Need help, caught unknown lizard!!

Discussion in 'General Lizards' started by Saleen89559, Oct 6, 2005.

  1. Saleen89559

    Saleen89559 Embryo

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    Hi, I am new to the forum, but i need some assistance. I caught a lizard today at work, and its like nothing i have seen before. Its looks almost like a cross between a swift, and tegu. :!:

    Here are 3 pics of the lizard.

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  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  3. crazyman1378

    crazyman1378 New Member

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    where didi you catch him?
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  5. Saleen89559

    Saleen89559 Embryo

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    caught him in Port Charlotte, FL, the lizard is nothing like the native or introduced lizards i have seen here before.
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  7. theend882

    theend882 Member

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    nvr seen that b4 maybe a new breed of lizard ;)
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  9. clarinet45

    clarinet45 Well-Known Member

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    there are a lot of accidental releases of captive reptiles [or any animal] and they thrive in FL. i would contact your local wildlife/ reptile place and see if it's a species that needs to go back to the wild or if it's better to stay out. rule of thumb is to take a pic, but don't catch 'wild' animals no matter how pretty they are.
     
  10. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  11. Saleen89559

    Saleen89559 Embryo

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    The lizard is also thriving in the 20 gal tank i put it in. Eating crickets, and drinking water. Seems to be a very hardy lizard to have captive. I have contacted Floridas Fish/Game/Wildlife department and shown them a picture. This is a species they have never seen before and have no records of at all.
     
  12. crazyman1378

    crazyman1378 New Member

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    hmmm... who knows? when you find out let us know
     
  13. Saleen89559

    Saleen89559 Embryo

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    I will post some more pics in the coming days to show the lizard's progress. For now, it seems mostly interested in baby brown anoles, and feeder crickets for food. I only know it likes Anoles, because while i was trying to catch it, i watched it eat a brown anole.

    Its weird looking because it has that trademark Green iguana third eye scale on the top of its head, and it has juvenile green iguana stripes on its back.....but....it has a spiny tail and a tegu type head.

    I will also include the lizards length and weight. and a comparison with a large brown anole considering brown anoles are the most populous lizard in Florida.
     
  14. huhwhat

    huhwhat New Member

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    To be honest, it looks like one of the Lacerta species, after some research, probably a Western Green Lizard (Lacerta bilineata)

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    That's the only thing I see that fits.
     
  15. 100king

    100king New Member

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    similar but I doubt thats it, the head is shaped differentl and the color pattern on the sides is different, awsome find, I would keep it, but thats just me
     
  16. Saleen89559

    Saleen89559 Embryo

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    i like the possible idea, but the fact is, the lizard looks nothing like a western green lizard. I see below.
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  17. Saleen89559

    Saleen89559 Embryo

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    Here are some more pics, day after capture, the lizard is exactly 11" long. Also, the pores under the back legs are very small, possibly a female, or still too juvenile to tell. Also below is another picture of a Western Green Lizard, which has heavier armor like a skink almost.

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  18. 100king

    100king New Member

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    yeah definately not a western then, awesome find tho
     
  19. Saleen89559

    Saleen89559 Embryo

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    check this out, possible match, but coloring is way different.

    The top lizard is a juvenile spiny tailed iguana.

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  20. theend882

    theend882 Member

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    maybe a hybrid of somthing
     
  21. theend882

    theend882 Member

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    looks like a kind of lacreta [​IMG]
     
  22. field_hockey_gal

    field_hockey_gal Well-Known Member

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  23. Saleen89559

    Saleen89559 Embryo

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    Well guys, the search is over....... I found out what it is today. Being that only lizards in the iguana family have the pores on the underside of their hind legs, it definatly belongs to the iguana family. The coloration is what has thrown everyone off I think, when this animal is a juv. its normally completely green like a green iguana juv. DRUMROLL!.....................................................................................


    SPINY TAILED IGUANA
     
  24. Rocky

    Rocky Member

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    What a find!!! I live in Port Charlotte fl also! Im in Englewood. Where are you?

    Will you be keeping him/her?

    He/she is beautiful!!!
     
  25. Saleen89559

    Saleen89559 Embryo

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    Live in Venice, and its too soon to tell sex, the pores are too small. Right now I am keeping it, till i see that it refuses food at some point. Spiny Tailed Iguanas have about 5% of the taming ability that a Green Iguana has, so its a difficult reptile to keep captive. So far its eating a healthy dose of crickets daily and drinking from a water bowl. I am doing research on their activities and habits, so that I have a better chance of keeping it, so long as my cat doesn't try to knock over the tank again. You can e-mail me at Saleen89559@aol.com or Saleen89559@yahoo.com. Maybe one day you can come see it.

    Heres some more pics. As you can see, its nice and healthy, and has a full belly. For now its eating and eating good. It freaks out when i walk near the tank, but if left alone, its right at home.

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