He's not a pet - can I feed him?

[renich]

This is so cool. I would love to have that in my backyard. All we've seen recently are yellow jacket, carpenter bees, and wasps.

The closest I've ever been to lizards in the wild are the small ones running around Florida.

I'm not an expert, but I agree that he looks very healthy!

 

[staylor]

I agree, so lucky, he is beautiful. I only have the little ugly lizards, a black snake and a Gopher Tortoise in my yard.

The closest I've ever been to lizards in the wild are the small ones running around Florida.

These little ones running around here (Florida)are more of a pest then anything. They are EVERYWHERE and if you try to pick them up they will bit and do not let go. They get in the house all the time and as I try to save them from the cat and dogs they bit and for tiny things pretty hard too.

 

[zebraflavencs]

Sounds like our common anoles... We've got tons of those under my house, under my greenhouse.. and in the small trees and shrubs... still nice to look at..
Oh yes,,, rescuing them from the puppies is a full time chore !
Janie

 

[renich]

I only visit them. My bro lives in Ft. Lauderdale. I like them. Always have. I won't tell you how he gets rid of them if they get inside.

 

[staylor]

Sorry for stealing the thread
When they get in I have learned to put a towel over them. It keeps me from getting bit and they keep their tail that way too. I have had a couple drop their tails when I try to pick them up under their bellys. Poor little things don't know I am trying to help them. Maybe next time one decides to sunbath on the kitchen counter I will give him a cricket before putting him back outside I have no idea how they even get in but they do.

 

[srabeardie]

Yea, that is aweome. Man I'm a little jealous too. What an awesome dragon

 

[Red Ink AUS]

Well, there are three or four of them around. How probable is it that a couple escaped and bred? There was a baby one here when we moved in (October) as well as a couple of middle-sized ones and the big fella. The smaller ones are all very shy and run and hide in trees when I go onto the balcony. When we first moved in here, the big one was skittish too and would go hide under the stairs when I went out. He's settled down a lot now - mostly after the chopped-up peach I gave him a couple of months ago.

I'll try to get hold of a big tub during the holidays and put some water out. But I've been here for 6 months and they seem to be getting along okay.

Thanks for the info.

As they are a few of them it is quite possible that they are wild. Do you live near any park or creek by chance? I have seen them in the inner cities but quite rarely. There's even a colony of them living in a garden in the heart of the Sydney CBD. They will get along fine until the young-uns get pushed out by the parents from the teritory. If you have nice neighbours and you can trust that they wont hurt them let them know they are there so they don't put out any snail bait or let cats roam around freely at night.

Another thing you can offer them to make them stay longer is some sort of hide. Any upturned container with an entrance hole that its big enough for them to hide in is fine. Leave any veggie scraps out and they will love it .

 

[Jones]

Thanks Red Ink!

I just went to the folks' place for easter and just about hit a turtle on my way back walking across the road - how bout that?

Anyway, Big Daddy was running around getting all sorts of exercise this afternoon when I got home. I threw some tomato to him and he glared at me. I guess he doesn't like tomato. I'll go to the scratch-and-dent section of the fruit shop tomorrow and see what tasties I can find. Yes, we live not far from a park but there's not much in the way of water around. There is a canal-thing not too far away, but far enough away that it would be well beyond their territory.

I'll try and make them a hide to live in I like having them around!

 

[Red Ink AUS]

Nice one mate ;D, if they get used to you they'll stay there for years and hopefully keep having babies. A hide would be great try and get a few if you can as it is comming up to winter now and they will go into brumation (big sleep for reptiles). They will be more likely to stick around if there's a nice dry place for them to sleep the cold months away.

 

[Jones]

I went to the shops today and found some lovely discounted grapes. Big Daddy wasn't around when I got home, so I have yet to see what he thinks of them. I also got a big shallow tub and put some water in it for them. Not very deep, but I didn't want them to have trouble getting out. Here is a bit of their habitat. I haven't made a hide yet, but there are a few natural places around.

Looks like a pretty nice lizard home to me

 

[crypticdragons]

I went to the shops today and found some lovely discounted grapes. Big Daddy wasn't around when I got home, so I have yet to see what he thinks of them. I also got a big shallow tub and put some water in it for them. Not very deep, but I didn't want them to have trouble getting out. Here is a bit of their habitat. I haven't made a hide yet, but there are a few natural places around.

Looks like a pretty nice lizard home to me

deffinately looking good.

 

[staylor]

They are lucky you moved in to spoil them and you are so lucky to have them.

 

[zebraflavencs]

I think it would be interesting to make a journal type, to follow along with these wild beauties, to note how they interact in a metro area, as well as to see if they will reproduce in said setting now that you have "noticed" them..
It's just a thought.
Janie

 

[Red Ink AUS]

Water tub is fine mate, If there's high traffic on the stairs i would move the feed dish away from it to somewhere more quiter if possible.

Oh I like Janie's idea of keeping a journal on their progress.

 

[Jones]

A journal would be cool. I am notoriously bad at keeping up with those things though. I took some pics this morning. He ate a couple of grapes and seemed to enjoy them, but didn't go mental. He must have eaten recently. His chest has gone bright red - looks pretty cool. You can kind of see it a little bit in these photos. There's not much traffic on the stairs. In fact, he uses them more than I do!

Sorry for the quality of the photos. He doesn't like the flash, and he's not very good at sitting still for the camera.

 

[Jones]

This thread has kind of left the "diet" wavelength. I didn't realise there was a photo thread here, and I don't want to take up too much space on here, so I have put some pics of Big Daddy on the pictures thread. I will move my commentary over there, as I don't want to get in the way of things over here at the Diet place.