What are leopard lizards?

I've gotten quite a few emails asking about my breed. I'm actually a long-nosed leopard lizard with the latin name Gambelia wislizenii. There isn't much on the internet about leopard lizards but a few good references can be found at The Colorado Herpetological Society web site.

Here's a brief run down about leopard lizards from the Colorado Herp site:

Leopard Lizards are rather large lizards that are found throughout the southwest ... Leopard Lizards are robust large-headed lizards that can reach a total length of 16 inches. Their color can range from a silver-white to dark brown and sometimes encircled with white dots. These stout lizards are usually found on sandy or hardpan ground with creosote or other scattered vegetation. They can also be found in rocky areas basking in the morning sun. I most often find Leopards in arroyos and alongside dirt roads.

Leopard Lizards are ambush predators. They position themselves under a creosote bush, motionless, blending into their surroundings, and then surprise their unsuspecting prey. Leopard Lizards are notorious lizard eaters, even making a meal of their own kind. They have been known to choke to death trying to swallow lizards too large to eat. They will also eat pinkie mice and a variety of insects.