They require rocks, logs, and dense vegetation for cover, but they also use mammal burrows and fissures. These lizards will hibernate for long periods in winter and will be active for short periods in summer and early fall. Breeding season lasts from mid-April through early summer. The courtship rituals involve lots of neck-biting. Young are born in August and September with no nest and 3-8 young per litter.
Predators are shrikes, red-tailed hawks, and cats.
Alligator lizards adapt to being active during different times in different microhabitats. This ability allows them to minimize competition with other species.