Lizard story :)

[curious kat]

Went out for a walk & of course had the camera...saw a humming bird, then heard a "plop-splash". I guess I accidently startled a little bark lizard, or he fell out of a tree? So the little guy was swimming for his life, he finally got close enough for me to help him out....this is his adventure...



........and my favorite little frog.....sitting in his favorite spot.

 

[tamrock]

Cool Lizard.

 

[texasred777]

Hmm, don't remember seeing one like that lizard. The scariest looking lizards I've seen are what we called 'wood' lizards. They looked like some small prehistoric monsters, real horny like a horned toad. I just looked at Google, but didn't see one like I remember. We also had a striped lizard. If you caught one by it's tail, the tail would come off! I understand that they grew the tails back after a while.

 

[austin]

The lizard went home and told everyone, "Really, I was struggling and this giant human saved my life. Thought I was lunch, but not this time. Might just stay around here, unless they buy a cat">

 

[vpnavy]

Nice photographs! Thanks for sharing...

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Great pics!
Jim

 

[curious kat]

Thanks tamrock

texasred....I think (?) this little lizard is called a "Bark" Lizard & spends time in trees, blending in with the bark. So think he got into the water by falling from a tree. I'd like to see a picture of that one you mentioned, sounds interesting!

Austin.... on what you said! I hope he remembers!? And..... do have cats.

vpnavy....

Thanks Jim

 

[texasred777]

Picture

Well, with a little 'google' I found this. It's states that it's a Texas wood lizard.

 

[Limitool]

Over a 20+ year time period we've had 3-5 dogs just "come up missing" here in our rural Middle TN. woods we live in. Wonder if we have the wild Tennessee Komodo dragon living close?

But seriously I love watching all the lizards we actually do have running around here. Especially when they start doing "push-up's" for some reason... Couldn't believe it when I first saw this behavior.

 

[texasred777]

Limitool, have you ever seen a horned toad doing something similar to the 'pushups'? I saw one once that appeared to be rocking back and forth. I was pretty young and thought it was preparing to jump at me, so I walked back a few feet and just watched. I stopped after several minutes and ran off. I don't know if it was the same thing the lizards do or not.

 

[curious kat]

texasred....thanks for finding the picture...he kind of looks like my "tree/bark" lizard but with spikes.

Limitool....I had read that the lizards do "push-ups" for about the same reason guys go to the gym...to show their strength to other lizards, it does look funny. On the missing dogs/komodo dragon funny....what about pythons & other wild/pet snakes that are let go...this could really happen now & has, hope you don't have those where you are.

texasred...that horned toad may have been "aiming" to squirt at you, good thing you stepped back!

 

[texasred777]

Kat, I've heard about horned toads squirting at people. I've also heard that it was a tale. I don't know. I've heard about them squirting blood into your eyes and making you blind, etc.

 

[Gaspipe]

Well, with a little 'google' I found this. It's states that it's a Texas wood lizard.

Beautiful lizard great pics . Actually it is a Texas Spiny Lizard also sometimes called swifts ( for obvious reasons).

 

[texasred777]

Yes, Gaspipe, I saw that 'Texas spiny', name also, but didn't really know if it was the same for this lizard or not. I didn't notice the 'Swift' reference; but do remember them being fast! The first one of these I remember seeing was in 1955. We were just exiting the house when Dad saw it on the corner of the porch. I got as close as I thought I could without causing it to run. I stood there just staring for several minutes before it ran under the porch.

 

[curious kat]

Gaspipe...thanks

texasred....some really do squirt blood as a means of escaping, but only if really threatened.

 

[texasred777]

Maybe I moved just in time, Kat. I was throwing an old file at it, trying to 'stick' it. I had grazed it on one side, got the file back, threw I again, hit right in front of it's nose, again retrieved the file, and was preparing to throw it again when it started 'rocking'. I was about 9 years old at the time.