainly utilise any space that you give them. Juveniles can be housed in smaller enclosures but will need to be upgraded as they grow.
You will need to provide them with a heat source for thermoregulation as well as a fresh water bowl and a number of hides for security. Climbing branches and other types of enrichment should also be included.
The substrate should be 4-5 inches deep as these lizards like to burrow. Choose a substrate that can retain moisture well as these lizards like humid environments. Substrates such as Coco Fibre will work well for a Northern Alligator Lizard.
Light and Heat
The Northern Alligator Lizard can be kept at a cooler temperature than many commonly kept species of lizard. However, they still need access to heat in order to thermoregulate.
These lizards do well when kept at an ambient temperature of around 70F. This can drop even further, to around 65F during the night.
You will need to provide your lizard with a basking spot of around 85-90F. This will ensure that they can thermoregulate correctly. You can use an overhead heat source or a heat mat for this.
Whatever heat source you choose, it must be connected to a good quality thermostat. This will ensure that the temperature remains constant and the enclosure doesn’t overheat.
You will also need to provide your lizard with UVB light if they are not exposed to natural sunlight. You can use a full spectrum UVB bulb for this on a 12-hour timer.
Handling a Northern Alligator Lizard
The Northern Alligator Lizard is not a species that should be handled every day. Handling can be stressful for them so it should be kept to a minimum.
As with all lizards, everyone will have their own individual personality and some will be more tolerant than others. You should watch for signs of stress in your animals and ensure they feel secure in their enclosure.