Its preferred habitat is prairies, sandy fields, old fields and dry open woodlands.

The Glass Lizard is known to wriggle frantically when captured and can disjoin its tail from the upper body in order to escape capture. While it can lose up to 60% of its body in this way, it does regrow the tail, but as lore would relate, it cannot return to the spot and rejoin itself.

Glass lizards eat invertebrates and other small lizards. Mating occurs in May and 5 to 15 eggs are laid in late June or July. Hawks and carnivorous mammals are the main predators.

The Glass Lizard is listed on the "To Watch" list in several states, including Alabama and Florida.