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Posted: 6/20/2016 1:31:11 AM EDT
So, I had the garage cleaned out and my lovely wife filled one side completely with boxes of stuff.
I start finding these little turds, too small for the cat, too big for any pest I'd dealt with before. I walk out this am, and see one of these black striped lizards, I think they're called a five lined skink. It's just the biggest damn one I've ever seen, and FAT. Looked to be about a foot long, Bing says they usually top out at 8 inches or so. I startled it, it ran from the wall headfirst into my car's tire, bounced off and looked straight at me, then under the car it went. My first thought, baby Komodo dragon....... Apparently guard skink's been living large, with a safe place to hang out and a steady food supply. Have noticed less bugs in the garage, and I've long suspected the house gets most of the one's we see from the garage. So, other than the turds, any downside? |
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I have skinks in my garage and back yard. They help keep the bugs in check. No downside that I can tell. A few have gotten rather big but no where as big as the one you describe. Some have purple stripes some have orange coloring, I have no idea what their species is.
My problem is people's pet cats that they let roam, they try to kill my skinks. |
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Had one inside my home, it was beautiful. Had blue and orange hues and sharp whitish stripes. I let it be for the longest time but my wife poisoned it with roach spray by mistake.....
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Nope, leave it alone. They're harmless to you. Although 12" is bigger than any five lined skink I've seen in my neck of the woods...most are 5-8" or so.
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I used to hike in about 500 acres of old growth timber and their was some lizards that looked like skinks, but were brown and orange.. Some were a foot long, or a little more. Timber got cut and I have never seen them since. Probably two inches wide at the widest, They would sun on rocks near the creeks in that area.
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They are pretty cool lizards, and fast. Chased one into Lake Powell a couple weeks ago. They aren't so fast after swimming in 60' water After I caught him, it took him 5=10 min to warm in the sun to take off again. We have a few around here. The spiny lizards are the ones that get fat around here.
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They are pretty cool lizards, and fast. Chased one into Lake Powell a couple weeks ago. They aren't so fast after swimming in 60' water After I caught him, it took him 5=10 min to warm in the sun to take off again. We have a few around here. The spiny lizards are the ones that get fat around here. View Quote This thing hauled ass, for being so big. Clumsy, though. Huge body, stubbly little legs, it was almost like watching a snake flop around. Got the 20 lb cat vibe........ I figure he's keeping the garage pest free, I'll just pick up the little turds. |
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Might have to give the wife a heads up.
If she sees this thing I'll be collecting insurance money. |
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That big and I'm saying you have a female broad headed skink rather than the much smaller 5 line.
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I did an image search of broad head skink, and that matches up pretty well with what I used to see.
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Nice!
Everyone should have a Guard skink. Do the critter a favor, and dont use any Pyrethoid or pyrethrum based bug killer around the AO. The stuff is hell on Amphibians and Reptiles...as well as Fish. No Skinks up here. We do have Guard Sticky Frogs. Little bastards thump bugs on the windows, and leave little frog terds on the sills all night, then hide all day while chirping and making a rackett. Leave a pie tin with some meal worms out now and then, along with a note to hide from the wife. They can't read for shit, but when the wife freaks out, you can say you tried. |
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I don't put out bug killer at all now in difference to the skinks. They keep the bug population down without any help.
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Nice! Everyone should have a Guard skink. Do the critter a favor, and dont use any Pyrethoid or pyrethrum based bug killer around the AO. The stuff is hell on Amphibians and Reptiles...as well as Fish. No Skinks up here. We do have Guard Sticky Frogs. Little bastards thump bugs on the windows, and leave little frog terds on the sills all night, then hide all day while chirping and making a rackett. Leave a pie tin with some meal worms out now and then, along with a note to hide from the wife. They can't read for shit, but when the wife freaks out, you can say you tried. View Quote I was on the road working years back, she was in FL, I was in LA. I got a call around 9 pm one night..... "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGARBLESHLUMP RASSLINGRAFFLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I immediately was dancing on the ceiling from the adrenaline dump. It went on for about 10-15 sec with her screaming, crying and sounding for the world like she was being raped, dismembered, etc......until I recognized one word. RalfsuffreachgulbertLIZARDcurtsualt......................... "Waitaminit, calm down, stop screaming, did you say LIZARD?" The cat got a small lizard, no idea what kind, brought it into the house. She's standing on the coffee table, screaming and crying like she's on fire, calling me, two states away, wanting me to come home right now and get the lizard out of the house. After I stopped laughing, (it took a bit).......... I suggested she call the neighbor and ask her to come over and shoo the thing out with a broom. After explaining they were harmless, unsuccessfully, apparently..... |
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Female broad headed looks like a super sized 5 line and are native everywhere in Alabama http://cache2.asset-cache.net/gc/83422202-female-broad-headed-skink-florida-usa-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=%2FaGS6UKUbvpGeUHofNzZKXx0wwUZQqOXeiZj4H8KJCB9fBK75y85XEEk7wjizdcF View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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That big and I'm saying you have a female broad headed skink rather than the much smaller 5 line. It was dark colored with lines running the length of the body. That seems to match 5 line, and Alabama. Though it could be something else, I'm no expert. Female broad headed looks like a super sized 5 line and are native everywhere in Alabama http://cache2.asset-cache.net/gc/83422202-female-broad-headed-skink-florida-usa-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=%2FaGS6UKUbvpGeUHofNzZKXx0wwUZQqOXeiZj4H8KJCB9fBK75y85XEEk7wjizdcF That could be it. |
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Back when I lived in a pretty shitty apartment in college, we had a guard skank. But that sounds different than what you've got.
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I was on the road working years back, she was in FL, I was in LA. I got a call around 9 pm one night..... "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGARBLESHLUMP RASSLINGRAFFLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I immediately was dancing on the ceiling from the adrenaline dump. It went on for about 10-15 sec with her screaming, crying and sounding for the world like she was being raped, dismembered, etc......until I recognized one word. RalfsuffreachgulbertLIZARDcurtsualt......................... "Waitaminit, calm down, stop screaming, did you say LIZARD?" The cat got a small lizard, no idea what kind, brought it into the house. She's standing on the coffee table, screaming and crying like she's on fire, calling me, two states away, wanting me to come home right now and get the lizard out of the house. After I stopped laughing, (it took a bit).......... I suggested she call the neighbor and ask her to come over and shoo the thing out with a broom. After explaining they were harmless, unsuccessfully, apparently..... View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Nice! Everyone should have a Guard skink. Do the critter a favor, and dont use any Pyrethoid or pyrethrum based bug killer around the AO. The stuff is hell on Amphibians and Reptiles...as well as Fish. No Skinks up here. We do have Guard Sticky Frogs. Little bastards thump bugs on the windows, and leave little frog terds on the sills all night, then hide all day while chirping and making a rackett. Leave a pie tin with some meal worms out now and then, along with a note to hide from the wife. They can't read for shit, but when the wife freaks out, you can say you tried. I was on the road working years back, she was in FL, I was in LA. I got a call around 9 pm one night..... "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGARBLESHLUMP RASSLINGRAFFLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I immediately was dancing on the ceiling from the adrenaline dump. It went on for about 10-15 sec with her screaming, crying and sounding for the world like she was being raped, dismembered, etc......until I recognized one word. RalfsuffreachgulbertLIZARDcurtsualt......................... "Waitaminit, calm down, stop screaming, did you say LIZARD?" The cat got a small lizard, no idea what kind, brought it into the house. She's standing on the coffee table, screaming and crying like she's on fire, calling me, two states away, wanting me to come home right now and get the lizard out of the house. After I stopped laughing, (it took a bit).......... I suggested she call the neighbor and ask her to come over and shoo the thing out with a broom. After explaining they were harmless, unsuccessfully, apparently..... Possibly explaining that the Guard Skink, is the natural enemy of Brown Recluse spiders, Centipedes, and every other six legged vermin, might help....probably not. Good luck man. |
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Had a pair of them live in an old termite infested stump behind my parents house. Seemed like I saw the same 2 for a few years consecutively. Great big fat bastards with stumpy tails. Brown with orangey heads. Friendly little fellas that weren't too scared of people.
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Don't try and catch them with your hands, they'll shuck their tail and run away with you holding their twitching appendage.
Kinda wigged me out as a kid the first time I saw it. |
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Quoted:
I was on the road working years back, she was in FL, I was in LA. I got a call around 9 pm one night..... "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGARBLESHLUMP RASSLINGRAFFLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I immediately was dancing on the ceiling from the adrenaline dump. It went on for about 10-15 sec with her screaming, crying and sounding for the world like she was being raped, dismembered, etc......until I recognized one word. RalfsuffreachgulbertLIZARDcurtsualt......................... "Waitaminit, calm down, stop screaming, did you say LIZARD?" The cat got a small lizard, no idea what kind, brought it into the house. She's standing on the coffee table, screaming and crying like she's on fire, calling me, two states away, wanting me to come home right now and get the lizard out of the house. After I stopped laughing, (it took a bit).......... I suggested she call the neighbor and ask her to come over and shoo the thing out with a broom. After explaining they were harmless, unsuccessfully, apparently..... View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Nice! Everyone should have a Guard skink. Do the critter a favor, and dont use any Pyrethoid or pyrethrum based bug killer around the AO. The stuff is hell on Amphibians and Reptiles...as well as Fish. No Skinks up here. We do have Guard Sticky Frogs. Little bastards thump bugs on the windows, and leave little frog terds on the sills all night, then hide all day while chirping and making a rackett. Leave a pie tin with some meal worms out now and then, along with a note to hide from the wife. They can't read for shit, but when the wife freaks out, you can say you tried. I was on the road working years back, she was in FL, I was in LA. I got a call around 9 pm one night..... "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGARBLESHLUMP RASSLINGRAFFLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I immediately was dancing on the ceiling from the adrenaline dump. It went on for about 10-15 sec with her screaming, crying and sounding for the world like she was being raped, dismembered, etc......until I recognized one word. RalfsuffreachgulbertLIZARDcurtsualt......................... "Waitaminit, calm down, stop screaming, did you say LIZARD?" The cat got a small lizard, no idea what kind, brought it into the house. She's standing on the coffee table, screaming and crying like she's on fire, calling me, two states away, wanting me to come home right now and get the lizard out of the house. After I stopped laughing, (it took a bit).......... I suggested she call the neighbor and ask her to come over and shoo the thing out with a broom. After explaining they were harmless, unsuccessfully, apparently..... Beat her. Show her that skinks are beneath her notice on the scale of scary shit. She only does that because she thinks she can get away with it. |
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Female broad headed looks like a super sized 5 line and are native everywhere in Alabama http://cache2.asset-cache.net/gc/83422202-female-broad-headed-skink-florida-usa-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=%2FaGS6UKUbvpGeUHofNzZKXx0wwUZQqOXeiZj4H8KJCB9fBK75y85XEEk7wjizdcF View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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That big and I'm saying you have a female broad headed skink rather than the much smaller 5 line. It was dark colored with lines running the length of the body. That seems to match 5 line, and Alabama. Though it could be something else, I'm no expert. Female broad headed looks like a super sized 5 line and are native everywhere in Alabama http://cache2.asset-cache.net/gc/83422202-female-broad-headed-skink-florida-usa-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=%2FaGS6UKUbvpGeUHofNzZKXx0wwUZQqOXeiZj4H8KJCB9fBK75y85XEEk7wjizdcF She's definitely not guilty.... See above. |
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well, we all know on ARFCOM, 12" is actually closer to 5" in fact, right?
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Quoted: Beat her. Show her that skinks are beneath her notice on the scale of scary shit. She only does that because she thinks she can get away with it. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Nice! Everyone should have a Guard skink. Do the critter a favor, and dont use any Pyrethoid or pyrethrum based bug killer around the AO. The stuff is hell on Amphibians and Reptiles...as well as Fish. No Skinks up here. We do have Guard Sticky Frogs. Little bastards thump bugs on the windows, and leave little frog terds on the sills all night, then hide all day while chirping and making a rackett. Leave a pie tin with some meal worms out now and then, along with a note to hide from the wife. They can't read for shit, but when the wife freaks out, you can say you tried. I was on the road working years back, she was in FL, I was in LA. I got a call around 9 pm one night..... "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGARBLESHLUMP RASSLINGRAFFLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I immediately was dancing on the ceiling from the adrenaline dump. It went on for about 10-15 sec with her screaming, crying and sounding for the world like she was being raped, dismembered, etc......until I recognized one word. RalfsuffreachgulbertLIZARDcurtsualt......................... "Waitaminit, calm down, stop screaming, did you say LIZARD?" The cat got a small lizard, no idea what kind, brought it into the house. She's standing on the coffee table, screaming and crying like she's on fire, calling me, two states away, wanting me to come home right now and get the lizard out of the house. After I stopped laughing, (it took a bit).......... I suggested she call the neighbor and ask her to come over and shoo the thing out with a broom. After explaining they were harmless, unsuccessfully, apparently..... Beat her. Show her that skinks are beneath her notice on the scale of scary shit. She only does that because she thinks she can get away with it. |
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we had a lizard a few years ago that lived under my deck and made it his job to escort my daughter around when she went out the back door.
it was pretty funny to watch; the lizard would stop when she stopped, then pick back up like a dog at heel. |
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Not to hijack the thread.
Ex MIL was telling her church friends about all skinks we have in the back yard. Only problems she kept saying SKANKS. I spit my drink across the living room and the wife unit had to leave the room. |
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Quoted: Nice! Everyone should have a Guard skink. Do the critter a favor, and dont use any Pyrethoid or pyrethrum based bug killer around the AO. The stuff is hell on Amphibians and Reptiles...as well as Fish. No Skinks up here. We do have Guard Sticky Frogs. Little bastards thump bugs on the windows, and leave little frog terds on the sills all night, then hide all day while chirping and making a rackett. Leave a pie tin with some meal worms out now and then, along with a note to hide from the wife. They can't read for shit, but when the wife freaks out, you can say you tried. View Quote The only thing I'd be worried about with a skink that size in the garage is it getting stuck somewhere, or up in the car and dying making a skink stink. I would prefer inert turds over cobwebs and insect husks that spiders leave all over the place. |
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Nice! Everyone should have a Guard skink. Do the critter a favor, and dont use any Pyrethoid or pyrethrum based bug killer around the AO. The stuff is hell on Amphibians and Reptiles...as well as Fish. No Skinks up here. We do have Guard Sticky Frogs. Little bastards thump bugs on the windows, and leave little frog terds on the sills all night, then hide all day while chirping and making a rackett. Leave a pie tin with some meal worms out now and then, along with a note to hide from the wife. They can't read for shit, but when the wife freaks out, you can say you tried. I was on the road working years back, she was in FL, I was in LA. I got a call around 9 pm one night..... "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGARBLESHLUMP RASSLINGRAFFLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I immediately was dancing on the ceiling from the adrenaline dump. It went on for about 10-15 sec with her screaming, crying and sounding for the world like she was being raped, dismembered, etc......until I recognized one word. RalfsuffreachgulbertLIZARDcurtsualt......................... "Waitaminit, calm down, stop screaming, did you say LIZARD?" The cat got a small lizard, no idea what kind, brought it into the house. She's standing on the coffee table, screaming and crying like she's on fire, calling me, two states away, wanting me to come home right now and get the lizard out of the house. After I stopped laughing, (it took a bit).......... I suggested she call the neighbor and ask her to come over and shoo the thing out with a broom. After explaining they were harmless, unsuccessfully, apparently..... Beat her. Show her that skinks are beneath her notice on the scale of scary shit. She only does that because she thinks she can get away with it. yes it did |
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I've got one under the washer that's been on guard for about 5-6 years . It's at least 8 inches long and and an inch in dia. It scares the hell out of visitors that think it's a snake. Garage is bug free, but skink pellets are common.
Other than a blur when it runs by from time to time, and the pellets, it's been no problem. |
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So long as you don't grab them by the tail that usually won't happen. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Don't try and catch them with your hands, they'll shuck their tail and run away with you holding their twitching appendage. Kinda wigged me out as a kid the first time I saw it. So long as you don't grab them by the tail that usually won't happen. The thing is pretty much a tail with legs. Interesting that they can regrow their tails. |
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Beat her. Show her that skinks are beneath her notice on the scale of scary shit. She only does that because she thinks she can get away with it. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Nice! Everyone should have a Guard skink. Do the critter a favor, and dont use any Pyrethoid or pyrethrum based bug killer around the AO. The stuff is hell on Amphibians and Reptiles...as well as Fish. No Skinks up here. We do have Guard Sticky Frogs. Little bastards thump bugs on the windows, and leave little frog terds on the sills all night, then hide all day while chirping and making a rackett. Leave a pie tin with some meal worms out now and then, along with a note to hide from the wife. They can't read for shit, but when the wife freaks out, you can say you tried. I was on the road working years back, she was in FL, I was in LA. I got a call around 9 pm one night..... "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGARBLESHLUMP RASSLINGRAFFLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I immediately was dancing on the ceiling from the adrenaline dump. It went on for about 10-15 sec with her screaming, crying and sounding for the world like she was being raped, dismembered, etc......until I recognized one word. RalfsuffreachgulbertLIZARDcurtsualt......................... "Waitaminit, calm down, stop screaming, did you say LIZARD?" The cat got a small lizard, no idea what kind, brought it into the house. She's standing on the coffee table, screaming and crying like she's on fire, calling me, two states away, wanting me to come home right now and get the lizard out of the house. After I stopped laughing, (it took a bit).......... I suggested she call the neighbor and ask her to come over and shoo the thing out with a broom. After explaining they were harmless, unsuccessfully, apparently..... Beat her. Show her that skinks are beneath her notice on the scale of scary shit. She only does that because she thinks she can get away with it. She's faced down a wigged out crackhead, unarmed, at work. Now a lizard, on the other hand............ I love my wife....... I love my wife....... |
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She's definitely not guilty.... See above. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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That big and I'm saying you have a female broad headed skink rather than the much smaller 5 line. It was dark colored with lines running the length of the body. That seems to match 5 line, and Alabama. Though it could be something else, I'm no expert. Female broad headed looks like a super sized 5 line and are native everywhere in Alabama http://cache2.asset-cache.net/gc/83422202-female-broad-headed-skink-florida-usa-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=%2FaGS6UKUbvpGeUHofNzZKXx0wwUZQqOXeiZj4H8KJCB9fBK75y85XEEk7wjizdcF She's definitely not guilty.... See above. |
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I this your guy? http://previews.123rf.com/images/epantha/epantha1005/epantha100500002/6917825-Juvenile-Broad-Headed-Skink-Plestiodon-laticeps-isolated-on-white-background--Stock-Photo.jpg View Quote It was dark officer, and it all happened so fast......... |
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