Viviparous Lizards.

Forum rules
Same as all HTUK forums, be courteous, polite and tolerant, remember everyone is entitled to an opinion, even if you don't agree with it ;)
Post Reply
grub

Viviparous Lizards.

Post by grub »

I was lucky enough to find one in the garden this year, never seen one before and had no idea they even came this far north. Anyone else seen them in their gardens, their range includes part of the Artic circle I'm told. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... =3&theater
User avatar
Dave Brown
Site Admin
Posts: 19742
Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:17 am
Location: Chalk, (Thames Estuary) Kent, England 51.5N 0.3E
Contact:

Re: Viviparous Lizards.

Post by Dave Brown »

They are normally found on sandy soils that warm up quickly. I'm on heavy clay so not a place they would normally be seen, we have loads of Palmate and Smooth Newts though, and Great Crested are in the SSSI's nearby.

I used to catch Sand Lizards as a kid near Dartford, but the fields where they were are now the M25/A282 (Dartford Tunnel approach) :roll:
Best regards
Dave
icon_thumright
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
grub

Re: Viviparous Lizards.

Post by grub »

It surprised me Dave, I had no idea we had them here and it's all heavy clay here, these are different to sand lizards colourwise so time for an internet trawl to see how else they differ; thought this thread might be a way to map them in the U.K. and Europe...
grub

Re: Viviparous Lizards.

Post by grub »

Hmmm, it would seem sand lizards are rarer and larger. http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/common_lizard.htm
User avatar
Dave Brown
Site Admin
Posts: 19742
Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:17 am
Location: Chalk, (Thames Estuary) Kent, England 51.5N 0.3E
Contact:

Re: Viviparous Lizards.

Post by Dave Brown »

grub wrote:Hmmm, it would seem sand lizards are rarer and larger. http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/common_lizard.htm
:oops: They were common lizards, not sand lizards :oops: I haven't seen any for maybe 40 years, but were common around Dartford Heath, and rough grassland in the Dartford area. There were also large colonies at Leysdown on the Isle of Sheppy.
Best regards
Dave
icon_thumright
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
fieldfest

Re: Viviparous Lizards.

Post by fieldfest »

i get lots of lizards, though they are a lot shorter and fatter. you may call them frogs

stream not so far away and house borders a small woods
Clive60

Re: Viviparous Lizards.

Post by Clive60 »

I have only seen Sand Lizards here as I am next to heathland, they are greener and heavier than the Common Lizard and have a larger head.
This one is not as colourful as it would be in Spring.
Image
MikeC

Re: Viviparous Lizards.

Post by MikeC »

There's also some large bright green alien lizards in Dorset.

:alien:

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j ... -3QqdD3WKg
Clive60

Re: Viviparous Lizards.

Post by Clive60 »

A few Green Lizards were released some years ago but are only just hanging on being outside their normal range.
There are also small colonies of Wall Lizards at Jersey, Abbotsbury Gardens, Ventnor (IoW) and the cliffs at Bournemouth.
fieldfest

Re: Viviparous Lizards.

Post by fieldfest »

you do often see little ones scurrying about at ventnor on hot days
derrick

Re: Viviparous Lizards.

Post by derrick »

I use to catch Common lizards as a kid lots of them in the Newforest and Dorset the females have a yellow belly brown with stripes the males have orange belly with circle like markings the baby our black .The Sand lizard is bigger and the male is green lots down canford Heath dorset .We ust to catch Adders with a stick and Grass snakes on a pond only seen one Smooth snake and none Wall lizards .WE us to catch Newts Common Crested and Palmate and Frogs and Toads all protected now .The Green lizard Lacerta that some fool let free on Bournemouth sea front was not a good idea as Green lizard eat other lizards on Crete they eat smaller lizard skinks Geckoes and small Green lizards .I had a Green lizard for 15 years it was so tame this is the Green lizard at my old work place in Crete
Attachments
balkangreenlizard.jpg
Post Reply