baby lizzard

Question
I found a baby lizzard in my back yard in Southern California.  I have look all over the internet trying to find out what kind of lizzard it is so I can properly take care of it.  Can you help me identify it.  It's sides are a brownish with a hint of gray color.  It has a litebrownish red strip down it's back and it's belly is silver.  It's skin is smooth and it has a very pointy nose.  Any help you give me will be great. Thanks.

Answer
Hello Amanda, I really don't recommend keeping a wild caught lizard. They can fend for themselves and it causes a lot of stress to keep them in a container when they can't roam free. If you want a pet lizard then try a local pet store. If I can not convince you to let him go then you should at least know how to care for it. There is a site I know of that is centered on Identifying Californian lizards. Here is the link (just copy and paste the URL into your address bar) http://www.californiaherps.com/identification/lizardsid/lizards.id.html
But it sounds to me like its an alligator lizard, they are very common in southern CA. We have them here to. The site I gave you if you click Alligator lizard it should have about 6 pictures and I think its the one in the bottom middle. Does this seem to be it? http://www.californiaherps.com/lizards/images/emmulticarinatatld.jpg

If so then it is a Alligator lizard. Very common in the western US

Now lizards are NOT easy to keep. They can be very expensive and are delicate. Here are a couple of care sheets for Alligator lizards.
http://www.repticzone.com/caresheets/1532.html
http://www.repticzone.com/caresheets/367.html
http://www.herphangout.com/caresheet.php?sheet=47
http://www.anapsid.org/gerrhont.html

Good luck if you decide to keep him. Have a nice day.