A Lizard Saga

When I moved into my house last June I immediately made friends with a few sagebrush lizards that were already living here. A mated pair lived on the south wall, two more moved in after the garden wall was built, though I was never sure they were a couple, and one male used the compost bin as his lair as soon as that structure was completed. A female appeared a few weeks later to join the wily compost lizard who had a steady supply of insects at his front door! After I dug my toad pool the compost couple could often be found basking on the stones until mid –morning when they returned outback to their fragrant rotting heap.
 
Every morning and evening when I went out to water the two that lived on the south wall joined me. I named these two the “house lizards” because unlike the others these two were always around and their interest in my behavior was unmistakable. I greeted them with great enthusiasm each day and often both would bow to the sound of my voice.
 
 Lizards court in May and June. Although I knew that bowing and shuddering were part of sagebrush lizard mating rituals, the literature states that only males used this device to attract a female. Both house lizards used this form of greeting to respond to me all summer until they finally disappeared for good about a week ago (end of October). The others used this gesture on occasion to acknowlege my inquiry into their well - being. Obviously, lizard bowing has more than one function.
 
 Sagebrush lizards are supposed to be very territorial, especially during mating season with the male having more than one partner but my observations indicate otherwise.
 
The sagebrush lizard is typically smaller than other lizards – about five inches or less in length. In appearance, sagebrush lizards are grey, brown or olive, with hints of blue or green. Females have white or yellow bellies, and males have distinctive cobalt blue patches on the abdomen and throat, although the throat patch can be absent. During the breeding season, males may develop orange breeding colors (mine did not). Young lizards look similar to adults, but lack the stunning iridescent blue markings.
 
The point I want to make is that it was very easy to distinguish each lizard by its distinct markings and within about two weeks I could identify all my lizards by sight. None of the six lizards had other mates and each pair occupied the same niche all summer until August when one of the garden wall lizards disappeared. None of these lizards seemed territorial unless the territory consisted of living on one particular wall, and the compost lizards moved from the front of the house to the back sometimes passing within inches of the house and garden wall lizards without ever being harassed.
 
 I knew that after mating 8 – 10 eggs would probably be deposited under nearby brush. These would hatch in approximately two months into baby lizards less than an inch long. I had high hopes for my house lizards, imagining a baby lizard clinging from my adobe wall around the beginning of September!
 
I couldn’t get over the discrepancy between the sheer numbers of very common whiptails that raced around the grassland around my feet and the very few sagebrush lizards that lived here until I read that sagebrush lizards were suffering a severe loss of habitat due to agriculture, intensive grazing, and oil developments in western states. Aerial spraying of insecticides has decimated many insect populations, including ants, beetles, grasshoppers, flies, butterflies and spiders. (To my absolute horror I discovered that ant poison had been deposited outside the south door before I moved in here but it was removed when I expressed how lethal this poison was for my dogs). As soon as I arrived I planted a hummingbird garden to attract bees and other insects and soon ants were scurrying about so I think the house lizards had plenty to eat.
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During the intolerable heat the house lizards spent their time clinging to the wall under my vining nasturtium patch, the garden wall lizards hugged the underside of a big piece of rounded cottonwood, and the compost lizards simply disappeared down under. All would re- appear when I did late in the day. These lizards are strictly diurnal and do not migrate although they may travel to lay eggs or to seek shelter during the cold.

Lizards are not active during winter; they enter a state of dormancy called brumation, which is not the same as hibernation. With both, metabolic processes slow down, but with brumation the lizards alternate dormancy with activity. They need to drink water to avoid dehydration. Lizards build up a high level of glycogen (sugar) that can be used for muscle activity. They also need less oxygen to breathe and this is a good thing because some dig holes in mud where oxygen levels are lower. Others  hide underground in old burrows, in rock crevices,  or under leaves. I love knowing that my lizards will still be around even if I don’t see them.

On September 11th I noticed what looked like a weird bug on one of my southern screens. Imagine my joy when I went outdoors to investigate and discovered that what I was seeing was a baby lizard (about ¾ of an inch). Just below him, (I believe - no evidence for this parental relationship/concern in any literature anywhere but I don’t subscribe to coincidence) his proud parents basked on the windowsill. Most literature states that baby lizards immediately seek their own territory but this one did not. He and his parents continued to stay together until the adults finally disappeared about a week ago, the last adults to seek shelter. I am pretty sure they are hiding in my woodpile on the porch.

Baby lizard is still out and about as I write this story. Totally by accident I created a perfect winter lizard abode when I recently built my little half moon rock garden on the south wall.
After finding baby lizard in the house one morning and fearing mishap I placed him in the new half moon garden with a bowl of water and he has lived there ever since! A couple of days ago a new adolescent compost lizard that arrived late last month moved into the moon garden just after shedding his last skin so now there are two living in this protected rock lined space
I am already anticipating lizard emergence in the spring  wondering what new knowledge and insight I will gain as this enthusiastic naturalist observes and renews old friendships…
 

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