the ranger

I've posted in the past about the duet southern alligator* lizards
I've been housing for the inherent teaching opportunities both
have made available.

I cleaned their habitat the other day and moved the two warming
rocks side-by-side since both lizards are *almost* inseparable
since the seasonal change to cooler weather.

I've learned a new fact thanks to the male's need to explore.
Alligator lizards are natural climbers. He not only scaled the
power cords without effort, he marched himself across the screen
top and stayed there for over two hours hanging upside-down. (If I
had a camera that didn't wash out the image -- or better
technique -- I would post it.)

While watching him during that two hours, I saw him nimbly scurry
back and forth across the screen cover and test multiple points
with his nose to see just how heavy it was. I'm thankful I had the
foresight to set objects on the four corners because a loose
lizard in my house would be upsetting to my wife -- SWMBO -- and
add a level of unnecessary excitement to my Real Life®.

Anyhow, it was a fun observation on my part.

* Elgaria multicarinata (Gerrhonotus multicarinatus)

The Ranger