"New to Me" Species

We have an ancient King snake living in the backyard. He's massive and unafraid of anything: my friend's boyfriend called us out one afternoon when he was out for a cruise, just passing by as if to say, "Good afternoon everyone!"

Come to think of it, haven't seen him in about a year... he was pretty old...

Oh! But last month we also found a large gopher snake in our shed. Thankfully I live with reptile-friendly people, and after some pictures we let him go his own way.

In Tennessee, it is illegal to kill ANY snake, but I can understand people killing rattlesnakes and copperheads close to their houses. I just wish more people would educate themselves on what snakes are venomous in their state so they could refrain from killing those that are harmless. :/

Originally Posted by ShelbyScott

In Tennessee, it is illegal to kill ANY snake, but I can understand people killing rattlesnakes and copperheads close to their houses. I just wish more people would educate themselves on what snakes are venomous in their state so they could refrain from killing those that are harmless. :/

My thoughts and wishes exactly.

Isn't that a 3 line salamander, not a lizard?

Originally Posted by ashleynicole

Isn't that a 3 line salamander, not a lizard?

That's not a 3 Lined Salamander or any salamander for that matter. It's a 5 Lined Skink. Cool find either way.

Nice finds!!

A skink is a lizard though. They look similar to salamanders...
easy to confuse... lol.

Originally Posted by ashleynicole

A skink is a lizard though. They look similar to salamanders...
easy to confuse... lol.

Lol yes I could see how some could confuse them. Having had salamanders and skinks and lizards of all kinds since I was old enough to walk they look nothing a like to me.

Probably the same as when people see my dogs they say nice pits when they are American Bulldogs, pits of any kind and American Bulldogs even the Scott type look nothing alike to me! I'm seeing more of the shelters in the are listing pits as American Bulldogs, must be easier to adopt out an AB vs a pit....

Yes definitely a skink I forgot to not that. They are EVERYWHERE here in Tennessee. I've never gotten to see a salamander in the wild. I've saved many skinks though

Yeah I live in fl and we get tons as well. They're super fast

I'm a bit jealous of everyone's adventures. My son did find a Mediterranean Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus, I believe) near our home. It was out in the open on an early January day, and was tiny and cold. We took it in, and my son has helped it thrive all these months. Anyone else ever seen a full-grown one? I have no idea how large it will get.