How can lizards live in the desert

Lizards are very sensitive to temperature — they become immobile when they experience a sharp temperature change. When you see a lizard on the wall, immediately splash ice cold water on it — while it stays in shock, kill it or collect it in a dust pan and throw it out of the house.

The tiny kangaroo rat located in the south-western deserts of the United States does not drink water for its whole lifespan. Kangaroo rats represent an integral part of desert life. Sometimes, other species eat them for the water in their bodies. Just like any other living animal, lizards need water to survive. Even if they do not take it directly, they need to stay hydrated.

This is because lizards can draw fluids from insects that they feed on. On each island, some lizards adapted to living high in trees, evolving pads on their feet for gripping surfaces, along with long legs and a stocky body. Other lizards adapted to life among the thin branches lower down on the trees, evolving short legs that help them hug their narrow perches. The average life span is between years. Collared lizards can reach a size of 10 inches in length with the males being larger than the females.

They slow down their metabolic activities and do not hunt any longer. So, if you own a pet reptile, we recommend you never let the temperature go below 50 degrees and never below 30 degrees, otherwise they could freeze to death. Lizards and other cold-blooded critters bask in the sun to keep warm. But they also do it for the vitamin D, a new study finds. Chameleons, like humans and most other vertebrates, get vitamin D in two ways: They can absorb it from food, and they can produce it in their skin with an assist from UV radiation.

One of the most unusual ways a lizard can defend himself from danger is to shed his tail. When stressed or if captured, the tail simply falls off. Insolation is the absorption of heat through sun rays i.

Conduction is the absorption of heat from the ground. Underground passages or burrows are created by lizards or other animals to escape the heat. The lizards reside in the burrows temporarily or for a longer period of time in order to escape the scorching heat.

As we know, lizards are one of the most widespread creatures, ranging all over the globe, except Antarctica. Conserve energy and minimize the effects of the desert. Lizards use burrows, or underground holes, as a means of adapting to the desert heat.

They descend into these burrows to escape the heat. They may use the burrow as a temporary shelter during the heat of the day or as a long-term survival technique. Lizards create their own burrows or use ones made by other animals. The fringe-toed lizard that resides in the Coachella Valley Preserve in California is an example of a lizard that has adapted to life in the sand.

The lizard's name refers to the scales on its hind feet, which resemble fringes, These scales enable the lizard to move quickly across sand, providing traction in the desert environment.

Other adaptions include fringes on the ears to keep sand out and a head designed to burrow into the sand quickly. The ability to disappear without a trace under the sand provides protection from predators.

Special adaptations of the nose allow for breathing under the sand. Robert Alley has been a freelance writer since He has covered a variety of subjects, including science and sports, for various websites. TL;DR Too Long; Didn't Read Lizards can shift their color and behavior patterns to regulate their body temperature in the desert, and have also evolved ways to move quickly in the sand. What Kind of Wildlife Live in the Deserts? How to Tell the Difference Between a Salamander and