Green Alligator Lizard

[Hickson]

A good looking lizard, in my opinion.

This is the male, females are more variable, but males are always this greeen.

Popular in the pet trade, thousands are illegally traded every year. Populations are declining throughout their range (Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. They live in epiphytes (like bromeliads) in the canopy of the rainforest.

The first photo is from a Jersey Zoo publication, discussing the creation of a conservation programme for the species. The second pic is from a German Caresheet on the web.

Hix

 

[SLACkra]

b-e-a-utiful! wonder how long it will take the smugglers to get em into aus

 

[Hickson]

Main market is the US and Europe, from what I was reading. mexicans are paid US$1 per lizard by the smugglers, then sold in the States for hundreds - or even thousands - of dollars. Still a good profit to be made over there, I doubt they'll be interested in a market over here. You may get the lone dickhead bringing in one or two for himself, but hopefully he'll get caught at the airport.



Hix

 

[moosenoose]

Mmmm Grunt Factor 7 :lol:

 

[danw]

They are awesome looking..reminds me of a goanna/shingleback.

 

[AGAMIDAE]

WOW thats cool

 

[krusty]

not bad not bad at all

 

[deathinfire]

absolutely beautiful

 

[ether]

Yeh awesome lookin herp, Shingleback x Monitor lol

Cheers

 

[raptor]

IMPRESSIVE!!!!!! Rather than wait for DSE to allow importation, I'm tempted to paint a stumpy bright green!

 

[Guest]

IMPRESSIVE!!!!!! Rather than wait for DSE to allow importation, I'm tempted to paint a stumpy bright green!

My hubby is a tool

 

[optamistic]

they look sweet

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

these guys lay eggs , unlike stumpytails, but they are skinks and they also drop their tails.
great looking little lizards

 

[Hickson]

Yes, they drop their tails, but they aren't skinks. They're Anguids, the same as the Glass Lizards.



Hix

 

[deathinfire]

IMPRESSIVE!!!!!! Rather than wait for DSE to allow importation, I'm tempted to paint a stumpy bright green!

hahahaha

 

[Reptilia]

Awesome looking lizard....
But if I was to choose the best looking lizard I would definately pick these guys.
The Green Basilisk.

http://www.msu.edu/user/urquhart/nicaragua/March-9/pages/Male Green Basilisk.htm

And their only $35US! (As hatchlings)

 

[Hickson]

Basilisks don't do much for me. Those sails look too flimsy and silly on the lizard.

Give me a Fiji Banded Iguana anyday!



Hix

 

[BROWNS]

Hix it surprises me you keep thinking none of these or few other rare exotic species are in Oz and seem to be quite ignorant to the fact.I bet there's basiliskks,tgues,anoles,i'm betting even komodos AND your favourite iguanas are common as dog shyte from what i hear :shock:

You would love a green iguana but wouldn't think twice about lagging someone in who had one?No arguement implied just an obseration and yes i'm sure you'd only keep an iguana if legal :?

 

[Hickson]

OK. Firstly, I was simply expressing an opinion about basilisks, personally they do nothing for me but I understand that other people like them. I've seen enough Green and Brown basilisks in zoos to be jaded (pardon the pun). I've also seen several Fiji Banded Iguanas in zoos and think they're gorgeous, like the NZ Geckos.

I don't recall mentioning Green Iguanas 'coz I think they're ugly. Admittedly, they're cute as youngsters but - I think - ugly as adults. Friends in the States and Canada that have them tell me they're clumsy around the home too, knocking things over when they climb around the furniture. Not the ideal pet.

Am I ignorant to the fact they are here? No, of course not. I know they're here. What I don't know is how bad it is. Everyone posts here and says "Some guy offered me black mambas and King Cobras" or "this bloke says he has 60 chameleons" etc, but nobody has posted that they have seen mambas, or Kings, or 60 chameleons.

Yes, exotics are here, and not just the odd one or two. But just how bad it is remains to be seen. People talking about what they've heard leads to the real situation being exagerrated. Iguanas, anoles, tegus, basilisks - wouldn't surprise me if they're already here, but I think Komodos would be a bit of a stretch.

Would I keep a Fiji Banded iguana if they were legal? Maybe, probably.

But I'd be very disappointed that they were legal.



Hix

 

[Morelia_Hunter]

My friends in SA imported legal Fijian Iguanas a few months ago. They sold them on for about $12000 the pair. And people pay $10000 here for a bloody GTP, rediculous. I would rather have a few Boelens pythons or Madagascan ground boas or Madagascan tree boas, maybe some prehensile tailed skinks. Yes there are actuaully nicer things out in the rest of the world than boas and Iguanas. Why do people risk these massive fines keeping these really common unattractive reptiles. The reason why people can say these animals do nothing for them is because they have never been exposed to it. I guarantee you that oncwe you have kept some of these species you could never go back to just owning a carpet python or black head. Just my opinion of course. Beautiful lizards these aligator lizards, what about red tegus? even nicer, or some parsons chameleons? Kept a few some years ago. the prettiest animals i ever had.