Comments on: I Make A New Friend! http://podblack.com/2009/11/i-make-a-new-friend/ Science, Superstitions and Skeptical Life Sat, 26 Nov 2011 19:18:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Baka http://podblack.com/2009/11/i-make-a-new-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-45569 Baka Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:58:49 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1719#comment-45569 Thanks for answering the questions. Be careful of the snakes. I hear your snakes are a tad bit more dangerous than ours are. Take pictures if you can do so safely, though. :) I was a herpetologist as an undergrad, so I'm very familiar with the herps around here and the major groups globally, but I always love seeing the actual stuff you get to live with down under. :D I said our American herps were boring. That's not entirely true, of course. We have some really cool ones. They just aren't quite as deadly as the versions you have. I have jumped in on top of 10-foot alligators and they just run away, the big babies. I hear that's not really a good idea with salties. ;) Plus, while rattlesnakes are dangerous, a healthy adult has a good chance of surviving an envenomation from those here in North America. I hear tell you have some serious venom in your native species, though. Thanks for answering the questions. Be careful of the snakes. I hear your snakes are a tad bit more dangerous than ours are. Take pictures if you can do so safely, though. :) I was a herpetologist as an undergrad, so I’m very familiar with the herps around here and the major groups globally, but I always love seeing the actual stuff you get to live with down under. :D

I said our American herps were boring. That’s not entirely true, of course. We have some really cool ones. They just aren’t quite as deadly as the versions you have. I have jumped in on top of 10-foot alligators and they just run away, the big babies. I hear that’s not really a good idea with salties. ;) Plus, while rattlesnakes are dangerous, a healthy adult has a good chance of surviving an envenomation from those here in North America. I hear tell you have some serious venom in your native species, though.

]]> By: Sean the Blogonaut http://podblack.com/2009/11/i-make-a-new-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-45476 Sean the Blogonaut Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:33:12 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1719#comment-45476 Ah Podblack, you beat me to it. The shinglebacks are a dime a dozen round here - most prevalent form of road kill. Our cats don't go near them, we have four outside cats and 4 very friendly lizards. Mind you there are plenty of mice and rats which probably taste better than the lizard Ah Podblack, you beat me to it. The shinglebacks are a dime a dozen round here – most prevalent form of road kill. Our cats don’t go near them, we have four outside cats and 4 very friendly lizards. Mind you there are plenty of mice and rats which probably taste better than the lizard

]]> By: podblack http://podblack.com/2009/11/i-make-a-new-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-45370 podblack Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:44:15 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1719#comment-45370 Baka has a billion questions! Will answer! *takes deep breath* - That is known as a 'blue tongue lizard' or a 'blue tongue skink'. This particular one appears to be one particular species - the Shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa). He isn't smooth-skinned like some are and you can see how he didn't shed his tail when being bugged by the cats, which is a fleeing-mechanism for some lizards. This particular sort is the one I'm most familiar with, although I have seen a smooth-skinned Western Blue-tongued Lizard when I was up north in Broome. - his blue-tongue is used to taste the air and commonly seen when he's bluffing (scaring off potential predators). He's not venomous, but his bite is quite strong and usually done as a last resort - and I'd hate to have to hurt him to make him let go! The cats would most definitely get bitten and I'd suspect that their fighting skills would mean that the lizard would get badly scratched and bitten if they tried to get him to let go. So, sadly, even though he was after the snails in my garden (that's another thing - I can't trust that he won't try snail-baits and get poisoned), he had to be relocated. - He is rather large for his type, nearly 30cm in length, so I'd say he was an adult. - My garden is currently undergoing renovation (that's my excuse...) but I do like my fern garden and clearly it's a bit of a target for lizards wanting somewhere to snuggle up and crunch a few snails. So, I'll be doing a bit of gardening this month in order to tidy it all up and hopefully not find snakes like I have in the past! :) Baka has a billion questions! Will answer! *takes deep breath*

- That is known as a ‘blue tongue lizard’ or a ‘blue tongue skink’. This particular one appears to be one particular species – the Shingleback (Tiliqua rugosa). He isn’t smooth-skinned like some are and you can see how he didn’t shed his tail when being bugged by the cats, which is a fleeing-mechanism for some lizards. This particular sort is the one I’m most familiar with, although I have seen a smooth-skinned Western Blue-tongued Lizard when I was up north in Broome.

- his blue-tongue is used to taste the air and commonly seen when he’s bluffing (scaring off potential predators). He’s not venomous, but his bite is quite strong and usually done as a last resort – and I’d hate to have to hurt him to make him let go! The cats would most definitely get bitten and I’d suspect that their fighting skills would mean that the lizard would get badly scratched and bitten if they tried to get him to let go. So, sadly, even though he was after the snails in my garden (that’s another thing – I can’t trust that he won’t try snail-baits and get poisoned), he had to be relocated.

- He is rather large for his type, nearly 30cm in length, so I’d say he was an adult.

- My garden is currently undergoing renovation (that’s my excuse…) but I do like my fern garden and clearly it’s a bit of a target for lizards wanting somewhere to snuggle up and crunch a few snails. So, I’ll be doing a bit of gardening this month in order to tidy it all up and hopefully not find snakes like I have in the past! :)

]]> By: Riayn http://podblack.com/2009/11/i-make-a-new-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-45346 Riayn Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:26:47 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1719#comment-45346 What a gorgeous blue tongue lizard! You are quite right that he can not live where there are curious cats about. He is much safer in the bush. What a gorgeous blue tongue lizard! You are quite right that he can not live where there are curious cats about. He is much safer in the bush.

]]> By: Baka http://podblack.com/2009/11/i-make-a-new-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-45332 Baka Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:06:36 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1719#comment-45332 Wow, that's really cool. You guys have such awesome fauna where you live! Our American reptiles are largely boring. What was that? A blue-tongue 'what'? Also, you mentioned the bite and lockjaw. Are they venomous or do they carry bacteria in their saliva to give you lockjaw? Or, were you referring to a tendency they have to bite and not let go? He seemed a bit largish. The cats had best beware. Seems kind of dry where you are. Is it always like that? Wow, that’s really cool. You guys have such awesome fauna where you live! Our American reptiles are largely boring. What was that? A blue-tongue ‘what’? Also, you mentioned the bite and lockjaw. Are they venomous or do they carry bacteria in their saliva to give you lockjaw? Or, were you referring to a tendency they have to bite and not let go? He seemed a bit largish. The cats had best beware. Seems kind of dry where you are. Is it always like that?

]]> By: Catherine L Donaldson http://podblack.com/2009/11/i-make-a-new-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-45314 Catherine L Donaldson Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:05:03 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1719#comment-45314 no happy jan! loved that furry lizard too! no happy jan! loved that furry lizard too!

]]> By: podblack http://podblack.com/2009/11/i-make-a-new-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-45311 podblack Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:16:03 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1719#comment-45311 Oh yes, absolutely - lockjaw was the first thing I thought of when I noticed how 'friendly' the cats were with it! Speaking of friendly, I really have to get back to reviewing TV shows... ;) Oh yes, absolutely – lockjaw was the first thing I thought of when I noticed how ‘friendly’ the cats were with it!

Speaking of friendly, I really have to get back to reviewing TV shows… ;)

]]> By: Daniel Keogh http://podblack.com/2009/11/i-make-a-new-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-45310 Daniel Keogh Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:48:44 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1719#comment-45310 Beauty of a blue-tongue. We used to have one that hung around the house in Perth. They aren't intrusive in any way but definitely don't get bit by one - they don't let go! Beauty of a blue-tongue.

We used to have one that hung around the house in Perth. They aren’t intrusive in any way but definitely don’t get bit by one – they don’t let go!

]]> By: podblack http://podblack.com/2009/11/i-make-a-new-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-45284 podblack Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:09:19 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1719#comment-45284 I just found a dugite whilst out cycling! Gorgeous colour, almost gold-sheen as he scrambled across the road - about 1.5 m in length. :) Welcome to reptile summer-time! I just found a dugite whilst out cycling! Gorgeous colour, almost gold-sheen as he scrambled across the road – about 1.5 m in length. :) Welcome to reptile summer-time!

]]> By: AndyD http://podblack.com/2009/11/i-make-a-new-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-45278 AndyD Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:24:28 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1719#comment-45278 Almost "whipper-snipped" a young one yesterday. Lucky for me it wasn't a Tiger Snake (my wife ran into one of those a couple of week's back then cold weather returned.) We now eagerly await the return of our Gould's Monitors. Almost “whipper-snipped” a young one yesterday. Lucky for me it wasn’t a Tiger Snake (my wife ran into one of those a couple of week’s back then cold weather returned.) We now eagerly await the return of our Gould’s Monitors.

]]> By: Silver Fox http://podblack.com/2009/11/i-make-a-new-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-45277 Silver Fox Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:12:51 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1719#comment-45277 So, from the minimal research I've done, this is a skink - a lizard with short legs and not a snake? Very neat! So, from the minimal research I’ve done, this is a skink – a lizard with short legs and not a snake? Very neat!

]]> By: podblack http://podblack.com/2009/11/i-make-a-new-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-45264 podblack Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:10:43 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1719#comment-45264 All fixed, sorry about that - it appears it goes public and then 'defaults' to private (NO idea why, must make sure that is checked in the future!) :/ All fixed, sorry about that – it appears it goes public and then ‘defaults’ to private (NO idea why, must make sure that is checked in the future!) :/

]]> By: Bastard Sheep http://podblack.com/2009/11/i-make-a-new-friend/comment-page-1/#comment-45261 Bastard Sheep Sun, 15 Nov 2009 00:32:25 +0000 http://podblack.com/?p=1719#comment-45261 Bluetongue going by the still. Not able to watch the video until the private tag is removed. Bluetongue going by the still. Not able to watch the video until the private tag is removed.

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