Food for an Alligator Lizard

Food for an Alligator Lizard. An alligator lizard is a small reptile that many people keep as a pet. They aren't affectionate and may bite, but they will feed on a variety of different items, making them easier to care for than other lizard species. Some of the foods that alligator lizards eat may be available at a pet store, but others are more likely to be found at a reptile-specific or exotic pet care shops.

Insects

Alligator lizards are carnivorous and prey on small insects, with larger individuals consuming more at one feeding than their smaller counterparts. Insects that alligator lizards typically eat include ticks, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles and wasps. They will also eat insect eggs and larvae. Alligator lizards aren't known to be selective and will likely eat whatever insect they come into contact with.

Arthropods

Arthropods are a group that include spiders, centipedes, scorpions and sow bugs. The size of the alligator lizard determines the size of creature they can eat and some may not be able to consume these choices. The reptile will even eat black widow spiders, reports the San Diego Zoo. They will also eat the eggs of arthropods if they are available. If you have a spider in the house, catch it and offer it to your alligator lizard as a snack.

Snails and Tadpoles

Many alligator lizards will eat snails, which are inexpensive to buy at pet stores that sell fish and other water creatures. If you choose to feed your alligator lizard snails, place them in a water source so that they stay fresh until they become its meal. Alligator lizards will also eat frog tadpoles, which aren't as easy to find at pet supply stores. However, if you time it right, you may be able to catch some in a pond or river and bring them home for a few meals.

Small Animals

Larger alligator lizards may enjoy feasting on small animals. Mice, other types of small lizards and bird eggs are some options. Alligator lizards can eat items that are as long or sometimes longer than themselves, according to the San Diego Zoo. This makes it possible for them to eat creatures you might not have expected -- including one another, as the reptile is also given to cannibalism. Mice are available at many pet food stores, but lizards and bird eggs are not as readily available and it may take some research to find a place to purchase them.

References

• San Diego Zoo: Alligator Lizard
• Idaho State University: Northern Alligator Lizard