Any ideas what this is?

[jensgotfaith]

Caught this in my backyard. It was so pretty. It must have been taking a rest in the shade trying to cool off, because it wasn't in a hurry to get away from me. I checked it out for a bit, took some photos and released it. I'm sure it's probably pretty common for this area, near Sacramento, CA but any ideas what species?

 

[shelber10]

its a southern alligator lizard

 

[ascott]

It is really pretty...

 

[Jacqui]

What a pretty animal.

 

[CJSTorts]

Great looking lizard and some great pics!

 

[dmarcus]

It has some nice colors on it..

 

[Laura]

alligator lizard.. they like to bite and hold.. just ask my dog... HA!

---

and they will lose thier tails, so be careful.

 

[Missy]

I wish we had reptiles just running around here. Cool lizard.

 

[October]

It's a lizard. ;D

 

[Yvonne G]

You were lucky to be able to get such nice pictures!

 

[Angi]

I get a lot of lizards in my yard. I probably see 3 every time I walk out my door, but the only kind that creeps me out is the Aligatior Lizard. They are mean and scary and scwerm when they walk like a snake. Yuck!

 

[Melly-n-shorty]

Alligator Lizard!

 

[jensgotfaith]

I see them all the time. Last week I found 2 dead ones- 1 I know my outside cat killed, 1 was in Tex's pen and I'm not sure. Just about everytime I go out there I see at least 1 or 2. They fascinate me and Yvonne, you're right. I couldn't believe I could get so close. I was literally a couple of inches away on the closeup shot. But when he was done posing he scurried away. I never tried to pick it up so Laura I never gave it a chance to bite me. It's patterns and scales just blew me away though.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

I love alligator lizards. They are a very lizardy-looking lizard.

 

[shelber10]

I love alligator lizards. They are a very lizardy-looking lizard.

LOL lizardy-looking lizard

 

[Floof]

Alligator lizard! One of my favorites... The very critter that got me into reptiles was actually a little Northwestern Alligator Lizard that was trying to hibernate in the basement bathroom, back when I lived in Washington. There's a species I would LOVE to keep some day, despite their attitude.

 

[Angi]

I have some in my yard that are long like alligator lizards, but they are dotty not not colored like an alligator. I tried to get a pic, but was not fast enough. Anyone know what it is.

And BTW~ Alligator Lizard are NOT lizardy they are snakey. Well I think they are

 

[pugsandkids]

Um, yes great pictures. Watch your fingers! We used to catch them, then wear our snow gloves so they could bite and hang from our fingers. Freaked my mother out to no end!

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

My first pet was an Alligator lizard, when I was about 4 or 5...kept it in a 20-tall tank and fed it grasshoppers, spiders, crickets, etc.

Let it go when the weather started getting cooler, as I had no idea of how to hibernate it.

 

[froghaven5]

Pretty cool. I'm sure my kids would love to add 1 of those to our reptile collection. My 1 son seems to like the "mean" lizards. He has a Tokay gecko and a fire skink. Both pretty lizards, both like to bite.