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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2007 : 21:45:12 [Permalink]
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Yep, I was going to say, Dave, I know skinks live around these parts. You discovered that already though, I see. I've only seen one in all my time living here, and it must have been a juvenile since what I remember most was the bright blue tail.
I didn't step on the one I saw, though.  |
"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
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"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
| Edited by - H. Humbert on 04/14/2007 21:47:33 |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 04/14/2007 : 21:58:29 [Permalink]
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These skinks are very common throughout the South East, and there are some myths about them. The main one, although I haven't heard it for a long time, is that the tail is venomous. One story is that someone once caught one and it's tail broke off in his hand. It thrashed around in his palm, stabbing him several times, ultimatly killing him while the now tail-less lizard scuttled away unfazed.
Pretty, little guys though aren't they, especally the juveniles.
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Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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| Edited by - filthy on 04/14/2007 22:12:07 |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2007 : 22:01:40 [Permalink]
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And I didn't see the one I stepped on... until much later.
Maybe I can soothe my conscience by telling myself it was dead already, which is why I managed to step on it in the first place.
Good thing I've got lots of vinyl gloves for treating the psoriasis on my hands. I don't think I would have touched it if I didn't have the gloves available. It would have remained a UDL (unidentified dead lizard) forever. Of course, there probably aren't a lot of lizard diseases I could catch through non-fliud contact, anyway, so I was probably over-cautious. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2007 : 22:08:05 [Permalink]
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That first page I linked to has this to say:Many lizards, including the Green Anole, Brown Anole, Southeastern Five-lined Skink. and Indo-pacific Gecko, can cast off their tails at will when threatened or molested. The tail "piece" continues to wiggle (twitch), attracting the attention of prey such as birds or cats, while the lizard flees to safety. This is possible because of a single natural weak point in the vertebrae of the tail and a muscle arrangement at that point designed for separation. The lizard can regenerate a new tail, but it is cartilage and has no bones. It grows back slowly and frequently "stubby" lizards are observed. The new tail does not get the stripes, colors or other markings of the original and usually appears dark grayish. This new tail can be dropped off repeatedly. Skinks and geckos are especially quick to discard their tails. I didn't know about the weak point in the vertebrae and special muscle arrangement, though I suspect I didn't know about it 'cause I'd never given much thought as to how it would be possible to "shed" one's tail. Nifty stuff.
Had I thought about it, I would have given my skink's tail a yank, just to see how easy it came off. But it's back in the trash now, outside, in the rain. I'm leaving it where it is. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 04/14/2007 : 22:26:23 [Permalink]
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By the way, for anyone interested in DIY carpentry, I also took a photo of the huge sandbox I built for my kid last weekend. That's my right-foot (skink-free) boot sitting on it for some semblance of scale. Those are 2x10s around the top. The thing is sturdy enough that I can walk my own considerable bulk around the top edge and it neither tips nor even bends very much. In other words, it's way overbuilt for a six-year-old.
And I'm going to have to put somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 pounds of sand into it to make it seem "full." |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 04/15/2007 : 13:50:31 [Permalink]
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| When I was in Florida, I managed to catch a lizard that was basking in the sunshine, on a brick wall near the hotel. I managed to sneak up from behind and lifted it up by its tail before it got the chance to escape. We had it photographed, then I let it go. |
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JohnOAS
SFN Regular
Australia
800 Posts |
 Posted - 04/15/2007 : 17:57:39 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
By the way, for anyone interested in DIY carpentry, I also took a photo of the huge sandbox I built for my kid last weekend. That's my right-foot (skink-free) boot sitting on it for some semblance of scale. Those are 2x10s around the top. The thing is sturdy enough that I can walk my own considerable bulk around the top edge and it neither tips nor even bends very much. In other words, it's way overbuilt for a six-year-old.
Nice job Dave. Speaking of over-engineering. Here is my latest project. The ladder is the only really new bit.
I'm currently contemplating what to put underneath, a sandpit is a pretty obvious choice, but I'm wondering how big to make it, and what to cover it with when not in use to keep animals (and more specifically, their faecal matter) out.
Now just watch Kil mosey on in and put us amateurs to shame. |
John's just this guy, you know. |
| Edited by - JohnOAS on 04/15/2007 17:58:53 |
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R.Wreck
SFN Regular
USA
1191 Posts |
Posted - 04/15/2007 : 18:29:44 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by JohnOAS:
Nice job Dave. Speaking of over-engineering. Here is my latest project. The ladder is the only really new bit.
I'm currently contemplating what to put underneath, a sandpit is a pretty obvious choice, but I'm wondering how big to make it, and what to cover it with when not in use to keep animals (and more specifically, their faecal matter) out.
Now just watch Kil mosey on in and put us amateurs to shame.
Nice work John. I would however strongly recommend a railing on that ledge between the slide and the fence. Could be a nasty fall there, especially with that brick planter right beneath. |
The foundation of morality is to . . . give up pretending to believe that for which there is no evidence, and repeating unintelligible propositions about things beyond the possibliities of knowledge.
T. H. Huxley
The Cattle Prod of Enlightened Compassion
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| Edited by - R.Wreck on 04/15/2007 18:40:53 |
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JohnOAS
SFN Regular
Australia
800 Posts |
Posted - 04/15/2007 : 18:43:26 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by R.Wreck
Nice work John. I would however strongly recommend a railing on that ledge between the slide and the fence. Could be a nasty fall there, especially with that brick planter right beneath.
Thanks, I've been thinking about that. I was originally contemplating putting in two additional steps (at 1/4 and 3/4 the height of the planter box) to make a kind of climbing twisting access way, but that's probably a little redundant now. I was even thinking of a fireman's pole between the slide and the wall, but that might be tempting fate a little too much, without some serious padding around the masonry edges.
I've also got to close the far end of the main veranda. You can't see it very well in that picture, but it's the end furthest from the viewers position. (Straight up the stairs, turn left, run and jump to see if that superman cape really does confer the power of flight). I left it open initially as I was contemplating putting the staircase in at that end, and keeping the ladder separate. It's now completely unnecessary to leave open, and I'll close that one this weekend. |
John's just this guy, you know. |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
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R.Wreck
SFN Regular
USA
1191 Posts |
Posted - 04/15/2007 : 19:02:29 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by JohnOAS:
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by R.Wreck
Nice work John. I would however strongly recommend a railing on that ledge between the slide and the fence. Could be a nasty fall there, especially with that brick planter right beneath.
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Thanks, I've been thinking about that. I was originally contemplating putting in two additional steps (at 1/4 and 3/4 the height of the planter box) to make a kind of climbing twisting access way, but that's probably a little redundant now. I was even thinking of a fireman's pole between the slide and the wall, but that might be tempting fate a little too much, without some serious padding around the masonry edges.
I've also got to close the far end of the main veranda. You can't see it very well in that picture, but it's the end furthest from the viewers position. (Straight up the stairs, turn left, run and jump to see if that superman cape really does confer the power of flight). I left it open initially as I was contemplating putting the staircase in at that end, and keeping the ladder separate. It's now completely unnecessary to leave open, and I'll close that one this weekend.
I didn't mean to nag, but the potential for a fall jumped out at me. Probably because I work at a power plant, and although the industry has an excellent safety record, when people are hurt, falls are one of the major causes of injuries. There are specific rules for elevated platforms including the requirements for railings (and toeboards to prevent objects from falling off and hitting someone below, but that may be a bit much for a playhouse). Don't get me started, or next I'll be telling you to have that kid wear a hardhat, safety glasses, and a fall protection harness with a shock absorbing lanyard. |
The foundation of morality is to . . . give up pretending to believe that for which there is no evidence, and repeating unintelligible propositions about things beyond the possibliities of knowledge.
T. H. Huxley
The Cattle Prod of Enlightened Compassion
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
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The Water Cooler
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