This little guy (gal actually, no pink throat patch) was running down my hallway heading for the kitchen last weekend. She had used her amazing chromatophore manipulation to switch to a brown that was close to the color of my pine floors, but I spotted her and swooped her up.
She is a Carolina Anole and is one of the little pleasures of living in the southeast USA. When first captured, she was a little grouchy, and latched on to my fingers. Her teeth are tinymonguous so there was no pain since she can't break the skin.
She bit me the whole time I was digging out the camera (with one hand) and then apparently decided that wasn't working and quit.
No matter how I tried to get a "lizard biting finger shot", she would not bite again.
Sometimes these anoles get in the house and become lizard mummies that are discovered during some bout of "actually moving the furniture to clean underneath" style cleaning.
This little girl was luckier than that. I took her outside for a photo shoot, and then let her go on a nice tree.
I like the way they cock their head and study you ... very duck like.
Duck owners know what I mean.
You've never owned a duck??
You're kidding right?
16 comments:
I dont know what type of lizard we have around here, seems like there are dozens of different types. Do you know of any good websites to help identify them?
Growing up in Florida, they were all "just lizards" to me. One thing for sure, we must have thousands around our yard and they get in the house a lot too. Whenever I water the plants outside, the lizards come out in droves and hang around, waiting for the bugs to be flushed out from the soil, and they'll zap 'em up. Natures mini exterminators, they are.
My oldest daughter used to love to catch them and let them clamp onto her ear lobes, and then come in the house to show me. *sigh*. She hasn't done that in a while!
Now about that last comment of yours about the ducks, it's a good thing there is still water in the ponds around here or I'd be complaining again about the ducks in our pool!
(and the tadpoles, too.. from the post below... argh)
Not much prettier than a Carolina Anole when they turn that pretty shade of green. I love watching them move around. Much different from other lizards. Smooth and slow.... unless they feel they should move fast. (like perhaps when a giant human is approaching) :)
You folks down there in Pure Florida have the best stuff (and you have it in the winter too)! If I were an anole I would turn green with envy....and I laughed so hard at Laura's daughter's fancy ear rings. What a great idea!
Tinymongous! What a great word. Love that lizard. She's very pretty. Why do they become mummified after they've been indoors for a while? It's better than decomposing and rotting, but what conditions make for mummification?
Gettin stuck between a window and screen will mummify one. I guess they starve then dry up. We don't move much furniture, there may be a colony of mummified lizards there.
Had a green one visit me inside the other day. I tried to catch him to take him outside but he was too quick for me. I hope he can find his own way out. I hate finding little skeletons!
We used to tie strings around them for "leashes," then let them climb around on the screen porches for a day or so, and let them go. Cute little lizards. Cats are terrible on them.
Jealous, pure and simple.
We are just north of the range of the anole.
Very cool. We in Minnesota are severely lacking in lizards.
I remember these from my grandpa's place on the St. John's River by Colee Cove.
I was lucky enough to never own a duck, or a lizard for that matter.
I sorta remember some comedian saying, over and over, "Wanna buy a duck?" That was funny, but I have no idea why.
Laura,
You're far enough south that you could have a host of exotics besides our little native anole. Check out this site:
http://www.myfwc.com/critters/exotics/resultsClass.asp?taxclass=R
It has info and pics. I bet you have the brown anole.
Lizard earrings are popular here too!
POPatricia,
I found 2 emerald ones tonight snuggled under a trash can lid. I like to watch the boy anoles bobbing and flashing their red throat pouches.
ThreeCollie,
"turn green with envy" Heehee.
I think Laura and her husband are raising fearless girls. Me too!
roger,
truly LOL! i've seen worse under our couch ... took a picture once,it was so bizarre under there.
Robin,
I guess it's the A/C low humidity inside. Most of them wind up inbetween the window screen and glass as Kevin mentioned. Greenhouse effect gets em.
I'm glad tinymongous gave you pleasurenicity. :)
Kevin,
The couch underworld is a no go zone.
Rurality,
You could set up that cool game cam in your hallway and track his movements :)
Betsy,
Me too. I must've "owned" a gross of these guys as a kid ... not all at one time.
No cats here, but I know what you mean.
Swampy,
Yes, but you have neon slime molds!
Deb,
We are sorely lacking in wolves.
Hoss,
Groucho could make anything funny.
Years ago, when we were on the island of St. Croix, we saw similar little critters everywhere -- even on the walls of the finest restaurant we could find. I don't suppose they are dirty creatures.
Welcome home Pablo.
No, they seem to be always free of obvious dirt.
I still wouldn't want one sitting on my pigeon peas and rice tho.
I've raised ducks several years and yes, they have a comically quizzical look. And I love these little Carolina anoles in Florida. I noticed this past week that there were many tiny ones about the place, as though there was a recent burst of hatching. Does that happen at particular times during the year or is it a constant event?
Speaking of the little mummified ones, I wonder if you remember that we had one decorating the top of our St. Petersburg tree last year? I may have to revive that post...
I don't remember that post, but your tree is spectacular this year!
My Dad used to latch them on to his earlobes for a laugh. I still can't abide being bitten, even by harmless things like anoles and baby snakes. I always jump and shake them off, even though my intellect KNOWS that no harm will come to me...
It's nice to see that ONE of us has been keeping up with the weblogging...
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