Do you have a pet lizard in your yard and you are wondering how long backyard lizards live?
Well, the life span of a backyard lizard ranges from 1 to 50 years. The length of their life also depends upon the type of species and living conditions.
You can easily cope with your fear of losing a pet by knowing its average lifespan. This way you will be mentally prepared. This article will walk you through all the necessary details of the average lifespan of different backyard lizards and how to increase their lives by taking care of them.
How Long Do Lizards Live?
The average life of a lizard varies across different species and habitats. There are more than 6000 species of lizard, living under different environmental conditions.
Pet lizards that live out in the wild face many predators, and can have a very short life of about 3 years. On the other hand, lizards that are held in captivity with good care outlive their wild counterparts.
The average life of your pet lizard also depends upon the species.
Average Life of Different Species
The length of each species depends upon the habitat and the care that is provided. Below is the average life span of some lizards that you might encounter in your backyard.
Leopard Gecko
The average life span of the leopard gecko ranges from 10 to 20 years.
| Gender | Average Life (years) |
| Male | 15 – 20 |
| Female | 10 – 15 |
The life expectancy was calculated by taking the average life length of many individual geckos. Usually, the male gecko outlives the female, but that is not always the case. Also, if you provide proper care to your pet gecko, it may easily live up to 20 years. This means that if you take one as a pet in your teenage years, you may still have it in your thirties.
The life of the oldest male gecko was 28 years. This does not mean that your male pet gecko will live longer. It just simply means that the male gecko has a higher likelihood to outlive the female gecko.
Green Anole
The average life of green anole is between 5 to 7 years. If you are providing proper care and food to your pet anole, then you should expect a life expectancy of 7 years.
They are mostly found in the southeastern united states and usually dwell on trees. Green anole also is one of those lizards that can change its color between different shades.
Anoles are more active in warm weather. When the weather is cool, they hide under things such as tree bark.
These creatures enjoy eating a variety of insects like spiders, ants, moths, and other invertebrates.
Ground Skink
The life of a ground skunk is about 2-3 years on average. In your garden, they have black-brown. However, when they face sunlight you can see a shade of red color on them.
This species is common in northern Mexico and the eastern half of the United States. As a pet, they are good if provide proper care. They need some space to hide and roam around.
Ground skink feed on small insects such as ants, spiders, and some invertebrates. They have white stripes on their brown background.
Five-Lined Skink
In the wild five-lined skinks enjoy an average life of 6 years. You can enhance their life expectancy by providing proper care, food, and protection from predators.
These lizards are common in North America. They are also quite popular as house pets. They eat a variety of insects such as spiders, earthworms, snails, grasshoppers, beetles, crickets, and caterpillars. You also need to provide fresh water for them all the time.
Bearded Dragon
The life of this species ranges from 10 to 15 years in captivity. Their life usually increases if you provide them with an environment similar to their wild habitat. In the wild, their life is around 5-8 years.
These creatures are quite popular in the UK. A Bearded Dragon as a pet lizard is quite easy to care for. You just need to spray water on them daily and provide them with proper food.
When it comes to their food, you can easily arrange some insects for them.
Crested Gecko
The average life span of a crested gecko is around 15 to 20 years. This pet lizard is not only long-living as compared to other lizard species but also easily maintainable. However, in the wild their life can get reduced due to some predators.
Their movement is slow but they are quite interested in climbing. They also like to jump from branch to branch in the aquarium.
If you are keeping them in an aquarium, then you need to provide some landscaping there. Some wood pieces aside from food in the aquarium are recommended. These lizards love to hide under something in the aquarium during the day.
Eastern Fence Lizard
This is commonly found in the eastern united states and lives up to five years. They are often found in tree stumps and rocks.
Eastern fence lizard falls under the category of spiny lizard, meaning that they have pointed scales on their backside. These creatures are somewhat blackish. However, the male can be differentiated from the female with certain color variations.
They feed on certain invertebrates such as moths, ants, beetles, and grasshoppers.
Western Banded Gecko
This species is often found in the California region with an average life of 8 years.
Western banded gecko is not a good option for a pet because they are not legal to collect.
When it comes to food these creatures enjoy eating bugs and some insects. Apart from that also like eating baby scorpions. One thing that is somewhat common between scorpions and western banded lizards is that they both curl their tails. This can potentially protect them from their enemies.
How Long Do Common Yard Lizards Live?
The life of common yard lizards lies between 3 to 20 years; however, most yard lizards live an average life of 5-7 years.
Their life expectancy also changes with their environment, diet, and species. If you let your pet lizard on its own out in the wild, then its average life will decrease drastically. That is why taking care of your pet lizard is extremely important to its life and health.
FAQs
What Is The Longest Living Pet Lizard?
The longest-living pet lizard is Iguana. In captivity, its average life is about 15 to 20 years. Their life can be increased up to 30 years if provided with special care and attention.
Iguanas are quite popular pets and are commonly found in central and south America. If you are planning to take on a pet, you need to take care of its strict housing and diet requirements. These creatures are quite strong and can grow quite big.
How Long Does a Chameleon Live?
Chameleons are relatively long-lived compared to many other types of lizards. In captivity, chameleons can live for up to 10 years, although many do not live that long due to a lack of care. In the wild, chameleons can live for several years, but the exact lifespan will vary depending on the species and environmental conditions.
For instance, some species of chameleons may only live for a few years, while others may live for over a decade. Overall, it’s difficult to measure the lifespan of chameleons because there are so many different species, and each species may have its own unique lifespan.
How Long Do Lizards Live in Florida?
It is quite difficult to assign a specific lifespan for lizards in Florida because there are a wide variety of different species of lizards that live in the state.
In general, lizards that live in Florida have a lifespan ranging from a few years to over a decade. For example, the green anole, which is a common lizard found in Florida, can live for up to 5 years in the wild. The horned lizard, which is another common lizard found in Florida, can live for up to 10 years in the wild.
It’s difficult to give a specific lifespan for lizards in Florida because there are so many different species and each species may have its own unique lifespan. It is best to research the specific species of lizard you are interested in to learn more about its lifespan.
How Long Does Small Lizards Live?
Small lizards can live for several years, with some species that can live for up to 10 years or more. However, the exact lifespan of a small lizard will depend on several factors, including the species, the lizard’s health, and environmental conditions.
For example, depending on the environmental conditions green anole can live from 3 to 6 years. On the other hand, the Common Five-lined skink can live up to 6 years out in the wild and under captivity, its life span exceeds 10 years.
How Long Does Collared Lizards Live?
Collared lizards, also known as mountain boomers, are having longer lives compared to many other species of lizards. In captivity, collared lizards can live for up to 10 years or more, although many do not live that long due to inadequate care.
In the wild, collared lizards may live for several years, but the exact lifespan is directly related to the individual lizard and its environmental conditions.
How Long Does Garden Lizards Live?
Garden lizards, also known as green lizards, typically live for several years, with some individuals living for as long as 10 years or more.
However, the exact lifespan of a garden lizard will depend on a number of factors, such as the lizard’s species, diet, and living conditions. It is important to provide your garden lizard with a suitable enclosure and diet to ensure that it lives a long and healthy life.
Final Thoughts on ‘How long do backyard lizards live’
So, How long do backyard lizards live? The average life of lizards varies from species to species. It also heavily depends upon the environment around them. In captivity, their average life increases. However, in the wild, their life becomes short due to their natural enemies.
I hope that this in-depth guide will help answer all your queries regarding the lifespan of a backyard lizard.
You may also like, how to catch a lizard in your backyard.
