Pet Dinosour
18Wednesday 27 May, 2015 by Uncle Spike
Local wildlife is never far away, and every day we see things walking, running, flying, crawling and slithering around the farm. It makes for a more interesting world, and keeps both the chooks and Bonzo the farm dog on constant alert.
How about this though…. one of the wee monsters who lives in my tool shed decided it was time for a photoshoot 🙂 Normally I’m just able to capture them by telephoto lens, as in a previous post, but these are real close ups this time!
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These wide-headed lizards are very active from April until November – often seen on the side of the garage, store shed, or sat on top of large rocks taking in the blistering summer heat. But they are also hunt. These guys are the ones who ate and flayed some month old chicks a couple of years back, so not always as cute as you might imagine.
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Kiddo loved it of course. He’s a dinosaur nut (as well as maths, Star Wars and Minecraft etc), and can name some 30 dinosaurs I think; so getting to touch and examine a real one up close and personal was a real hit.
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This was a special day – being able to capture the detail of this beautiful creature was quite a buzz for an amateur snapper like me 🙂
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Uncle Spike's Adventures 
The lizards we have here in TN are much smaller, thank goodness. They are interesting to watch though. When we were having a shop built above our house, there was a lizard that would sit on the house porch and watch what was going on, like he was really interested. One also figured out that horse flies would hit the big windows in the front of our house and stun themselves for a few seconds. He would sit out there just waiting to pounce when one hit the porch.
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They are quite cunning at times, and always fun to watch.
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He looks almost adorable on the last picture. I’m quite familiar withe them too and although I wouldn’t want one in my bed, as long as they live their quiet lives they don’t bother me. With your farming work I can see that they can turn into trouble makers.
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Only with tiny chicks, otherwise they do no damage and just provide daily entertainment!
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Good! 😊
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Those are fantastic photos. I can see why Mini Spike was so excited to see one up close.
I’m shocked however that these little guys will take down a baby chick. That’s just wrong! It’s a reminder that it’s a harsh world out there in nature.
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Mostly it’s the birds of prey who swipe them. Foxes always will, and even badgers…
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yikes creepy
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She’s got nice teeth!! (I think it’s a she.)
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Yes she has; clean too! She, hmm, never asked, sorry 🙂
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He’s adorable! Looks related to a bearded dragon or something. Lucky you!
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Could well be – similar structure and all that. We have them all over the place right now.
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Did you have to throw yourself upon it to catch it? I love the skin on it’s eyelids and it’s very moist looking pink tongue.
🙂 m & jb who thinks it would be quite fun to go after
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They are darned quick I can tell you, you so am I – years of practise catching flies from behind 🙂
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eeew gross. husband does that, too.
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We have summer lizards here also…the kids delight in them. So I KNOW that they short one who live with you was ecstatic! Is school out now? It is here…June through August.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
https://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/sherlock-boomer
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Another couple of weeks Linda (mid June to mid Sept)
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Gulp!
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