The golden armadillo lizard
Just imagine a little dragon that fits into the palm of your hand! What Do They Eat? Like many reptiles. Their tail makes up for about half, or less, of their total length.
Males tend to be slightly larger than females. We weren’t kidding when we used words like “precious” and “petite”! These lizards rarely grow over four inches long, with three to three and a half inches being more common. However, they aren’t the same species as the East African spiny-tailed lizard ( Cordylus tropidosternum), commonly referred to as an armadillo lizard in the pet trade. ⭐️ Fun Fact: Did you know? The Armadillo Girdled Lizard is also known as armadillo lizards, golden-armadillo lizards, and armadillo spiny-tailed lizards. Instead, they simply find safety in large numbers.
They aren’t necessarily bonded to specific individuals in the group, like wolves or dolphins. There is A LOT of movement between the large social groups for males, females, and even juveniles. They will mate with the females that are in their territory. Males are territorial, and they will carve out a specific plot of land to protect from other males in the group. At least up to sixty feet away, anyways… so not terribly far!Īrmadillo girdled lizards communicate with other members of their group using tail wagging, head bobbing, and tongue-flicking.
However, they will travel away from their sandy, rocky outcrops to find food in nearby grasslands.
#The golden armadillo lizard full#
In fact, their absolute favorite habitats are full of rocks, hills, mountains, and sandstone. These lizards live in social groups of up to sixty individuals! They can typically be found sunning on rocks near cracks and crevices, which they will attempt to escape to if they sense a threat. Their favorite habitats are full of rocks, hills, mountains, and sandstone. More specifically, they live in the Succulent Karoo desert ecoregion. Where Do They Come From? Did you know? There are more than 80 different species of Armadillo lizards! That’s why you may notice slight differences color, facial structure, and size amongst them.Īrmadillo girdled lizards are endemic to the desert areas along the West coast of South Africa. Dragons Thrive In Their Natural Habitat.If you are looking to purchase a reptile pet that is strong and healthy, instead of sickly and malnourished - you should never purchase a reptile from a pet store. To learn more about this fascinating AND utterly adorable reptile that has stolen the internet’s heart, just keep reading! Mix all of these characteristics into the armadillo girdled lizard’s petite body, add some irresistible, puppy dog-like eyes, and you’ve got a recipe for the pet dragon that everyone has always wanted! When confronted, they prefer to escape or curl into a protective ball – like an armadillo! They have complex social lives, compared to other lizard species, and they live for over ten years!ĭespite their robust exterior appearance, Armadillo Girdled Lizards are a timid and docile species. Their yellow or brown body is covered in thick, protective, square-shaped scales that armor their bodies. This cute, armored little lizard(opens in new tab) is native to the deserts of South Africa.
Few animals that roam the Earth today come as close to looking like a real-life dragon as the armadillo girdled lizard ( Ouroborus cataphractus).