Tag: lizards

Posted in dogs

We are safe and sound

Posted on by William Douthwaite

The barking was incessant. Yip, yip, yip, yip, yip. What in the world is going on out there? I looked out the window at the little dog (Winston, the White West Highland Terrier) aggressively yapping at a spot in the grass.

I had to go out and see. It was probably a lizard. Or part of one. Wrong. It looked like a mouse. How in the world did he catch a mouse? Wait. That’s not a mouse. It’s a mole. Winston had caught or found a squinty-eyed, pointy-snouted, long-clawed mole somewhere in our backyard. A mole? I’ve never seen a mole in our yard. Where in the world did you find it? I scooped it up and tossed it over the fence. You’re not going to torment him (or her) any more.

I got back into the house to find the big dog (Willow, the Great Dane) barking and scratching at the porch floor. Now what? I called her away only to find a dead lizard on his back, covered in drool. Great. Just what I need. I tossed him (or her) over the fence.

Suddenly, these dogs who spend most of the afternoon snoozing have channeled their inner hunter and pursued the latest predators in our yard. They have successfully protected their home from invaders!

Posted in wildlife

Hunting lizards

Posted on by William Douthwaite

After spending the night with us, my eight-year-old grandson couldn’t wait to get up this morning to hunt for lizards in our yard. He put together a small habitat for them by putting soil, rocks, a stick, and a bottle cap full of water into a used plastic cashew container. He punched a few holes in the lid and was ready to start rounding them up.

Plenty of lizards were up early to catch some sun on our fence, garden wall, and backyard trees. But catching them was tough. They are fast. If you happen to get a tail between your fingers, it often breaks off as the lizard escapes.

He had much better luck with a red solo cup. Sneaking up to a green species, he quickly covered it, slid a piece of cardboard between the cup and the fence, and had his first catch of the day. He placed the cup over the opening of the jar and pulled away the cardboard, introducing the reptile to his new home. Once the top was screwed on, it was time to figure out what to feed this guy.

My grandson said, “Now I have to find some bugs to feed him.”

I said, “That’s going to be tough. Maybe he would eat some lettuce. I’ll get you some.”

He snuck a piece of green leaf lettuce into the container, and we sat down to watch. By this time, the lizard, sitting on the soil, had turned brown. “Cool, a chameleon!” I don’t know if this was actually a chameleon, but he was good at blending into his environment.

I cautioned, “Make sure you leave the container in the shade.” It was already a warm day, and I knew direct sunlight would be too warm. We found a shady spot in a planter near the house.

Occasionally, we would go back out and look at him. He would look back at us. We think he took a bite of the lettuce leaf.

After my grandson went home, I took the lid off the container. I don’t know when he’ll be back. I figured if the lizard likes it there, he can stay. Or he can roam around the yard and return home at night. Or he can just go free. We can always catch another one.

Both my grandchildren and my dogs love to hunt lizards. I guess the word hasn’t gotten out that our yard isn’t a safe place to hang out.