Female Texas spiny lizard digs nest

While wandering around the backyard, I spotted this female Texas spiny lizard (Sceloporus olivaceus) digging a hole for a clutch of eggs. I've seen young spiny lizards in the yard, but have never seen a nest before.

The female lizard flung the dirt and debris about 18 inches away from the hole and it was the movement of the dirt that caught my eye. She scurried away as soon as she saw me. Undeterred, she came back to finish the task. I kept my distance, snapping only one photo so as not to make her leave the hard work she had begun.


I looked from afar, noticing the occasional plume of dirt she scratched into the earth near the base of a lantana. The hole seemed to be about 6 inches deep or so and was set maybe a 30 degree angle.


About an hour later, as hardly any light was left in the day, I could see she had piled the dirt, leaf litter, and mulch back on top of the hole she made and disappeared. I'll be keeping an eye out for signs of juvenile Texas spiny lizards.


I've spotted quite a few of these beauties over the years, and have written several blog posts about Texas spiny lizards. Read more about these arboreal lizards below:


Wild About Texas | Texas Spiny Lizards Harmless, Helpful