Fun Caiman Lizard Facts For Kids

A caiman lizard is a reptile that is found in swampy areas and is totally different from an ordinary lizard. They are large, heavier, more colorful, beautiful, and stronger.

A caiman lizard is very fast when it comes to swimming and crawling.

Whenever a caiman lizard feels threatened it starts running or swimming very fast. The first thing a caiman lizard does when threatened is to run away but if they are not in a situation of running, then they might bite the object or predators threatening them and their bite is very painful.

The caiman lizards are a very interesting species of reptiles.

That’s why we bring you these interesting facts about caiman lizards for you to have a better knowledge about the caiman lizard (Dracaena guianensis). After reading this article about caiman lizards, you may also want to look at sagebrush lizard and emerald lizard facts as well.

Caiman Lizard Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a caiman lizard?

Caiman lizard is a large lizard of the Teiidae family. It is a semi-aquatic reptile that can live on ground as well as around large water areas. They need a water source with an adequate surface to allow them to swim around as well as hunt for some water animals

What class of animal does a caiman lizard belong to?

Caiman lizards belong to the Reptilia class.

How many caiman lizards are there in the world?

Now, only one species of caiman lizards is known to exist, namely, the Northern caiman lizard and it is found in South American countries. There is no exact figure about their population available.

Where does a caiman lizard live?

A caiman lizard is found in swampy habitats or flooded woodlands around the Amazon river. They are found in various countries in South America like Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Guiana. They spend a large part of their time basking on branches hanging above the water bodies.

What is a caiman lizard's habitat?

A caiman lizard is found in swampy habitats or flooded woodlands. They live on the branches and roots of trees in flooded forests and streams in and around South America. Caiman lizards are tropical lizards and prefer warm temperatures for their habitat and basking area.

Who do caiman lizard live with?

Caiman lizards live in flooded forests and they live on their own and they eat other small animals as food. Some people keep them as pets as well inside a specially designed caiman lizard cage and equipped with cypress mulch. They generally require some humidity to survive and thrive.

How long does a caiman lizard live?

The average lifespan of a caiman lizard can vary between 10-30 years.

How do they reproduce?

The caiman lizard reproduces by sexual reproduction. The female caiman lizards will lay an average of 6-7 fertilized eggs in a hole in the riverbank to keep the eggs protected. The fertilized eggs have an incubation period of around six months. Once the eggs hatch, the baby caiman lizards are left to fend for themselves.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status for caiman lizards is Least Concern as there is no immediate threat to their population.

Caiman Lizard Fun Facts

What do caiman lizards look like?

A caiman lizard has a large heavy-set green-colored body with a red or orange face. It has a long tail, and a body covered with horn-like scales.

A caiman lizard has skin similar to a crocodile. Caiman lizard skull is more prominent than most other lizards, giving it an intimidating appearance.

Caiman lizard teeth are short and rounded and they have a forked tongue which helps in locating the prey. It has short legs which are suitable for climbing on any type of terrain.

As a matter of fact, caiman lizards are known for their fast-climbing speed and ability to jump around tree branches easily. Caiman lizard has a flattened tail with yellow stripes which helps with caiman lizard swimming, climbing and jumping.

How cute are they?

A caiman lizard is not really a cute animal, and can actually be quite scary. That said, some people do like to have caiman lizards as pets as they are amazing creatures to look at.

How do they communicate?

Caiman lizards communicate with their tongue. In order to locate food, the caiman lizard secretes a scent to attract its prey.

How big is a caiman lizard?

Caiman lizard length can range between 2-4 ft.

How fast can a caiman lizard run?

Caiman lizards can run at a speed of around 28 km or 17 mph making them one of the fastest predators in the reptile category. Their swimming prowess helps them in avoiding predators as they can swim away at a good pace.

How much does a caiman lizard weigh?

A caiman lizard weighs around 4.5 kg. The weight might vary slightly based on the area or the diet of the lizard. Food plays an important part in determining weight too.

What are their male and female names of the species?

Caiman lizards have no specific names for each gender.

What would you call a baby caiman lizard?

A baby caiman lizard is simply called a baby caiman lizard.

What do they eat?

Caiman lizard preys on animals like snails, crawfish, and freshwater clams. As it is a carnivore, the diet of a caiman lizard comprises small aquatic and terrestrial animals.  

Are they dangerous?

Caiman lizards are not very dangerous but if you try to disturb them then they might become aggressive and potentially dangerous.

Would they make a good pet?

If you are a very brave and adventurous person then they might be a good pet for you. But in order to keep a caiman lizard as a pet then the owner needs to be experienced in handling such animals.

Did you know...

A caiman lizard is a very large lizard and it is said to be one of the largest lizards in America. Its skin has an appearance similar to that of a crocodile.

Caiman lizards are camouflaged; they emit a special scent that attracts their prey. You can see these large lizards basking on branches of trees in the flooded forests of South America. Caiman lizards have very beautiful scales on their back.

The body of a caiman lizard is a greenish color and its head is a mixed shade of red and orange. They have a very big flattened tail that helps with its dexterity.

Caiman lizards do not eat much. Caiman lizards eat three times a week. In zoos, the caiman lizards are fed three times a week and sometimes they show no interest in eating snails instead, they eat meatballs, smelt fish, and other meats.

Another important fact among the caiman lizard facts for kids is that they were hunted by many people for their extremely beautiful bright green skin.

Having your own caiman lizard

If you wish to keep a caiman lizard as a pet then it is possible to have them as a pet. But as caiman lizards are not ordinary pet animals, they require proper caiman lizard care.

A caiman lizard is not a dog or cat who will be happy just by playing. A caiman lizard is a dangerous animal and the owner needs to be an expert in handling such animals.

In terms of caiman lizard price, they can cost you somewhere between $350-$1500. One important thing that you need to know is that only Northern caiman lizards are available for purchase.

If you think that having a caiman lizard pet would be a piece of cake, then you are totally wrong. A caiman lizard is not an ordinary animal and you have to take proper care with them.

A caiman lizard is a much bigger animal than a dog or a cat, which means that you have to provide them with a large enclosure, proper humidity, and temperature. A caiman lizard will need a large enclosure and for that, you have to arrange and prepare a proper setup.

A caiman lizard lives in swampy habitats or flooded woodlands which means that they have specific requirements related to water, temperature, humidity, and caiman lizard diet.

So, you have to keep all these things in mind and provide them with an appropriate environment.

The habitat set up for your caiman lizard should be such that it traps the moisture as they require a humid surrounding.

In order to give your caiman lizard the best enclosure setup, you can add some green live plants along with some artificial plants and water sources as it will create a similar environment to the caiman lizard habitat.

Always keep a check on the temperature, making sure that the temperature of the enclosure is as per the requirement of the caiman lizard’s natural habitat.

You will need to provide a very big enclosure for the creature so that they can move freely. The caiman lizard size is pretty large so they must be given a large enclosure.

The minimum caiman lizard enclosure you have to arrange should be 6 x 3 x 4 feet. As we know that they live in flooded forests, if you can provide them with a water source then it will help your caiman lizard to get a familiar aquatic lifestyle.

Although a caiman lizard is not a very dangerous animal, you have to keep in mind that they are pretty strong and can be pretty aggressive too. So, if they ever felt threatened or scared then they might become aggressive and they can cause harm.

Coming to the caiman lizard food and diet, caiman lizards eat smaller animals such as snails, fish, and more. You can give your caiman lizard reptile-friendly canned snails and similar animals as food. So, feeding these lizards is not a very challenging task.

Health and characteristics

Although the caiman lizard does not encounter any major health issues, it may suffer from some parasite issues. They can suffer from internal parasite problems, a very common problem in many reptiles, and one faced by caiman lizards as well.

The owner needs to keep a check on any such health issue so that the problem does not get out of hand.

In terms of temperament, caiman lizards do not show any aggressive behavior unless they are scared or threatened. A caiman lizard has a strong body and they might bite sometimes.

A caiman lizard bite may not be poisonous but it is very painful. In general, however, they do not pose any serious threat, and after proper training, they can be perfectly fit for being kept as a pet.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other reptiles including frilled lizard, or sand lizard.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our caiman lizard coloring pages.