So today was a bit traumatic. Lately we've been getting a lot of tiny lizards in the house. I don't want them getting eaten by the cats (or setting up camp in the house) so when we see one, we try to catch it and take it outside.
First off, their tails fall off really easily. And when they fall off? THEY START FLOPPING AROUND LIKE MAD. It's super creepy. Short little quarter inch tail just thrashing around like a fish out of water. HORRIFYING. I think I've finally gotten the hang of catching the little things and keeping their tails intact because that flopping tail is really traumatizing.
But if I thought flopping tails was bad, today was awful. I found a lizard stuck to a glue trap. (Our pest company put a few out to see what bugs they would collect in case they needed to change their treatment of our house.) It was still alive but the entire thing, including the side of its face, was stuck to the board.
Thanks to the internet, I figured out how to unstick it (olive oil and a plastic spatula, though the internet recommended a plastic spoon) so after a few minutes I got it free. It survived but was pretty wobbly so I don't think I can go so far as to say it was 'okay'. I got it set up outside in the front flower bed with some water and moistened cat food. (I have no idea what a tiny lizard would eat but it wasn't like I could catch a gnat for it so cat food it is.) Each time I checked on it, it was okay and still able to move around and then last time I looked (a few hours after releasing it) it was gone. So I'm going to cross my fingers that it's off living a happy lizard life. Though worst case scenario, it went somewhere and died, but it has to have been a better experience than dying trapped to a glue board.
So new house rule! No more glue boards!
It's so that whichever predator they're afraid of will be more interested in the shedded tail rather than the actual lizard.
ReplyDeleteWe once, at work, did some slides for someone who was doing a research project on the mechanism behind the actual releasing of the tail. You could see how they're attached to the lizard with a crown of little spikes. Looks sort of like the tail is just plugged in and not really a true part of the animal.
I actually figured that was why it flopped like mad which makes it a very good adaptation. But still super freaky when trying to rescue the darn things. And that crown of spiked bit is crazy fascinating. I have a feeling I'm going to spend too much time today Googling lizards now!
DeleteOh my, you took your cuttlefish to meet another cuttlefish. I hope they didn't charge you full admission, he's not that old! Would a broom and a dustpan catch your babies with our removing parts? And I hate to suggest this, but just smashing one caught in the sticky trap might be kindest, rather than having him scared and scarred by working on him and the putting him our in questionable condition. Nature includes that sort of thing. Love you lots, MIL
ReplyDeleteI am not a good insect killer at all and I dislike the fact that they exist. No way I could kill a lizard, an animal I actually like. Freeing him seemed to work fine and honestly, I think it best that he die outside if that's what was going to happen, not immobilized by a glue trap. However, since he had left his little comfy spot outside, I'm going to believe that he is off happily living his little lizard life.
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