The Texas spiny lizard is a small reptile native to Mexico and the south-central region of the United States.

It prefers to live in mesquite trees and lowland areas that have heavy ground leaf cover. The spiny lizard is a common visitor to backyards and on fences in Oklahoma, Texas, and Arizona. With a slender body and long tail, this spiny visitor helps people keep bugs out of their yards and homes.

4 Fun Facts About the Texas Spiny Lizard

• Male spiny lizards compete by doing push-ups.
• Spiny lizard hatchlings can fend for themselves at birth.
• The Texas spiny lizard’s preferred habitat is a mesquite tree.
• If they lose their tails, they can regrow them.

Scientific Name

The scientific name of the Texas spiny lizard is Sceloporus olivaceus.

Texas Spiny Lizard Appearance

The Texas spiny lizard has large, clearly defined scales. It is usually a dark gray color with a light grey belly. It has long toes ending in sharp claws that are ideal for its life among the trees. The spiny lizard enjoys climbing trees and digging into rotted wood, so those claws come in handy.

Male and female spiny lizards look alike, with a few differences in colors. Males have small blue patches on their bellies that females don’t have.

Identification of a Texas spiny lizard

Since there are many lizards in the Southeastern U.S. and Mexico, use these clues for identification of a spiny lizard:

• Length of 8 to 12 inches
• Black, white, or red colors on the back
• Gray underside
• Blue patches on males

Texas Spiny Lizard Behavior

Texas spiny lizards are diurnal hunters who spend most of their time in trees or hiding in leaf litter. During hot daylight hours, they often come out to bask in the sunshine on tree branches or fence posts. That’s why some people call them “tree lizards” or “fence lizards.”

They are shy and elusive, and it can be hard to see them. If a large animal enters their territory, they are more likely to run and hide than fight.

Male spiny lizards are territorial and will fight with other males for territory and females. When they fight, they square off against each other and compete by doing push-ups. Both males will do push-ups until one gives up and runs away.

Spiny lizards often use their tails to defend themselves from predators. If the predator grabs the tail, the tail will detach from the lizard’s body. This is a defensive mechanism known as automatization. The tail distracts the predator, and this gives the lizard time to run to safety. Later, the lizard will grow a new tail.

Male vs female fights do not occur among spiny lizards.

Hibernation

Texas spiny lizards hibernate in the winter. They begin their hibernation during the cold winter months. They use leaf litter and other ground covers to hide until the weather gets warm again. Many gardeners take advantage of this by placing leaf litter in their gardens to encourage spiny lizard hibernation. In the spring, the hungry lizards get busy eating insects in the garden.

Behavior around humans

Texas spiny lizards are a favorite among many Texans and others who appreciate their cute behavior and ability to gobble up insect pests. They do not bite and are not poisonous.

Texas Spiny Lizard Habitat

These lizards spend most of their time in trees. They prefer mesquite trees but will take up residence in any type of scrub vegetation. They look for areas with plenty of leaf litter, which supplies cover and a fertile hunting ground for insects. Typically, they can be found in shrubland, forests, and other areas with dense tree growth.

Their colors allow them to camouflage themselves against tree bark and leaf litter. These lizards prefer tropical, temperate climates with plenty of sunshine.

Texas Spiny Lizard Diet

Texas Spiny Lizards are carnivores that largely feed on small insects. They eat beetles, wasps, grasshoppers, and crickets.

Texas Spiny Lizard Predators and Threats

Like most lizards, these lizards can be prey for snakes, weasels, raptors, and larger lizards. The Texas spiny lizard does not face any current threats. It is a common lizard that has a healthy, stable population.

Texas Spiny Lizard Reproduction and Life Cycle

The spiny lizard’s breeding season happens during spring and summer. A female can have up to four clutches every year. Each clutch has from 4 to 20 eggs.

Gestation takes 90 to 100 days. When she’s ready to have the babies, she chooses a warm, dry spot in the ground. Once she chooses the right spot, she digs a small hole in the ground and backs up into it. She lays the eggs and covers them with soil.

The incubation period takes 43 to 83 days. The female does not return to the nest after depositing the eggs.

Young spiny lizard hatchlings are precocial, which means they are fully developed and able to live independently. They are 2 to 3 inches long at birth.

They have a lifespan of 2 to 5 years in the wild. Their lifespan in captivity is about 7 years.

Population

The exact population numbers of the spiny lizard are unknown, but the population is considered stable and healthy.

Conservation Status

These lizards are listed as “least concern” under the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Enjoy These Sun-Loving Visitors

These lizards are common visitors to trees, forests, and gardens. If you’re lucky, you may be able to watch a push-up competition right in your backyard.

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