Are wild lizards in outdoor tortoise enclosures ok?

dawsonpan

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Hey everyone! I was wondering if the native lizards in Southern California have any negative effects on tortoises. They seem to love their raised enclosures and I see that they're possibly using them to lay their eggs as well because I see baby lizards occasionally coming out. Is this an issue for anyone or can this be left alone? They aren't bothering any of the tortoises but I fear for possible spread of disease if there is any. I think they're mostly western fence lizards. I know they do eat ticks and other small bugs so I assume that's one positive aspect. Taking into account they are native species so I don't want any harm to them and want them to do their own thing. So I'd love to hear other opinions, thanks! :)
 

Tom

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Anyone familiar with reptile disease processes will tell you its not ideal, but its also unavoidable. My tortoises have been sharing their enclosures with dozens of fence swifts for decades, and it has never caused any problem. The lizards get safety from predators inside the holes of the slump stone blocks, and I see the lizards eating the flies and other pest bugs around the area, so I love them. I chase away the lizard predators like road runners, and re-locate the red racers that come in to eat them.
 

Relic

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Trying to keep out lizards would be like trying to keep out rain drops. I've got a few Texas Spiny Lizards that have their "assigned" territories in my outdoor pen. There are too many Green Anoles to count. There are Mediterranean Geckos that mostly come out at night, and finally a few Ground Skinks that turn up fairly often. I've never given them a second thought and never had a known problem with disease transfer, but who knows?
 

wellington

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Some things just can't be avoided. My tortoises are large so they have free roam outside in the warm weather of a big yard with no top. Birds, rabbits, opossum, fox, skunks and stray cats all visit the yard at one point or another. No way for me too keep them out. Same goes for your lizards, snakes, etc.
 

dawsonpan

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Anyone familiar with reptile disease processes will tell you its not ideal, but its also unavoidable. My tortoises have been sharing their enclosures with dozens of fence swifts for decades, and it has never caused any problem. The lizards get safety from predators inside the holes of the slump stone blocks, and I see the lizards eating the flies and other pest bugs around the area, so I love them. I chase away the lizard predators like road runners, and re-locate the red racers that come in to eat them.
Ohhh I see. So I take it that its mostly beneficial but there's always that sliver of possibilities that something could occur.
 

dawsonpan

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Trying to keep out lizards would be like trying to keep out rain drops. I've got a few Texas Spiny Lizards that have their "assigned" territories in my outdoor pen. There are too many Green Anoles to count. There are Mediterranean Geckos that mostly come out at night, and finally a few Ground Skinks that turn up fairly often. I've never given them a second thought and never had a known problem with disease transfer, but who knows?
Ah definitely true, I haven't attempted to keep them out so I probably won't at this point lol. If it hasn't been a problem then I guess its fine for now.
 

dawsonpan

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Some things just can't be avoided. My tortoises are large so they have free roam outside in the warm weather of a big yard with no top. Birds, rabbits, opossum, fox, skunks and stray cats all visit the yard at one point or another. No way for me too keep them out. Same goes for your lizards, snakes, etc.
Gotcha that makes sense. I haven't thought about it that way ? My sulcatas do the same and no issues so far. Thanks.
 

Tom

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Ohhh I see. So I take it that its mostly beneficial but there's always that sliver of possibilities that something could occur.
Its undeniable that there is some risk, but as far as I know, this has never been a problem for anyone anywhere in the country. Its easy to surmise that they live in the wild with all sorts of other species pooping everywhere, and many tortoise eat a substantial amount of mammal feces as a food source (Yes. I'm talking to YOU wild leopard tortoises...), but we are now talking about foreign species mixing with our native species. That's a horse of a different color compared to wild tortoise and other wild animals living in their native habitat together.
 

wellington

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Gotcha that makes sense. I haven't thought about it that way ? My sulcatas do the same and no issues so far. Thanks.
I sadly dont have wild lizards where I am, Chicago. So it's natural for me too think of the fury kind more then scaled ones lol.
 

dawsonpan

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Its undeniable that there is some risk, but as far as I know, this has never been a problem for anyone anywhere in the country. Its easy to surmise that they live in the wild with all sorts of other species pooping everywhere, and many tortoise eat a substantial amount of mammal feces as a food source (Yes. I'm talking to YOU wild leopard tortoises...), but we are now talking about foreign species mixing with our native species. That's a horse of a different color compared to wild tortoise and other wild animals living in their native habitat together.
Ohhh that's really interesting. Why is it that they do that? Such weird behavior ? Always good to learn new things. :) But yea I get what you're trying to say. Thanks!
 

Rex1718

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I have green anoles all in my tortoise enclosure. Have even seen an ankle basking on my Sulcatas shell. There is risk, but I have never had a problem. As Tom stated the lizards also rid the enclosure of bugs.
I do try to relocate toads I find in the enclosure, they like to soak in the water tubs and always poop in them.
 

dawsonpan

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I have green anoles all in my tortoise enclosure. Have even seen an ankle basking on my Sulcatas shell. There is risk, but I have never had a problem. As Tom stated the lizards also rid the enclosure of bugs.
I do try to relocate toads I find in the enclosure, they like to soak in the water tubs and always poop in them.
Cool its just been a lingering question in my mind lol, I haven't notice that they eat bugs because I guess they've eaten them all cause they're here ? . Thanks for all the replies :)
 

Ddflinn

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Hey everyone! I was wondering if the native lizards in Southern California have any negative effects on tortoises. They seem to love their raised enclosures and I see that they're possibly using them to lay their eggs as well because I see baby lizards occasionally coming out. Is this an issue for anyone or can this be left alone? They aren't bothering any of the tortoises but I fear for possible spread of disease if there is any. I think they're mostly western fence lizards. I know they do eat ticks and other small bugs so I assume that's one positive aspect. Taking into account they are native species so I don't want any harm to them and want them to do their own thing. So I'd love to hear other opinions, thanks! :)
I'M IN SOCAL AND I HAVE A TON OF LIZARDS IN OUTDOOR HABITAT. I THINK THEY THOUGHT I MADE IT FOR THEM. I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING THE ANSWER TO THIS AS WELL.
 

dawsonpan

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I'M IN SOCAL AND I HAVE A TON OF LIZARDS IN OUTDOOR HABITAT. I THINK THEY THOUGHT I MADE IT FOR THEM. I'M INTERESTED IN HEARING THE ANSWER TO THIS AS WELL.
Exactly!!! ? ?
 

Tom

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I have green anoles all in my tortoise enclosure. Have even seen an ankle basking on my Sulcatas shell. There is risk, but I have never had a problem. As Tom stated the lizards also rid the enclosure of bugs.
I do try to relocate toads I find in the enclosure, they like to soak in the water tubs and always poop in them.
I have the same problem with toads all summer long. I put them on the other side of the wall.
 
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