Identify that reptile/amphibian

Daddee · Posted: 5/27/2004, 1:18 pm Post subject: Identify that reptile/amphibian

I was just doing a random search to identify a rather large lizard I ran across last weekend, and I stumbled upon this website.

It's a pretty comprehensive list of reptile and amphibian species that you could encounter in Arizona - and the snakes list is especially impressive with the little scale-pattern graphic in the master list.

Just thought I'd pass it along to any who are as interested in this type of thing as I am.

Oh, and Hooli - I'll be bringing along the pelts and skins of any animals I use in my chili for the shindig. We'll have a little contest to see who can identify all the different types of meat I'll be using. Wacko

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paintninaz · Joined: 06 Jan 2003 Posts: 3515

That's a really cool website! Thanks. Agree

So what was the rather large lizard you ran across?
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Daddee · Posted: 5/27/2004, 2:16 pm Post subject:

It was a Desert Spiny Lizard. And a big one at that - easy 5 inches for the main body (not including tail).

Marci and I spent the weekend at the Boulders resort to celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary. It was great fun, that place is seriously cool. It is a desert paradise for the flora and fauna. I saw 3 different chuckwala "couples" - 2 BIG males, one medium sized male and 3 smaller females - they always were sunning themselves on rocks in male/female pairs - a behavior I had never seen before, usually they're sunning solo. There were also desert cottontails EVERYWHERE (with the golf course nearby it was bunny heaven), and there were quail everywhere as well. We also caught sight of a coyote and heard a bunch more. Plus there were numerous other lizards and birds (including one cardinal I spotted - a fairly rare sight for the Phoenix area). If I had been able to get out on the trails around the area I'm sure I would have spotted much more.

The fun part was that all the animals were quite used to a human presence so they didn't panic and run. They maintained a certain wariness - but you could get quite close. Some of the staff said that if you were real patient you could get the quail to eat out of your hand (obviously, some guests have done it enough that the quail are semi-trained).

The best stuff was offered through the spa though. One cool thing they offer is a "night tour" where they hand you a set of night-vision goggles and point you toward a trail for the night, I really wanted to do that. They also have guided moutain-bike, hiking and rock climbing specials (one of the spa packages includes biking or rock climbing followed by a massage and spa treatment - how cool would that be!?)

Anyway - overall a good weekend spent amongst the big boulders of Carefree. We're already saving up for next year.
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"Only small minds want always to be right."
- Louis XIV

"...haven't you lived long enough to know that two men may honestly differ about a question and both be right?"
- Abraham Lincoln

mike · What box? Joined: 30 Dec 2002 Posts: 3134

Did you see the coyote with the bum leg?
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evenstar · Joined: 03 Jan 2003 Posts: 5548 Location: SCW by way of CA

mike · What box? Joined: 30 Dec 2002 Posts: 3134

Daddee · Posted: 5/27/2004, 3:24 pm Post subject:

GTG · Posted: 5/27/2004, 3:52 pm Post subject: mmmmmmmmm

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... spiny lizard chtlins and gravy.

Bye y'all, I'm off. To Havasupai that is.
Goat

GTG
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Nighthiker · Joined: 05 Jan 2003 Posts: 1714

One time I dug a hole in my back yard and placed a five gallon bucket in the hole and backfilled to the lip in attempts at catching critters. I trapped a desert spiny lizard among others things. Reached down to pick it up. It was no longer trapped and I was now captured as it latched onto my hand between the forefinger and the thumb. Quite painfull. The spiny lizard "released me" after I laid on the ground and let all legs and the body of the lizard rest upon the ground. After letting me go it ambled off. Neat web site.

Daddee · Posted: 5/27/2004, 4:46 pm Post subject:

Yea, those suckers are mean tempered. I got a finger nice and chewed up by a collared lizard in the supes. Pretty big one. I didn't snag him quite close enough to the head and he wheeled around and lacerated my finger pretty good.
_________________
"Only small minds want always to be right."
- Louis XIV

"...haven't you lived long enough to know that two men may honestly differ about a question and both be right?"
- Abraham Lincoln

CatValet · Posted: 5/27/2004, 6:02 pm Post subject:

Daddee: Try real hard to get the hair out this time ok? I know it's hard, cause those big trucks smack 'em so flat, but it sure makes the chili tickle less in the throat. Thx-R

mike · What box? Joined: 30 Dec 2002 Posts: 3134

Since CV has steered the topic into yet another different direction altogether (YADDA), have any of y'all ever eaten roadkill?
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Hikngrl · Posted: 5/27/2004, 9:09 pm Post subject:

EEEEEWWWWW!
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samiam · Joined: 04 May 2004 Posts: 171 Location: Casagrande

Thats a great site,i finally identified the reptile i see out where i work by table top mt. Was a chuckwalla........i also see alot of deset iguannas
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