I have a little lizard friend that comes by my window and walks along the fence running the length of our home in Dallas.

Mock Chameleon

He’s a cute little guy – maybe 10 cm from nose to the end of his tail and is a khaki color.

When he sees me looking through the window, he starts showing off by forcing this rounded fan-like piece of skin out from his throat area. It turns a beautiful bright, ruby red color surrounded by sunshine yellow.

Now, I think he’s showing off to me. He’ll bob his head then thrust his beautiful fan out, walk a few inches and repeat, all the while peaking to see if I’m looking.

I think he thinks he’s a tough guy! LOL…

I don’t know if the showing off is because he feels threatened or he fancies me!

Today, just as I was telling my mother about him and describing what he does, he runs down the fence only to see me looking out the window again.

He stopped in his tracks and started his beautiful display. Just in time to accurately recount what was going on to my mother.

He came across a tree near the fence right outside my window that was about 1 foot away from him and he decided to really show off by jumping onto a limb for me to see.

This made him eye level with me and he continued to climb slowly, stopping and showing off.

The closer he got to green leaves, he turned a green color. As I wasn’t sure what kind of lizard he was, when he did this, it immediately hit me that he is a mock chameleon.

This does not mean he is actually a chameleon. He is a lizard that changes color like a chameleon.

Anyway, “Toughie” – this is what I’m calling him from now on, I enjoy our daily encounters and can’t wait to see him tomorrow.

He’s really got some personality! What a funny guy!

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I hope you enjoyed this Reptile post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Check out this great Field Guide for identifying all of the reptiles in Eastern & Central North America:

The Bartletts’ guide to the alligators, crocodiles, turtles, and lizards of eastern and central North America features all 207 species inhabiting the… The Bartletts’ guide to the alligators, crocodiles, turtles, and lizards of eastern and central North America features all 207 species inhabiting the region from west Texas, to western Manitoba, to the eastern seaboard. Each species account is accompanied by a color photo, distribution map, and description including appearance, behavior, range, habitat, and prey. Some introduced species covered in theiGuide/i, such as the large and predatory Nile monitor and spectacled caiman, illuminate ever-worsening environmental and ecological conditions, particularly in Florida and Texas.   This authoritative and user-friendly reference will appeal to hobbyists, amateur naturalists, biologists, and herpetologists seeking a focused, detailed, well-organized, and richly illustrated field guide. “The Bartletts have completed a monumental undertaking in compiling information on and photographing all the diverse amphibian and reptile taxa of eastern and central North America.”—Kevin M. Enge, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission “My choice as an effective primer for budding naturalists and young naturalists at heart wishing to become acquainted with this interesting segment of North America’s natural legacy.”—Walter Meshaka Jr., Section of Zoology and Biology, State Museum of Pennsylvania The Bartletts’ guide to the alligators, crocodiles, turtles, and lizards of eastern and central North America features all 207 species inhabiting the region from west Texas, to western Manitoba, to the eastern seaboard. Each species account is accompanied by a color photo, distribution map, and description including appearance, behavior, range, habitat, and prey. Some introduced species covered in theiGuide, such as the large and predatory Nile monitor and spectacled caiman, illuminate ever-worsening e

Technorati Tags: mock chameleon, chameleon, Texas lizards, lizards, cute lizards, North American animals, reptiles, Texas reptiles, Dallas lizards

Mock Chameleons in Texas is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Well, as we all know, TCU’s (Texas Christian University’s) mascot is the horny toad. Actually, it’s also called a horned lizard.

They are ridiculously adorable and are great, placid pets, that are even great with children.

The problem with the Texas horned lizard, native to Texas, is that their food supply is waning. Even as a lizard owner, it’s gotten tougher and tougher to find natural sources for their food.

What Do Horned Lizards Eat?
A typical horned lizard should eat between 20-100 harvester ants per day. This is necessary because harvester ants provide this horned lizard with the formic acid it needs to survive.

You’re thinking, “Well, just find some harvester ants outside and be done with it!”

Problem: Harvester ants have been displaced by the fire ant in Texas, especially Dallas. So, you need to be educated and knowledgeable when looking for harvester ant nests.

Also, you certainly don’t want to capture fire ants for 2 reasons:
1. Their bite can be very painful to a human and they can swarm you quickly.
2. Horny toads will eat a few, but can also be poisoned or get sick from the fire ants’ venom.

For more information on harvester ants, which may help you find a local, natural source for your lizard, check out Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_harvester_ant

If you’re not that “outdoorsy”, then feel free to order them online. You can often find them for about $0.02/ant when ordering 500 or more.

I’ve only rarely seen them available in local stores freeze dried, but they are more expensive for the amount of ants you get. Most local pet stores do not provide ants as a food source for these babies.

Of course, feeding your horned lizard live ants is best and more “natural” for them. Plus, it’s fun to see them in action catching them.

So, before you adopt a horned lizard, be sure you know where to get it’s food. Have fun!

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Iguania
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Genus: Phrynosoma
Species: P. cornutum

Conservation Status:
This species of lizard is not endangered! Yay world!!!

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I hope you enjoyed this Reptile post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. For more information on the red ants these horned creatures need and desire, check out this really helpful book:

The native red ants of Texas, favored prey of the endangered Texas horned lizard, are but one of many New World ants known as harvesters. The two genera Pogonom The native red ants of Texas, favored prey of the endangered Texas horned lizard, are but one of many New World ants known as harvesters. The two genera Pogonomyrmex and Ephebomyrmex range from southern Canada to southern Argentina and the western half of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (Haiti).PHarvester ants are generally noted for their habit of building large gravel mounds in the center of huge clearings, for harvesting the grain of favorite grasses, and for their fiery stings. Some early naturalists believed that harvesters planted their favored grasses around their mounds — a claim that, though mistaken, could be imagined to be true of these well-organized, highly social insects. Two hundred years of study are summarized in this volume, which covers all aspects of the lives of the harvester ants.PThe book begins with the mythology and folklore surrounding the harvester ants of the Southwest and Mexico: the Aztecs believed that the red harvester brought corn to humankind, and Native Americans of the southwestern deserts invoked special rituals to placate the ants when their mounds were disturbed. Following sections describe the ants’ evolution, distribution, nest structure, habits, foods, predators and cohabitors, defenses, chemistry and communication, and sex life. The final chapter considers the ants’ interaction with humans, including its perception as a pest and the history of pesticide use.PAppendixes give the scientific and common names of each harvester ant species, explain how to identify harvesters without technical devices, and provide a complete key to all sixty species. The key is supplemented by illustrations and distribution maps for every species. Anextensive bibliography and a detailed index are included.PThis beautifully illustrated book will serve as both a general guide to harvester ants for the lay audience and a quick, accurate, and inclusive reference for scientists.

Technorati Tags: horny toad, horned lizard, Texas horned lizard, horned frogs, lizards, reptiles, herpetology, harvester ants, fire ants, reptile care

Keeping a Horny Toad as a Pet in Dallas is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Hawksbill Turtles are regulars on the Great Barrier Reef, as they prefer shallow water or lagoons.

The Hawksbill is a Critically Endangered Animal!

They are easily distinguishable by their sharply curved beak, which resembles like a hawk’s bill.

They glide through the water with effortless ease. Check out this great video of a Hawksbill Turtle on the Great Barrier Reef:

Their preferred food source are sea sponges, which makes them unique in that they are one of the few animals with the ability to eat siliceous organisms. Plus, many of the sea sponges they venture to feed on are extremely toxic and lethal to other animals.

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Testudines
Family: Cheloniidae
Genus: Eretmochelys
Species: E. imbricata

These turtles have been hunted in Asia fervently for their meat, as well as their shell for decorative purposes. Today, it is illegal to capture or trade the animal or parts of the Hawksbill turtle.

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I hope you enjoyed this Sea Turtle post on Exotic Animal Lover during Great Barrier Reef Month! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Please be sure to Vote for Me to win the Dream Job of Caretaker of Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia:

Vote 5-Stars for Kimberly!

Technorati Tags: Hawksbill turtle, turtles, sea turtles, endangered animals, Australia animals, Great Barrier Reef, reptiles

Hawksbill Turtles are Regulars on the Great Barrier Reef is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Northern Australia has the largest population of “Salties” in Australia.

The Great Barrier Reef is no exception, although you may be shocked to see one swimming in the ocean…Well, that’s why they’re called saltwater crocodiles. Plus, there’s plenty of food out there for them.

In fact, according to WWF, it has unique habitats and breeding sites for the saltwater crocodile.

I found this short video showing a saltwater crocodile that caught a large turtle on the shores of an island in the Great Barrier Reef:

I’ve been to the Northern Territory of Australia and I can truly vouch for the large number of crocodiles there…and really large ones at that! So, I guess it would make sense that they would be present off the Northern coast of Queensland as well!

When in the water, always be aware of what’s going on around you…Be alert and smart about your actions.

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I hope you enjoy this Australian Reptile post on Exotic Animal Lover during Great Barrier Reef Month! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Please be sure to Vote for Me to win the Dream Job of Caretaker of Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia:

Vote 5-Stars for Kimberly!

Technorati Tags: saltwater crocodile, crocodile, salties, Australian animals, Australian reptiles, reptiles, crocs, marine animals

Saltwater Crocodiles on the Great Barrier Reef? is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

If you’ve never actually seen video of the sea snake, or seen them in person, then describing them leaves something to the imagination.

They are not built like normal snakes in that their tail is flattened and shaped like a rudder to help propel them through the water.

It is said that these sea reptiles are among the most venomous creatures in the world. Sea snake venom is absolutely deadly!

They are, as you can see, alive and well on the Great Barrier Reef:

However, it is also said that their mouths don’t open wide enough to really get a chance to injure humans, unless they bite your toes or fingers.

I’ve actually seen sea snakes in Shark Bay off of Western Australia, and our tour guide jumped into the water to grab it to be sure we got a chance to see it. That tour guide was a trained professional and I recommend that NO ONE try this on their own.

The main reason being they’re deadly…”But you say they can’t bite us!”…Au contraire…

A sea snake, many years ago in Shark Bay, was caught accidentally by nets or something of that sort, and it had a huge bulge in it’s belly.

When dissected to figure out what was going on, it had a whole fish in it’s belly…Proof that their mouths can open wider than what people may think! Be very careful!

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Elapidae

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I hope you enjoyed this Australian Reptile post on Exotic Animal Lover on Great Barrier Reef Month! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Please be sure to Vote for Me to win the Dream Job of Caretaker of Hamilton Island in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia:

Vote 5-Stars for Kimberly!

Technorati Tags: Australian reptile, sea reptile, reptile, Australian animal, Great Barrier Reef, sea snakes, sea snake, snake, venomous animals

Sea Snake of the Great Barrier Reef is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Although they’re so large for a marine reptile, they glide through the waters of the world as weightless and elegant as ballerinas!

Their shells are a reddish brown and skin is yellowish brown.

They like to eat mollusks, fish, jellyfish, crustaceans including crab, shrimp and the Portuguese Man O’ War…It is one of the only animals in the world that is immune to the man o’ war’s toxin.

What’s Cool About Them?
Female Loggerheads will go back to the same beach where they were born and lay their clutch there. Neat!

Also, most Loggerheads that actually reach adulthood will live for longer than 30 years and some up to almost 200 years! Wow…That’s amazing! There are some Loggerheads out there that were born in 1811.

Conservation Status:
Unfortunately, the Loggerhead Sea Turtle is Endangered!

Why?
They were once hunted for their meat and eggs to eat, their fat for cosmeceuticals, and their shell to make combs and trinkets, but less of this is going on nowadays.

However, shrimp and crab trawling nets are the main danger that puts the Loggerhead turtle in peril!

Furthermore, they are getting hit, more and more, by speedboat propellers in recreation areas, and they’re swallowing fish hooks left in the water and causing them pain and could cause internal problems or prevent them from being able to eat!

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Sauropsida
Subclass: Anapsida
Order: Testudines
Family: Cheloniidae
Genus: Caretta
Species: C. caretta

If you’re interested in helping to save Loggerhead Sea Turtles, check out SaveSeaTurtles.org.

Be sure to check out how to Adopt a Sea Turtle!

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I hope you enjoy this Turtle post on Exotic Animal Lover during Great Barrier Reef Month! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Get a medium Loggerhead Turtle model…Great to educate children about the importance of animals and instill a love for them:

Medium Loggerhead Turtle Model Medium Loggerhead Turtle Model

Technorati Tags: Loggerhead turtle, Loggerhead, turtle, reptile, marine animal, Australian animals, animal of Great Barrier Reef, Great Barrier Reef

Loggerhead Sea Turtles are Endangered! is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Exotic Animal Newsflash:

As of yesterday, January 18th, 2009, the leatherback sea turtle has been moved to the critically endangered list from being only a vulnerable species in Australia.

Photo left: baby leatherback sea turtle

The leatherback sea turtle is the fourth largest reptilians in the world behind 3 crocodilians.

What is most sad about this fact, is that the leatherback is the only species of animal in the genus Dermochelys. Once they’re gone, there’s none left! NONE!

Why Are They In Peril?
Because the eggs and meat are being harvested in waters outside of Australia, which is causing this animal to seriously decline in numbers.

What’s cool about the leatherback is that it doesn’t have a bony shell, it’s covered by skin and oily flesh. That’s why it’s called the leatherback.

Adults are between 1-2 meters long, and weigh anywhere from 250-700 kg! Wow! That’s huge!

The largest one ever recorded was 3 meters long and 916 kg! Crazy huge!

The interesting thing about this turtle is that it has a huge chance of survival as it can inhabit most of the waters on the planet.

It goes to show you what a state our planet is in if they are suffering to such a degree for survival!

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I hope you find this Turtle post informative on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. To find out more about the Threat to the Leatherback Turtle, check out this book:

Threat to the Leatherback Turtle $25.06

Technorati Tags: leatherback sea turtle, sea turtle, turtle, leatherback turtle, endangered animals, endangered species, animal news

Leatherback Sea Turtle Placed on Endangered List is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

Not only for it’s picturesque landscapes, mountains, green valleys, and fantastic ocean views, but why else?…

For it’s amazing fauna!

As you know, I love animals, and where else would I go in New Zealand, but where the cool animals are!

I go where the animals live…That’s what I want to see most when I travel.

New Zealand has so many unique animals that are native to this country and found nowhere else on the planet…similar to how Australia has their unique species found no other place either.

Well, NZ is the seabird capital of the world, first of all and boasts two native flightless birds. One of them is the only flightless parrot, the kakapo, which is critically endangered. The other is the kiwi, which just happens to have nostrils at the end of it’s beak.

The only native land mammals in New Zealand are bats: the long-tailed bat and the short-tailed bat.

What else? Well, the tuatara is a lizard only found in New Zealand…How cool is that?

I’d love to visit Christchurch, Stewart Island (the most Southern part of NZ), the Southern Alps and Abel Tasman National Park of the Southern Island, Auckland, Tauranga, Aoraki/Mount Cook, and as many tiny surrounding islands as I could to see the amazing wildlife!

I would want to do a little bit of snorkeling and diving, of course!

What a world of adventure!

It would be an awesome thing to have the ability to be a full-time travel blogger and bring you fantastic posts about the world’s wildlife from all over the planet!

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I hope you enjoyed this post on Animals of the World???? ??? ???? on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. If you have ever wanted to migrate, live, work or invest in New Zealand the smart way, find out how to here:

Live in New Zealand

P.P.S. Be sure to Subscribe to this Blog!

Technorati Tags: New Zealand, tuatara, exotic animals, kiwi, kakapo, parrots, seabirds, Auckland, animals in New Zealand, bats

New Zealand has Amazing Animals is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

“Black, yellow, red – Watch where you tread!”

If you encounter a snake that is black, yellow and red in color, it could be poisonous or not, but the way to figure it out and quickly is to look at it’s patterning.

If the order of the colors goes black, yellow to red, in any direction, then it is certainly a poisonous snake – like a coral snake (photo above). Leave it alone and evacuate the area.

If the colors are different such as yellow, black then red, it’s a harmless snake, such as the milk snake.

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I hope you find this Snake post helpful on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Please be sure to Subscribe to this Blog.

Technorati Tags: snakes, venomous snakes, poisonous snakes, coral snake, king snake, milk snake, reptiles, snake tips

Black, Yellow, Red – Watch Where You Tread is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover

My husband slid a sandal over to it, and it moved. I told my husband not to disturb it in case it scurries off, then you won’t know where it went to.

Knowing that this was not something we wanted to take of directly, I told my husband to call animal control immediately.

Of course, with stubbornness in tow, my husband approaches the snake after a few minutes and picks it up…

What a BRAT! It was a rubber snake…

I was amazed at how life-like it looked as it was brown with muddled markings and slightly shiny sitting in an even more life-like position.

I guess it is a toy for their dog, and a trick for unsuspecting guests…LOL

It wasn’t an impossibility, as this snake was of a small size, brown markings and indicative of a snake that could be in these surroundings…

They live in a suburb only about 1-2 yrs old with a creek and wooded area in the back of their property.

Sheesh…Never do that at home where you would go to the snake to disturb it or pick it up, especially if you have never handled snakes before and don’t know what kind of snake it is.

Come to find out later that they have actually seen snakes like this in their gardens, both brown and green of the same size and shape.

It is ALWAYS better to let professionals take care of snakes, especially in the Southern United States, as there are a number of venomous snakes that habitate these parts…

Call in animal control or similar entity to take care of your problem. Make sure you keep all of your pets away from the reptile too!

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I hope you enjoyed this Snake post on Exotic Animal Lover! Until next time…

Live Exotically,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. Find out more about Texas Snakes here:

Texas Snakes: Identification, Distribution, and Natural History $50.70

Technorati Tags: snakes, brown snake, Texas snakes, reptiles, snake

Snakes in Texas is a post from: Exotic Animal Lover