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What do Siberian lizards eat? What to feed an ordinary lizard

Species diversity lizards are of considerable interest. In total, there are more than four thousand species of these. It is known that lizards are the ancestors of snakes. There are even legless representatives, very similar to their reptile descendants, but non-venomous. This includes the spindle, which so faintly resembles a lizard that people often mistake it for a snake and get scared.

Almost all existing species of lizards are able to throw off their tail in case of danger. Such a maneuver does not work against most animals and birds, so people wondered for a long time why these reptiles were strange feature... Recent studies have shown that lizards that have lost their tail are most often seen in areas with big amount serpent. From this, scientists concluded that the ability to throw off the tail was developed in lizards precisely to protect against reptile predators. The fact is that the snake most often bites the prey for the place that it manages to reach. In the case of nimble lizards, this place is certainly the tail. By discarding it, the animal prevents the further spread of the poison in its body.

According to the way of life, all lizards can be divided into several groups. plant-eaters, carnivores and those who are able to digest any type of food - omnivorous species... When feeding, these features should be taken into account. After all, a pet, which by its nature is a predator, is unlikely to be delighted with lettuce leaves. Conversely, predators require prey, not fruits and vegetables. The problem here is that often what lizards eat in nature is different from the food that the owner can offer her. This statement is especially true for exotic species animals.

What do lizards eat in nature?

Most lizards are carnivores. At the same time, a large part of them are capable of absorbing combined food. This ability has evolved in these reptiles during evolution in order to increase the chance of survival. Much less among lizards is found exclusively herbivorous. In nature, small and medium-sized species prefer to eat invertebrates. More large species lizards feed on appropriate prey: birds and fish, amphibians, including their own kind, non-venomous snakes and even mammals. The lizards from Komodo Island are considered the largest species. It is scary to imagine what lizards of this size eat: it is believed that they can attack even pigs and buffaloes.

Small ones eat various insects, spiders, millipedes and worms. The species that live near the water feed on molluscs. Also, lizards can be considered garden orderlies no worse than birds, because they destroy a huge number of pests: harmful beetles (hungry lizards are able to eat even which most animals bypass, considering inedible), flies, bears, butterflies (including "cabbage") and their larvae. Among others, these reptiles destroy carriers of dangerous diseases, and the latter can make up almost one hundred percent of their diet, depending on the habitat of the lizard. To eat, this animal requires a lot of food - to the delight of the gardener.

The aforementioned spindle stands slightly apart from its relatives. Unlike other relatives, its teeth are sharply pointed and bent back, which allows it to grab and hold very slippery prey in its mouth. What does a lizard eat with such teeth? Due to such an unusual structure of the jaws, the spindle can feed on slugs, worms, wood lice and the like, as well as the larvae of these insects.

Herbivorous

The main food for such lizards should be fruit and vegetable mixtures. The technique for preparing them is about the same as for homemade ones. Before serving fruits and vegetables to your pet, be sure to rinse them in warm (but not hot!) Water. Of course, if you care about the health of your pet, then you should not feed it with grass that has grown anywhere on the side of the road or near industrial areas. There, harmful ones could get on the plants chemical substances and lizards are very sensitive to such things. It will be much better if the owner takes care of a variety of food for his ward in advance. This will allow the lizard to receive all the useful vitamins and minerals in the right amount. At the same time, a varied diet will relieve her of hypervitaminosis, which can develop if you constantly feed the reptile with only one type of food.

Carnivores

The food of a carnivorous lizard depends, first of all, on its size. It does not take into account what the lizards of this species eat in wildlife... A great success if her diet can be made as similar to natural as possible. After all, the animal's body has been adapting for centuries to a certain kind food. The smallest species or young growth will feed the Drosophila flies. Larger lizards can be given caught crickets and grasshoppers, cockroaches, bloodworms bought in the store. In pet stores there is an opportunity to purchase some types of insects for feeding. In the absence of live prey, you can add finely chopped fish and eggs to the pet's diet. It is not recommended to give meat, therefore such feeding should be resorted to only as a last resort, if there is nothing else. The largest representatives are usually given small mammals: rats or mice, which can also be purchased at the pet store.

There are about 6,000 species of lizards on the planet. They are classified according to the area, external differences and food preferences. There are carnivorous, herbivorous and omnivorous reptiles. Lizards feed on leaves, fruits, mosquitoes, a variety of larvae, and more. Diet directly affects the size of the reptile. The larger the lizard, the more likely it is to be a predator.

There are many types of lizards in the world, some of them are herbivores, others are predators, the third is omnivorous

Classification and appearance

Lizards are found not only in wooded or steppe areas, but also within settlements(cities, villages, villages). More than a hundred species of reptiles can be found in the villages. On the territory of Russia, only two types of lizards live in nature:

nimble;
ordinary.

They live not only in Russia, but throughout post-Soviet space... Not listed in the Red Book. It is rather difficult to distinguish them by their shape. But there are still signs inherent in each of the species. A quick lizard is very difficult to spot. She is super fast and nimble. It has small size... The nimble lizard is usually green in color.

The common lizard has larger size than nimble. Color - dark green or brown in all shades. Long legs with tenacious claws. The body is covered with scales, in contrast to nimble lizard.

Both species move very quickly using deceptive maneuvers. For housing, they prefer minks that they dig themselves. They can also occupy dwellings left by other animals or insects. They have a permanent pair (they do not change partners during reproduction). After the death of one of the partners, the second on long time remains alone, but over time begins to search for a new pair.

They live wherever there is free access to sunbeams... Reptiles of these species are diurnal. In winter they hibernate.

Wild reptile diet

Lizards that live in the wild need to get their own food. The diet of reptiles is rather monotonous. Food preferences:

These reptiles eat everything that they come across on the ground: beetles, worms, spiders, caterpillars, and so on. The most dexterous and nimble ones manage to catch mosquitoes, flies, midges.
V summer period reptiles often inhabit potato fields. The Colorado potato beetle is an important part of the diet of lizards, as it is very rich in protein.
Small reptiles are predominantly half vegetarians. They consume worms and larvae. Also, small lizards feed on vegetation. This allows them to get the vitamins they need.
Reptiles saturate the body with moisture in ponds. After the rain, they drink from the puddles.

Lizards are the most voracious among all reptiles. Most reptiles are small in size, but eat almost as much as some large bird species.

Lizards are considered the most voracious among reptiles.

Eating at home

life span;
pet health;
compliance or aggressiveness.

Walking the lizard like ordinary pets will not work. This means that food for her needs to be purchased in stores, because insects must be present on the menu.

There are several types of feed on sale:

special;
dry;
insects;

Almost all insects are suitable for feeding lizards: moths, grasshoppers, worms, locusts. They also consume larvae. You can also feed cockroaches, but only alive (you cannot feed it with pets, as the pet can be infected). It is better that all types of insects are always at hand (you can keep them frozen).

Almost all insects are suitable for feeding lizards.

Also in the pet store you can easily find dry food that is designed specifically for reptiles. They can be fed, but only occasionally. Reptiles do not tolerate unnatural foods well, although there are many useful ingredients in these foods.

There are also special feeds which are sold in veterinary pharmacies. They are made in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables. The necessary vitamins are added to special feed. You can also add medications, for example, from worms.

Division by type

Nimble lizards in nature feed on small insects and baby snakes. The standard diet consists of flies, cockroaches, worms, crickets, and mosquitoes. They also consume a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Chameleons for good nutrition flies, crickets and mosquitoes are required. Vitamin supplements should also be included in the diet. You can find dry food in stores, but it is better not to use them often. Sometimes you can feed your chameleon with an orange, grapefruit, banana, or grape.

Chameleon feeds different kind midges and insects

Geckos should only be fed with live food. Most types of non-poisonous insects are suitable. Large individuals can be included in the diet of mice and small rats. Quail eggs can also be an additional source of protein. Dry vitamins and calcium should be given to geckos daily. Liquid vitamins are used once a week. Lizards of this species are very fond of fruits and marmalade, but such delicacies can be given to them occasionally.

Almost no one keeps Moloch at home, since its content causes many difficulties. They are quite common in zoos. Only ants are eaten. In one sitting, they can eat up to 2500 pieces.

Geckos prefer live food, mostly insects

Skinks can be fed ordinary insects, but it is imperative to supplement the diet with mice, snails, squid (almost any lean meat will do). Also, you need to add vegetables, fruits and cereals to food. Sometimes you can feast on skinks with liver.

The iguana is a herbivore. When kept at home, it needs spinach, broccoli, kale and other similar vegetables. Legumes should be present in the second half of the diet. Fruit should be given rarely and little by little. Be sure to give vitamin mixtures.

The lizard is a very calm and peaceful animal. For people, they often become not just pets, but also friends. Keeping a reptile is pretty easy. They don't need special care. It is only necessary to feed correctly and in a balanced manner.

Lizards are one of the most common reptile species on earth. However, few people know what is included in the diet of lizards.

In this article, we'll take a look at what lizards eat. We will consider the diet of reptiles relatively small and large species of lizards.

Diet of small individuals

The most common small lizards on the planet, belonging to the family of lizards, are real, mainly feeding on insects. Larger species can feed on small vertebrates. As a rule, such lizards hunt for cover. It is worth saying that among the small species of lizards there are those that are not carnivorous. These lizards prefer to eat fruits and berries.

Some individuals of small lizards, for example, the South Asian monitor lizard, feed on ants. To catch prey, the lizard uses its tongue, which is covered with a special adhesive. Larger representatives eat fish, turtles, frogs, crabs and other arthropods. Lizards often use poison for hunting, which may not be dangerous to humans, but be fatal to other animals. These lizards include the gila monster.

Diet of large lizards

Large lizards such as monitor lizards usually prey on large animals. Their diet may include animals of large cattle or deer, antelopes and gazelles. We emphasize that it comes about especially large lizards, these include the so-called dragons of the Komodo Islands. However, among the monitor lizards there are also smaller species that eat the eggs of other reptiles. For example, crocodiles. By the way, crocodiles themselves do not belong to the suborder of lizards.

What do domestic lizards eat?

The diet of domestic lizards generally does not differ from the diet of their wild counterparts. Large lizards can be fed with fish, small snakes, bird eggs, and plant foods can also be fed. In addition, many lizards can feed on fruits and vegetables. The most common food for carnivorous lizards is insects, such as earthworms, moths, beetles, flies, larvae different types insects.

As for small species of lizards, for example, a gecko, an eager lizard, a yellow-bellied lizard, a green lizard, insects, various mixtures of vegetables and fruits, as well as food of plant origin are perfect for them.

When feeding lizards, it is necessary to take into account their waking period. After all, lizards are divided into two types, one of which is awake at night, and the other during the day.

Lizards should not be fed food that has been treated with chemicals. Some of the lizards may long time do not eat, while it is important to know that force-feeding is necessary in such cases. Forced feeding is used in cases where, as a result of prolonged starvation, the lizards show through the bones at the base of the tail. Force feeding lasts for two to three days. After that, the animal should start feeding on its own. If this does not happen, force-feeding continues.

What do lizards eat in nature?

Most lizards are carnivores. At the same time, a large part of them are capable of absorbing combined food. This ability has evolved in these reptiles during evolution in order to increase the chance of survival. Much less among lizards is found exclusively herbivorous. In nature, small and medium-sized species prefer to eat invertebrates. Larger species of lizards feed on appropriate prey: birds and fish, amphibians, including their own kind, non-venomous snakes and even mammals. The lizards from Komodo Island are considered the largest species. It is scary to imagine what lizards of this size eat: it is believed that they can attack even pigs and buffaloes.

Small ones eat various insects, spiders, millipedes and worms. The species that live near the water feed on molluscs. Also, lizards can be considered garden orderlies no worse than birds, because they destroy a huge number of pests: harmful beetles (hungry lizards are able to eat even the Colorado potato beetle, which most animals bypass, considering inedible), flies, bear, butterflies (including "cabbage ") And their larvae. Among others, these reptiles destroy carriers of dangerous diseases, and the latter can make up almost one hundred percent of their diet, depending on the habitat of the lizard. To eat, this animal requires a lot of food - to the delight of the gardener.

What do little lizards eat?

So, for example, the most common small lizards on Earth, which are part of the real lizard family, or Lacertidae, feed mainly on small insects, but larger species are able to eat even small vertebrates. Usually, lizards, hiding in a shelter and merging with the ground, lie in wait for their prey or carefully pick up and overtake it with a quick movement. Some species can use as food and various small fruits or berries. Lizards of this family are generally quite small and do not prey on other vertebrates.

What do large lizards eat?

Large lizards for example, monitor lizards are able to hunt larger animals. They usually sneak up on prey and grab it in a throw. Experts do not exclude that monitor lizards are even able to detect their prey on the trail, using for this purpose their tongue, which is constantly protruding from its mouth, bifurcated, like a snake's. Monitor lizards also do not disdain carrion - dead animals or the remains of a meal of larger predators.

What lizards are preferred to keep at home?

Before starting houses for reptiles, you should carefully collect all the information about the subspecies that interest you. They all fall into three categories: carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores.

Based on this, you will have to make up the diet of your pets.

Herbivores lizards at home perfectly eat carrots, cabbage, lettuce, apples, berries and other fruits and vegetables. Experimentally, you will soon figure out which dishes are more favorite for them and which ones are less. The main condition that it is desirable to fulfill is try to thoroughly rinse the greens under running water. Ideally, the fruit should be hand-grown to avoid the presence of various chemicals that can be fatal to the lizards. Occasionally dilute their diet with boiled rice and raw potatoes. The most popular herbivorous lizards that experts recommend to keep at home are iguanas, affectionate and unpretentious, like cats.

If you have settled at your place predator , you will have to go hunting periodically in order to get suitable food for it. This has its advantages as well. A walk in a shady forest or sunny meadow can be combined with fishing for butterflies, crickets, spiders, caterpillars and flies for your pet. If the lizard is large enough, you can occasionally pamper it with small rodents. But keep in mind that a predator lives in your house, which from a funny baby can turn into a large enough reptile that can injure you and your children. Lizards belong to the category of predatory exotic lizards that are able to feel comfortable in city apartments.

Be sure to include balanced food, which is sold in pet stores, and vitamins in the diet of all types of lizards. Periodically add crushed eggshells to food, but it is advisable to feed geckos with fresh cottage cheese. In any case, you should consult and ask questions about your specific type of veterinarian or look for answers on the Internet.

How to feed a lizard at home?

In the wild, the lizard easily finds food for itself, but at home the owner will have to take a responsible approach to this issue. You have to feed the pet several times a day. It is better to choose an opaque cup. There should always be a bowl filled with fresh water in the terrarium.

The herbivore should receive fruits and vegetables, lettuce and cabbage daily. Small amounts of boiled potatoes and rice are useful. Food is sometimes mixed with what the predators eat.

To feed a carnivorous lizard, you have to stock up on insects:

non-venomous spiders;
cockroaches;
crickets;
meal worms;
bloodworm;
earthworms;
locusts.

It is not so easy to keep a lizard at home, because the diet should be varied. To prevent the animal from getting sick, you need vitamin and mineral supplements purchased at pet stores. Some owners pamper pets with boneless meat or even small mammals. But in small individuals, it can cause indigestion, leading to illness and premature death. Special feeds and mixtures are sold that you can prepare yourself.

Animal food for lizards

Since most lizards in natural environment nevertheless, they are predators, the lion's share of their diet is live food. Often, reptiles are fed with crickets, flies, bloodworms, grasshoppers, locusts, earthworms. Larger lizards are given mice, small rats and other rodents. You can also occasionally feed pets with small or chopped fish, low-fat raw meat boneless, bird eggs. Cottage cheese is given as feed additives: it is left in feeders or laid out on stones and branches (for individuals who do not like to go down to the ground).

It is best to feed live food with tweezers, otherwise insects will scatter around the terrarium. It is not recommended to feed cockroaches, except perhaps American ones, but they are mobile and fast, therefore, their legs are often torn off before feeding them. Meal worms are also useful, they do not feed lizards with beetles, since they have a hard shell. It is recommended to crush the head of the mealworm with tweezers, since it has strong jaws and it can damage mucous membranes. Some species of reptiles also eat adult May beetles. Large lizards also eat newly hatched chicks.

Vegetable food for lizards

About a third of the lizard's diet is vegetable food. You can offer your pet greens - lettuce, parsley, plantain, spinach, clover, dandelion and more. Reptiles and pieces of vegetables eat well - cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, cucumbers, carrots, sometimes you can give and raw potatoes... From fruits, you can give apples, pears, melons, grapes, citrus fruits - experimentally you can find out which pet likes more.

Vitamin and mineral supplements can be mixed into feed: for example, added to fruits or porridge with insects. It is also useful for the lizard to give crushed eggshells, calcium glycerophosphate tablets, chalk, and preparations for reptiles.

Nutrient mixture and feeding

On your own, you can prepare a nutrient mixture that lizards like very much. For this you need meat and carrots (1: 1). Grind the meat in a meat grinder, and grate the carrots. Then mix all this, add a little lettuce, calcium, vitamin supplements. The nutrient mixture is ready.

Vitamins and minerals are necessary for the health, bright appearance, vigor and liveliness of lizards. They are not given in pure form, but must be mixed with feed.

Most often they use raw crushed eggshells, calcium glycerophosphate tablets, chalk and specialized preparations for reptiles.

Each species has its own food

Nimble lizard in natural conditions eats small snakes, spiders, grasshoppers and insects. In captivity, it can be fed with flies, crickets, mosquitoes, spiders, cockroaches, meal and earthworms, a nutritious mixture of meat and carrots, fruit and vegetable mixtures.

Chameleons flies, cockroaches, crickets are suitable as food. Vitamin supplements should not be forgotten either. There is a special dry food on sale, but it is better to resort to it infrequently. You can periodically treat your pet with slices of banana, citrus fruits, grapes.
Geckos only agree to live food: spiders, crickets, flies, cockroaches, locusts and others, as well as worms (flour and zoofubuses). Large individuals can be fed with mice and naked rats, as well as quail eggs... It is imperative to put water and birdstone powder in the terrarium. Dry vitamins and ground calcium are used as insect deboning daily, and liquid vitamins give once every week. Treats for geckos are bananas, oranges, marmalade and honey.
Moloch(a thorny dragon or a thorny devil) is difficult to keep at home, but it is found in zoos. This Australian lizard feeds exclusively on ants and can eat 600-2500 at a time! Skinks can be fed the same food insects as for the above species, supplemented with snails, pink mice, caterpillars, squid, one-day-old chopped chickens, ready-made feed mixtures for reptiles, and even dry dog food. They will not give up on vegetables, fruits, seeds, buckwheat, rice. Occasionally, you can give beef liver and heart (chicken or beef).
Iguana is herbivore and very selective in food. In nature, it feeds only on the foliage of trees. In captivity, she can and should be given spinach, kale, turnips, broccoli and other dark green leafy vegetables. The second half of the diet consists of other vegetables such as carrots, peppers and sweet potatoes, peas, beans and others. Alfalfa in the form of granules (sold at the pet store) is very useful. Fruit is recommended to be given infrequently and little by little. Vitamin and mineral feeding is required.
Monitor lizards... It is believed that they are unpretentious and gladly eat both fresh food for other lizards and game with a smell. In captivity, they can be given frogs, mice, chickens, small vertebrates, insects, cockroaches, earthworms, fish, pieces of meat, chicken eggs etc.

Unsuitable food for lizards

You do not need to feed the animal with human food - it is not at all suitable for a reptile. You should refrain from catching cockroaches and flies that live in city apartments - they can be poisoned. Sometimes the owners themselves breed some insects in the apartment in order to feed the lizard at home. Also, do not catch insects near cultivated fields that are treated with pesticides. Grass growing near industrial areas, highways or railways is not suitable.

Lizards like to eat mobile food, so the insects in the bowl should periodically be alive or semi-alive. Older grasshoppers and crickets should not be fed to juveniles, as their hard chitin can damage the esophagus, which threatens pet fatal.

You can not offer stale or unwashed vegetables and fruits, meat with bones, chopped large chunks... What the lizards eat at home determines their health and life expectancy.

Common types of lizards

In our gardens, most often we are faced with lizard quick, or common lizard(Lacerta agillis). This species is found throughout the European part of Russia, in the south and in the middle part of Western Siberia.
Common lizard has well-developed limbs. On the fingers there are sharp, slightly curved claws, which help to quickly move along vertical rough surfaces. The body of the eager lizard is covered from above with small scales, usually granular. Her small eyes are equipped with separate eyelids. When the common lizard sleeps, it closes its eyes (which, for example, other types of lizards or snakes, in which accrete eyelids form a transparent "window", cannot afford).

In the south, in gardens and vegetable gardens, you can see others less widespread species - medium lizard and green lizard.

Lizards breed by laying their eggs in the soil. After 50-60 days, newborn lizards appear from the eggs, ready for independent life.
The exception is viviparous lizard(Lacerta vivipara), widespread in the north and found even in the tundra beyond the Arctic Circle. She gives birth to live cubs, numbering up to 12. After all, the existence of lizards laying eggs, for the development of which a warm “nest” is necessary, is simply impossible in northern conditions. The size of adult lizards, including the tail, is up to 17 cm.

Occurs in the Caucasus legless lizard- spindle, or sucker... She lives in secrecy, so she is not often seen. This is a completely harmless animal, which, unfortunately, people often confuse with snakes and try to destroy. The brown body of the spindle is covered with perfectly smooth large scales, the eyes are with separate eyelids. Live birth is also characteristic of this lizard; she gives birth to up to 25 live babies. The tail of the sucker is blunt.
The scientific name of this lizard is spindle brittle(Anguis fragilis), which is associated with the ability to break off the tail. This is one way to avoid danger - to sacrifice the tail, but to save the life. This ability is characteristic not only of the spindle, but also of many other lizards. In place of the severed tail, a new one will then grow. The border between the old tail and the newly regrown tail is often clearly visible.

Lizard diet

Lizards feed mainly on invertebrates - worms, mollusks, spiders, millipedes, insects. The "menu" of lizards includes many types of different garden pests: various beetles, flies, butterflies and their caterpillars. Lizards also kill various disease vectors. Depending on the habitat, 35–98% of the diet of lizards consists of harmful insects and their larvae.

Lizards eat quite a lot, therefore, in terms of the intensity of destruction of plant pests, they are almost as good as many useful ones.
Hungry lizards (for example, after a long period of inclement weather) grab and eat even the hairy caterpillars of the ringed cocoon moth and the poorly edible Colorado potato beetles.

In terms of the range of food, the spindle is somewhat different from other types of lizards. It feeds on naked, woodlice, other beetles and insects, as well as their larvae. Sharp, bent back teeth allow this lizard to hold slippery prey in its mouth.

Lizard habits

Lizards are cold-blooded animals, they take sun baths in the morning hours. After warming up, the lizards start hunting - they get spiders, caterpillars, leafhoppers, grasshoppers, bedbugs, butterflies and other insects.
In the hottest hours, lizards go into the shade - they crawl into various shelters. They appear again in the afternoon when the heat subsides.

Into the cloudy cold weather lizards hide under the bark fallen trees, in rotten stumps and holes. Their body temperature decreases at this time, the animals become cold to the touch. Lizards do not feed and do not come to the surface of the soil until warm sunny days come again.

With an autumn cold snap (around the end of September), lizards burrow into the ground of the garden, reappearing in March-April.

Lizards are silent creatures and cannot communicate with each other through sounds. But on the other hand, they have well-developed color vision, thanks to which males and females of the same species find each other by color. Different species are also identified as “theirs”.

But among the huge number of species of lizards there is a whole family - geckos, which have the ability to make sounds. They are gentle melodic or loud abrupt, characteristic of each species.

Conservation of lizards

Lizards are very useful for the garden. A person should not only be tolerant of lizards, but also protect them from persecution, and even more so from unreasonable destruction. Indeed, at present, lizards in their usual habitats and in gardens are much less common than several decades ago. There are many reasons for this, including: a decrease in natural lands, wide application pesticides to control pests and diseases of agricultural crops (lizards and many other creatures suffer from this directly or indirectly). It is necessary, if possible, to preserve those natural areas in which these animals could live normally.

If you have lizards in your garden or garden, do not drive them away. Don't let children catch lizards just to admire them. Learn for yourself and teach children to observe these beneficial animals in their natural environment without harming them. Remember that small nimble lizards bring us very tangible benefits in the struggle to preserve the harvest.

Larisa Viktorovna Vyskubova (St. Petersburg)
pensionerka.net

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