The Jesus Christ Lizard - The Green Basilisk

Of all the lizards in the world, the green basilisk is perhaps the most unique and interesting. They have been named the "Jesus Christ Lizard" because of their unique ability to literally run across the top of the water.

Now many people would immediately think of a tiny lizard that is simply too light to sink right away. That is not the case with the green basilisk. A green basilisk can grow up to 36 inches in length - that is no small lizard. Still, they are able to scoot across the water on their hind legs for great distances to avoid predators. Imagine a lizard running across water.

The green basilisk is usually a bright green color in the wild, and they often have turquoise spots. They also have crests on their heads, tails and back. These crests help the green basilisk to swim through the water when they are not running on top of it. The basilisk is very comfortable in the water and is the fantastic swimmer.

Green basilisk lizards are generally found in trees. They particularly like trees that overhang water sources. This is because of their propensity to take to the water when alarmed or being stalked by a predator. If a green basilisk is alarmed on the ground, they are capable of running on their hind legs. They are extremely fast and look rather silly running across the ground.

Another interesting thing about green basilisk lizards is that they make wonderful pets. The only catch is that you have to get them from a breeder and not from the wild. Wild basilisk lizards tend to be rather feisty and they almost always attempt to escape. They have been known to knock themselves silly trying to escape from a clear tank (not seeing the walls). If they are pets from birth they make wonderful pets if you have the room and the equipment to properly care for them.

In the wild, green basilisks are found in the forests of Central America. They hunt small insects, other lizards and even the occasional small mammal. Flowers and fruits are on the menu as well. They generally live about ten years, and they are annual breeders. One male dominates a territory that has several females. He will angrily fight off anyone that tries to take over his territory. He alone will mate with the females in his group.