The animal kingdom has all sorts of adorable little critters that have earned the collective love of the internet. Animals such as puppies and kittens may always win our hearts, but reptiles don’t often come to mind.

That is unless they look like miniature dragons.

Thanks to its exoskeleton of spiny armored scales, the Golden Armadillo Lizard bears a striking resemblance to the firebreathing beast of Game of Thrones. But there’s no need to worry about them flying off or burning down the house, as these cute reptilian rascals can only grow up to four inches long.

The Armadillo Lizard, known scientifically as Ouroborus Cataphractus, is unique as far as lizards go. Native to the South African coasts, they prefer to live in dry, arid environments. Their light-to-dark brown coloring also characterizes them. But that’s only the least interesting bit.

For starters, they can roll up into a ball.

Because their armor is too heavy to flee from predators, Armadillo Lizards instead bite their tails, curl up, and use their scales as protection. Just like their mammalian counterparts.

Despite their fierce, dragon-like appearance, they are slow-moving and inactive.

These lizards prefer lazier times, such as burrowing between rocks or lying on top of them to bask in the sun, all the while living in groups of 30 to 60. In captivity, they can live up to a relatively long time, 25 years.

Their diet is similar to other lizards. Mainly insects such as crickets, spiders, millipedes, termites, and worms, although they eat plant matter from time to time. The best way to tell apart genders is by head size, with the territorial males having a broader head than the females. Males are also slightly longer than females, although it isn’t always the case.

Armadillo Lizards are also one of the few lizards to give live birth instead of hatching from eggs.

They usually give birth to one or two lizards and feed their young, unlike most lizard species. Armadillo lizards are often sought after as pets. Their unique appearance, docile nature around humans, simple diets, and easy handleability make them extremely popular.

Unfortunately, because Armadillo Lizards are vulnerable in the wild, their capture and exportation from South Africa are now illegal. Luckily, people can still buy lizards bred in captivity from private breeders, although their rarity makes them expensive. At least for thousands of dollars.

Despite the high price, they nonetheless remain ideal pets, especially for fantasy lovers.

And why not? With big, puppy-like eyes, their small size, and an impossibly cute set of armor straight out of a fantasy book, it’s safe to say these darling dragons have earned our eternal love.

If you want to learn more about the Armadillo Lizard, take a few minutes to watch this informational video below about them.

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Source: Youtube – Animal Fact Files, Everythingreptiles.com, Freaked.com