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Newt or Lizard?: |
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mikeyc_123 Member Joined: 02 Sep 2005 No. of posts: 7  View other posts by mikeyc_123 |
Posted: 02 Sep 2005 Hi Guys, Firstly... This site is amazing. The contribution from everyone makes it so fantastic! I am in search of some help. I have had these lizards/Newts in my garden for a while now and took this picture the other night. It doesnt have the skin of the lizard and doesnt look like a newt. They live under my patio and pop out when warm. They only seem to appear at night also! Can anyone identify it for me please? This is the biggest one I have seen. There have been 2 new ones appear that are a sandy color and are really small so I think a bit of hanky panky has been happening under the patio!!
Cheers Michael
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Caleb Forum Coordinator Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 448 View other posts by Caleb |
Posted: 02 Sep 2005 That's a newt. My guess would be a male smooth newt, though it's a little hard to tell from the photo. |
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mikeyc_123 Member Joined: 02 Sep 2005 No. of posts: 7 View other posts by mikeyc_123 |
Posted: 02 Sep 2005 ah! I should try and get another photo with a decent camera. I thought newts had a flat tail? Cheers Michael |
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Caleb Forum Coordinator Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 448 View other posts by Caleb |
Posted: 02 Sep 2005 Their tail is flatter when they're living in the water (usually spring to early summer), and rounder when they're living on land. |
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herpetologic2 Senior Member Joined: 15 Jun 2004 No. of posts: 1369  View other posts by herpetologic2 |
Posted: 02 Sep 2005
A Smoothie without doubt......check the spots Jon Vice Chair of ARG UK - self employed consultant - visit ARG UK & Alresford Wildlife |
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Dan Kane Senior Member Joined: 30 Dec 2005 No. of posts: 201  View other posts by Dan Kane |
Posted: 30 Dec 2005 Yep, it looks like an ault male smooth newt due to the presence of spots on the body and tail. Dan www.randacumbria.moonfruit.com |
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*SNAKE* Senior Member Joined: 16 May 2004 No. of posts: 220  View other posts by *SNAKE* |
Posted: 01 Jan 2006 will agree def a newt
Paul PAUL SMITH |
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GemmaJF Admin Group Joined: 25 Jan 2003 No. of posts: 2090  View other posts by GemmaJF |
Posted: 01 Jan 2006 Hi Dan, Welcome to RAUK, just a comment on your signature, "When I move in summer 2006 i plan to build a compost heap and a pond in my garden to provide a welcome home for reptiles and amphibians" I hope you do! We did this just 18 months ago. So far we have: Smooth Newts Common Frogs Slow-worms Common Lizards Grass snakes All colonised naturally in that short space of time We have also had voles, shrews, a weasel and have a growing list of birds that pass through. It's a good idea to form some kind of hibernation bank using the soil removed from the pond as well. Though this is quite an old post, I agree the picture is of a male smooth newt. Gemma Fairchild, Independent Ecological Consultant |
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Suzi Senior Member Joined: 06 Apr 2005 No. of posts: 860 View other posts by Suzi |
Posted: 01 Jan 2006 I have the compost heaps and get slow worms (over 30 now), occasional grass snakes, frogs, toads and newts. I finally got a pond (smallish) in September and a frog arrived within days and I think is hibernating in there under a plant in a pot. I have had grey wagtails drinking/feeding round the edge as well. I can't wait for spring to see what will come visiting! Suz |
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djp_phillips Senior Member Joined: 09 Jan 2006 No. of posts: 180 View other posts by djp_phillips |
Posted: 28 Jan 2006 Newt, firstly lizards are less shiny, they have scales and their fingers are long, thin and jagged Reptiles & Amphibians of France: www.herpfrance.com European Field Herping Community: www.euroherp.com |
- Newt or Lizard? |
, and it isn't a large wildlife garden either.