Lizards lay small, leathery eggs that tend to be patterned and brightly colored. Some lizard species lay their eggs in nests, while other species will just lay their eggs on the ground.
Lizards who live in gardens will often bury their eggs in order to protect them and keep them warm.
If you stumble across lizard eggs in your garden, it is essential that you do not touch the eggs, especially moving them or turning them as this can lead to internal damage.
Rather, you should just leave them alone and keep an eye on if any lizards hatch. Once hatched, the baby lizards will be fine on their own and will require no further assistance.
Still, how do you know if eggs in your garden do belong to a lizard? If you have a pet lizard, how do you take care of their eggs? We have all the answers below!
How Can You Identify A Lizard Egg?
As previously mentioned, lizard eggs are leathery, small, and have pink veins just before the babies hatch.
If you spot some eggs in your garden and don’t know for sure if they belong to a lizard, their appearance and size are good indicators.
A lizard egg will be less than an inch long, and if the egg is infertile (i.e. doesn’t contain a lizard baby) it will have a pink or red center.
If the lizard egg is fertile and contains a baby then it will have a yellow or white center.
Male lizards will fight each other females in mating season. The victorious male will then mate with the female and once that is over, she will lay her eggs a couple of weeks later.
The sex of a baby lizard is determined by their sex chromosomes or the temperature.
If the eggs are incubated in warm temperatures, then the baby lizards will be male, but if the eggs are incubated at colder temperatures, then the baby lizards will be female.
The sizes of lizard eggs will vary depending on their species. While some lizards will lay eggs that are very small, some species can lay eggs up to 3 inches long.
Small lizard species like geckos and anoles can lay up to 50 eggs at a time, while larger species such as iguanas normally lay about 10 eggs.
How Often Will A Lizard Lay Eggs?
Lizards will lay their eggs as little as once a year or as much as five times a year.
How often they lay their eggs annually will again depend on the species, as well as the lizard’s health and age. In fact, some lizards will just lay eggs once every couple of years.
When baby lizards hatch, they look like smaller versions of an adult lizard, with the same patterns and coloring.
They’re also born with fully functioning tails and legs, and they can fend for themselves straight away.
What Happens If You Move A Lizard Egg?
If you turn or move a lizard egg on accident then it may damage the embryo inside, killing the lizard before it has a chance to hatch.
A warm spot may seem the best place for a lizard egg to be, but it can sometimes be too warm, causing the eggs to overheat.
If you come across lizard eggs, don’t touch them and allow nature to take its course.
Lizard Egg Vs Bird Egg: How Can You Tell Them Apart?
There are a few ways you can tell a lizard’s egg apart from a bird’s egg. Reptile eggs tend to be soft and leather while a bird’s egg will have a hard shell.
Lizard eggs also tend to be brightly patterned and colored. While bird eggs can have flecks or spots on them, they are usually plain.
Lizard eggs are often smaller than a bird’s egg and are laid in clusters. Birds tend to lay their eggs individually.
As hatching time approaches, the baby lizard might be visible from outside the egg. But as birds lay eggs with a hard shell, you won’t be able to see inside the egg.
Lizard Egg Vs Snake Egg: How Can You Tell Them Apart?
Because snakes and lizards are both reptiles, it can be hard to tell their eggs apart. But there are a few things that mark lizard eggs as different from snake eggs.
Lizard eggs tend to be rounder and smaller than snake eggs. They also have a softer shell, while snakes lay eggs that are a lot harder.
Like birds, snakes lay their eggs individually but lizards tend to lay their eggs in clusters.
How To Look After Lizard Eggs
Finding out that your pet lizard has laid eggs is both exciting and scary.
While it is fascinating to watch the baby lizards hatch in a few weeks time, keeping the eggs alive can be rather tricky – especially if you’re dealing with lizard eggs for the first time!
The simplest way to look after your lizard eggs is to put them in an incubator, but not every lizard owner will have this equipment.
Or, you can leave the eggs and ensure the right conditions are in place in order for them to hatch.
But for successful hatching, you should keep these three tips in mind.
Tip 1
You should keep the eggs at a suitable temperature. Although the ‘right’ temperature will vary depending on the species, most eggs will do well in temperatures between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Tip 2
Humidity is also a factor here. Again, the right humidity level will vary depending on the species.
Tip 3
Make sure not to move the eggs, as this can kill the embryo inside. We recommend writing an ‘X’ or a number on the top of every egg with a graphite pencil so you know which way is up
Final Thoughts
We hope our article has helped you identify lizard eggs in the wild and in your terrarium!
The most important thing to remember is that you should never handle lizard eggs without good reason, as this could do damage to the baby lizards.
This is what inspired me to start The-Lizard-Lounge.com. I wanted to create a space that offers information about the care of various reptiles and lizards, to help those passionate about these animals learn how to care for them.
Join me, and learn all about these fascinating and fantastic creatures!
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