Meet Beans...
She's a girl. We checked. It's actually not as, um, lurid as you think--the male spiny lizard has iridescent blue coloring on the inside of his back legs. The female does not--I have to say, it may be one of the most obvious color-coding systems available in nature when it comes to genders.
Now I have to confess--I pretty much despise all things reptile. I grew up in the Mojave Desert of California and almost all reptilian life in that desert is ominous and venomous and creepy and scary and evil. You doubt me? Check out the Mojave Green, a venomous snake that even has herpetologists (that's snake scientists--get your mind out of the gutter)....that even has herpetologists getting the snake shakes. Its venom is 16 times more potent that a sidewinder...16 times. They are nasty, nasty, nasty....
But I digress.
Beans was hanging around our front flowerbed and 3 of 8 asked for the opportunity to have her spend a few days in our swank bed-n-breakfast aquarium. After establishing that Beans was not the protected Horned Lizard but was in fact the common Spiny Lizard, we agreed to let her bunk with us for a few days. 1 and 3 of 8 procured a tasty selection of crickets for her at the local pet store and Beans settled in for her long weekend.
But we always knew that it was a relationship only for a season, partly because Beans gave me the heeby-jeebies every time I needed to get something out of the garage and she would be staring at me from her glass aquarium on the shelf, and partly because 3 of 8 always knew she would be happier back in the wilds of the flower bed.
And so, 3 of 8 bravely bid her adieu...
(For those of you familiar with my horrifying gardening skills, never fear--what you see on the shrubbery that looks like a particularly nasty case of plant blight--it's actually that fake spider-web Halloweeny stuff that renders your landscaping to look like it has...plant blight...)
And I was able to develop some sort of appreciation for this type of reptile. I think her scale pattern is pretty amazing. And I appreciated her ability to keep several of my troops spellbound while she slurped up crickets. And then, of course, there was the photo op....I'm particularly pleased with this shot of Beans, poised and calm, looking at her own visage in the glass of the aquarium, prior to heading into the shrubs....
I call it 'Contemplative Sceloporus Olivaceus'....fitting, don't you think?
Your One Stop-Shop for Creepy, Crawly Things,
She sure is a pretty reptile my son would have loved to have one in his possession.We have some little lizards here and he is always trying to catch one to keep.We actually did get one a few days ago and the kids felt bad having it so they let it go after a few minutes of observation.I didn't touch it I don't really care for touching them I'm more of a toad/frog person.
ReplyDeleteI hate lizards with a purple passion. YUCK!!! I know they won't hurt me, but I just cannot stand them. Great photos by the way.
ReplyDeleteThat's great. My kids would love to see a lizard like that. I don't think they're too common in Ohio though. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI still miss Steve Irwin too. It's true that you're never really gone when you live on in people's hearts.
My homeschooled children are completely deprived of a life sciences education, short of anything they can learn on their own while outside. Bugs, lizards, etc., all give me the willies. Last week Larry took the kids to some sort of talk at a local national park and brought home pictures of some woman wearing a snake on her head and letting Rachel touch it; I'm still struggling with the temptation to delete these photos.
ReplyDeleteWell she IS a pretty lizard, but.... ewwww! We have a ton of lizards around here too, but they all make my toes curl. lol (I know, sissy girl syndrome. I don't run and hide or freak out though... like some sissy girls...er...upstanding ladies we know. *snicker*) I do love that reflection shot though. Your photography is awesome!!
ReplyDeleteDo you have all that lizard knowledge stored in your brain or did you have to read up on it? Very impressive! You were very brave for letting her into your home for a few days.
ReplyDeleteAhhhh...lizards. My son collects these little guys. I'm not as cool as you are, though, in letting them sleep over. And gardening skills? I have a hard enough time feeding and watering my kids. I want to be good at it. I also want a chicken like Martha Stewart. But the last thing I need around here is something else that poops.
ReplyDeleteSuch a pretty lizard! We don't set those in our yards down here!
ReplyDeleteWell that's it, it's official. You are a Way Better Mom than me. No-ho way would I be able to live through it. Even in the garage. Not even almost. :o)
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Whitney
I think the lizard likes the spider web Halloweeny stuff. What a fun experience for your kids. Although with a lizard that size roaming around my house, I would probably get a case of the heebie jeebies every time I stepped on the sidewalk!
ReplyDeleteWell, your shrubbery does look entirely healthier than your petunias, even with a case of the web blight.
ReplyDeleteMy aunt used to call me Petunia.
Happy critter-catching!
What a great post - entertaining AND educational! I had never heard of the terrible Mojave Green Snake. Glad you survived that early, hostile environment. :)
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. I don't like reptiles either. Yuck. Heebee jeebees. I lived in CA for a little while as a kid and they were all over the place. Including snakes. Reminds me... when Munchkin was little she called them "Wizards" :-)
ReplyDeleteOoh, I'm not a fan of reptiles either, but they are on earth for a purpose. I miss Steve Irwin also...what a great guy.
ReplyDeleteI have to say you are brave. I have NO love for retiles and scales.
ReplyDeleteSO sorry to be a bad influence with sugars and carbs. They are my favorite things. The recipe for the potatoes is on the Kraft website.
Oh no..I know my day is coming soon....my boys will want to bring these kind of things home!! Not looking forward to it..but hoping I will place my fears and unwilling heart aside in order for them to enjoy!
ReplyDeleteWHOOOOOOAAAAAAHHHHHHHH.
ReplyDeleteTHAT THING LOOKS HUGE!!
Oooohhh, that is cute, in a scaly-reptile sort of way. We've had lizards before and I loved having them. They were interesting. Now my oldest has a ball-python, if I could get past the fact they eat mice I would like it much better. I always tell the pet store people to please find me the most homely feeder mouse you have so I won't think it's cute and get attached.
ReplyDeleteMy son would have LOVED seeing a lizard like that!! Then he would have begged and pleaded to keep said creature and then his dad probably would have let him and then it would hae gotten loose in the house and the girls would be freaking out....boy I am glad that lizard was at your house and not mine!!
ReplyDeleteI am having a giveaway on my blog for some cute jewelry if you are interested go and check it out!!
Desert Yeti's unite! I lived in 29palms for 18 months, loved it! ( but never had a run in with any creepy crawly's just bats)
ReplyDeleteYou must be THE coolest Mom! Mine wouldn't have let me keep a lizard even for a day!....and i would have to think real hard with my kids LOL!!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos, hope she enjoys her weekend and didnt take too many towels in her case when she left!!
Oh-I love it! I have a thing for lizards! So neat that you let him experience the little sweetie for awhile! So cool looking!!
ReplyDeleteLizards... um. Not my favorite. My husband loves all things reptilian though, and I can handle snakes ok. But lizards are just a bit much for me...
ReplyDeleteGreat photos but yikes! I could not handle that. Maybe that is why God has given me girls to raise. No frogs, snakes or lizards.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE lizards and this one is especially awesome. I would have snuggled right up to that cutie pie.
ReplyDeleteWow that is a really cool looking lizard! All the lizards around here are very plain and boring looking
ReplyDeleteIt is kind of scary looking, but it's scales are really neat!
ReplyDeleteWell, we've done deer mice, tadpoles, and Monarchs. I don't think I could abide a reptile. (Even for the sake of education . . . ::shudder::)
ReplyDeleteme liking lizards not so much... however, this one is actually cute. well in your pics b/c if I came across it, I would probably scream.
ReplyDeletep.s. thanks for the post and compliment on double l's hair. first hair trim is coming up and I am so scared.
Fantastic photo! I bet 3 of 8 really enjoyed his weekend visitor!
ReplyDeleteYes, you are a brave soul. It was only when my E. moved out of our home that she expanded her menagerie. She has a corn snake that she feeds frozen mice (thawed) to once a week. Oh, and she has to put him in a special cage to eat, she has to watch to make sure he eats it all then put him back in the other cage. I know, an otherwise very bright almost college graduate and she loves snakes. shhhh!!! We won't tell 3 of 8 that one!
ReplyDeletemy kids would love that!! we found a frog in our yard this summer, that is as cool as it got!! but we did catch two racoon's too!!
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty and all but I've got to say "Ewww, gross!" I don't like anything that crawls, slithers, slurps or burps. Yuck!
ReplyDeleteGlad it's at your house and not mine! LOL!
If I don't get anything done again ever in my whole life (like laundry or cooking), I have you to blame. Cause you are so creative and a good writer to boot. But on top of that, I just sit here and stare at the pictures. These amazing pictures with the vivid colors. I just sit and sit. And sit...
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a pretty cool lizard. We get some pretty freaky lizards here in southern Florida as well. And I agree -- they're much happier out in the wild. :)
ReplyDeleteSaw one of these wild little guys in a nature center here in TX. :) They are cute. We love creepy crawlies.
ReplyDelete