The western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis, commonly known as the blue-belly lizard, is a familiar sight throughout the western United States and northern Mexico. Identified by the distinctive blue scales on the abdomen of adult males, these lizards play a significant role in their ecosystems as both predators and prey. Understanding their dietary needs is crucial, whether you're a nature enthusiast, a biology student, or a potential blue-belly lizard owner.
Natural Diet and Feeding Habits
Blue-belly lizards are primarily insectivores, meaning their diet consists mainly of insects. They consume a variety of arthropods, including:
- Insects: Crickets, ants, small beetles, mosquitoes, and grasshoppers form a significant portion of their diet.
- Arachnids: Spiders are a common prey item.
- Other arthropods: They also eat other arthropods.
- Worms: The lizards will also eat worms.
- Other small lizards: Occasionally, they may consume other small lizards.
A study in Herpetologica revealed that insects make up approximately 97% of their diet. They are opportunistic feeders and will likely eat any bug they can find. Blue belly lizards eat roughly 3-4 times per week, and sporadically. Interestingly, larger blue-belly lizards may leave smaller bugs for smaller lizards, especially juveniles.
Nutritional Needs
Like all reptiles, the blue-belly lizard's activity and metabolism are heavily influenced by the surrounding temperature. They rely on external sources of heat, such as sunlight, to regulate their body temperature. This need for basking affects their feeding habits, as they are most active during the warmer parts of the day.
Feeding Blue-Bellied Lizards in Captivity
If you're keeping a blue-belly lizard as a pet, it's essential to replicate its natural diet as closely as possible. Here's what you need to know:
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What to Feed
- Insects: The primary food source should be insects. You can feed them crickets, mealworms, waxworms, small beetles, and even very small dubia roaches.
- Variety: Offer a variety of insects to ensure a balanced diet.
- Gut Loading: "Gut loading" insects before feeding them to your lizard is essential. This means feeding the insects nutritious foods, such as cricket feed gels and gut load powder, so that your lizard gets the benefit of those nutrients as well.
Feeding Schedule
- Blue belly lizards do not need to be fed daily if you are keeping one as a pet.
- Frequency: Feed adult lizards every few days.
- Babies: Baby lizards should be fed every day.
- Treats: Offer treats like waxworms occasionally. However, waxworms are highly nutritious. Mealworms are like candy and are not good for them (hard on their digestive systems).
Supplements
- Calcium and Vitamin D3: Dust the insects with calcium and Vitamin D3 supplements every other day.
- Vitamin Powder: Use a vitamin powder at least twice a week.
Feeding Methods
- Feeding Dish: Use a high-edged bowl to contain the insects and prevent them from escaping into the enclosure.
- Live Feeding: Allowing your Western fence lizard the opportunity to catch live insects should also be a priority for you as a lizard pet owner.
- Avoid Loose Feeders: Do not leave feeders loose in the tank with him, crickets can chew on and seriously injure your kiddo.
Water
- Water Dish: Provide a bowl of clean drinking water every day.
- Misting: Mist the enclosure at least twice a day to provide moisture, as lizards may drink from the droplets.
Potential Problems and Solutions
- Refusal to Eat: If your lizard isn't eating, consider the following:
- Temperature: Ensure the basking spot is at the correct temperature (around 90°F).
- Stress: Minimize stress by providing adequate hiding places and avoiding excessive handling.
- Variety: Try offering different types of insects.
- Crickets Hiding: If crickets are hiding and not being eaten, remove excess crickets from the enclosure.
- Crickets Attacking the Lizard: Do not leave feeders loose in the tank with him, crickets can chew on and seriously injure your kiddo.
Creating the Ideal Habitat
To ensure your blue-belly lizard thrives in captivity, consider the following habitat requirements:
- Enclosure Size: A 10-20 gallon tank is suitable for a single lizard.
- Substrate: Use natural substrates like sand, dirt, or cypress mulch, as reptile carpets are not suitable for digging.
- Hiding Places: Provide hiding places on both the warm and cool sides of the enclosure.
- Basking Spot: A basking spot with a temperature of 90°F is essential. Use a heat lamp to achieve this.
- UVB Lighting: UVB lighting is necessary for calcium absorption and overall health.
- Climbing Structures: Add branches, rocks, and ladders for climbing.
- Temperature Gradient: Maintain a temperature gradient with a warm side (75-85°F) and a cool side (under 80°F).
- Humidity: Mist the enclosure to maintain moderate humidity.
Wild Diet and Predators
In their natural habitat, blue-belly lizards play a crucial role in the ecosystem. They control insect populations and serve as a food source for various predators.
Predators of Blue-Bellied Lizards
Blue-belly lizards face threats from a variety of predators, including:
- Coyotes
- Snakes
- Bobcats
- Hawks
- Other birds
- Mammals
- House cats (in suburban areas)
- Alligator lizards (during cold mornings)
Defense Mechanisms
When threatened, blue-belly lizards have several defense mechanisms:
- Tail Autotomy: They can detach their tail, which continues to wiggle and distract the predator. The tail will eventually regrow, although it may have a different length and color pattern.
- Fast Reflexes: They have remarkably fast reflexes to evade predators.
- Biting: They can bite if necessary.
- Climbing: They can quickly climb rocks and buildings to escape.
Interesting Facts
- Lyme Disease: Blue-belly lizards may help reduce the incidence of Lyme disease. Proteins in their blood can kill the bacterium responsible for spreading Lyme disease. When ticks feed on a western fence lizard, the Lyme infection is cleared from the tick and therefore cannot be passed on to us humans.
- Territorial Behavior: Male blue-belly lizards are territorial, especially during the spring mating season. They perform "push-ups" to attract females.
- Color Change: Western fence lizards can change color from light grey or tan to nearly jet black, possibly for thermoregulation.
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