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.
caught him in Port Charlotte, FL, the lizard is nothing like the native or introduced lizards i have seen here before.
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.
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.
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.
To be honest, it looks like one of the Lacerta species, after some research, probably a Western Green Lizard (Lacerta bilineata) That's the only thing I see that fits.
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
i like the possible idea, but the fact is, the lizard looks nothing like a western green lizard. I see below.
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.
check this out, possible match, but coloring is way different. The top lizard is a juvenile spiny tailed iguana.
Yeah, I was thinking lacerta as well. http://www.batraciens-reptiles.com/Lacerta_bilineata_DC.jpg Beautiful Lizard
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
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!!!
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.