# Green Alligator Lizard



## Hickson (Sep 10, 2005)

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 (Sep 10, 2005)

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


----------



## Hickson (Sep 10, 2005)

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 (Sep 10, 2005)

Mmmm Grunt Factor 7 :lol:


----------



## danw (Sep 10, 2005)

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


----------



## AGAMIDAE (Sep 10, 2005)

WOW thats cool


----------



## krusty (Sep 11, 2005)

not bad not bad at all


----------



## deathinfire (Sep 11, 2005)

absolutely beautiful


----------



## ether (Sep 11, 2005)

Yeh awesome lookin herp, Shingleback x Monitor lol

Cheers


----------



## raptor (Sep 12, 2005)

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


----------



## Guest (Sep 12, 2005)

raptor said:


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



My hubby is a tool


----------



## optamistic (Sep 12, 2005)

they look sweet


----------



## Snake Catcher Victoria (Sep 12, 2005)

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


----------



## Hickson (Sep 12, 2005)

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



Hix


----------



## deathinfire (Sep 18, 2005)

raptor said:


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



hahahaha


----------



## Reptilia (Sep 18, 2005)

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 (Sep 18, 2005)

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 (Sep 19, 2005)

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 (Sep 19, 2005)

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 (Sep 19, 2005)

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.


----------



## BROWNS (Sep 19, 2005)

I love the jungle chameleons"surprise surprise" they're everywhere in Madagascar herp paradise that place!I'm guessing the Alligator lizard is the same as the Kaiman lizard,gorgeous animals.Black racers and sand boas,yellow eyelash vipers and more...can't forget the albinoballs...there are certainly some crazy looking exotics that many would prefer to keep over a carpet or Oz lizard i'm sure if given the choice of a nice corn or leopard gecko instead...they're all here too but who'ss honestly going to ever find out exactly what's in the country they find tiger cubs and all sorts in small apartments all round the world,why not a komodo in someones yard and wouldn't even doubt marine iguanas and lots of other rare stuff,as if we or the aveerage herper is going to know alll this exists and the people who do certainly aren't as you can clearly see.

Someone could show me their whole collection of exotics if they liked i'd never lag em in!! 

Without being nosey but i can't help myself...how did your friends legally import Iguanas unless they run a zoo?


----------



## Morelia_Hunter (Sep 19, 2005)

Connections, connections my friend. If they are captive bred they are legal to deal in. I have been in a few places in my young career. Have been to Madagascar too!! Got the trip as a present from my grandma for finishing my 2 dgress in Zoology! There are quite a few reptile farms there, the best one is about 2km from the airport. Very little is captive bred though, mostly wild caught stock. A reptile on CITES 1 can be sold if they have all the paperwork of origin with them. If they are captive bred there is even less paperwork invoved!


----------



## BROWNS (Sep 19, 2005)

So technically the same can be done with GTP's etc???Maybe ol pakobs wasn't taking a lend afterall :shock: So he imported and keeps them legally and privately????Interesting stuff and of course it's connections,same old story ,it's not always just what you know but who you know too :wink: 

So all these places collecting and farming reptiles over there and elswhere such as PNG with IJ's etc are just full on raping and pillaging the native fauna and flaura at the same time...don't agree with it unless it's extremely controlled which i highly doubt???


----------



## Pike01 (Sep 19, 2005)

Hey Browns, i dont think his friend is in oz,SA must mean South America, or South Africa


----------



## Morelia_Hunter (Sep 19, 2005)

I is not from around here? Not really. Indonesia is one of the biggest breeders of CITES1 animals. They have the perfect climate for it. And there is a lot less red tape involved in it all. In madagascar the facilities are well oiled machines controlled by americans ,germans and the french. Things have improved a lot in the last 10 years or so, but i sure they still collect some animals from the wild. Most countries except australia is involved in the trade of wild animals. Mostly in a controlled manner. Funny enough some of the poorest quality animals i have worked with has been from the USA. Animals like chuckawallas, and collared lizards, big shipments of animals that were just riddled with disease and definately wild caught. And this is the country that makes such a big deal about conservation. This is just my own experiences though. I am sure Neil from NCherps might have a different opinion.


----------



## Hickson (Sep 20, 2005)

BROWNS said:


> Without being nosey but i can't help myself...how did your friends legally import Iguanas unless they run a zoo?





BROWNS said:


> So technically the same can be done with GTP's etc???Maybe ol pakobs wasn't taking a lend afterall So he imported and keeps them legally and privately????Interesting stuff and of course it's connections,same old story ,it's not always just what you know but who you know too



As Pike1 said, most likely SA means South Africa. Definitely *not *South Australia.

Only a zoo (or federally approved research facility) can legally import reptiles into Australia. And anything on CITES App.1 is a real pain. Taronga Zoo almost didn't get their elephants approved, that's how strict they are.



Hix


----------

