# Critters that call my work home



## spinner_collis (Jan 6, 2012)

Hi Guys, 
Thought i'd share the herps which call my work home.

We r home to a few diamond pythons, water dragons and a few lace monitors (i think they are lacies). 
We also have a 4ft red belly but is very camera shy and I havent managed to get a photo yet.
These are photos from my iphone so the pic quaility isnt the greatest but i'm going to take my dslr down one day.


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## Boidae (Jan 6, 2012)

Dont quote me, but I think that's a rosenbergs heath monitor. 
Awesome pics anyway, thanks for sharing!


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## jase75 (Jan 6, 2012)

Agree, it's a Heath Monitor. Love the Diamond.


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## Daniel_Penrith (Jan 6, 2012)

thats unreal.... all i get at my place are water skinks!!


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## spinner_collis (Jan 6, 2012)

jase75 said:


> Agree, it's a Heath Monitor. Love the Diamond.



Thanks for the id. The diamonds pretty relaxed. Its gone missing the past month though which is disapointing. It has prob finished all the rats around the place and has moved on.


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## Bluetongue1 (Jan 7, 2012)

Some very nice looking specimens there, particularly the Heath Monitor and the Diamond. Thanks for posting.


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## vicherps (Jan 7, 2012)

Yea I agree with the others it's definitely a Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi). Nice finds!


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## adfel (Jan 7, 2012)

They are great pics... Where do you work??


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## spinner_collis (Jan 7, 2012)

adfel said:


> They are great pics... Where do you work??



I work in hornsby heights, we are surrounded by crown land and national park. Its proberly what started me in really liking reptiles.



vicherps said:


> Yea I agree with the others it's definitely a Heath Monitor (Varanus rosenbergi). Nice finds!


How big do these guys grow, we the other is proberly double in size. Would this be a heath monitor as well?


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## abnrmal91 (Jan 7, 2012)

That would be great to be able to do some herping at work. Apparently at my work we have some eastern brown snakes getting around at the moment. I haven't seen any yet but it's funny listening to those who have seen it. Apparently it's 2.5m and as thick as his arm (spoke to one of my other mates who is into reps who has seen it. Max 5ft relatively slim lol)


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## spinner_collis (Jan 8, 2012)

Its always funny how people over describe snakes, its just like when you go fishing and tell your mates the fish where 10x bigger than they actually where.


abnrmal91 said:


> That would be great to be able to do some herping at work. Apparently at my work we have some eastern brown snakes getting around at the moment. I haven't seen any yet but it's funny listening to those who have seen it. Apparently it's 2.5m and as thick as his arm (spoke to one of my other mates who is into reps who has seen it. Max 5ft relatively slim lol)


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## Chanzey (Jan 13, 2012)

My work depo is also a very awesome place to fine creatures of all shapes and sizes. We are located near a beach and wetlands. I have seen monitors/goannas (not sure, not that good on IDing lizards) ranging from 30cm to a nice big girl over 1m, all inside our fences, tree snakes, keelbacks, lots of frogs, spiders and other creepy crawlers, also in the wetlands, lots of birdlife. I really do enjoy going to work everyday just because of the fact of what we might find. Have found a taratula on the banks of the Ross River in Townsville, giant stick insects, particually on Magnetic Island just off Townsville, plus all the skinks and types of spiders! I have really learnt a lot over the last year.

Ill definatly try and take some photos of the interesting finds.


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## Bluetongue1 (Jan 14, 2012)

spinner_collis said:


> ....How big do these guys grow, we the other is proberly double in size. Would this be a heath monitor as well?


 Judging by the apparent size of the monitor in the photo, the other would have to be a Lacie (V. varius). Lacies can get to a bit over 2m in length while Heath Monitors max out around 1⅓ m but a rare individual might top 1½ m. 

The easy way to distinguish them is by the tail. Heath Monitors have narrow banding all the way along to the tip. Lace Monitors also have banded tails but on the last third the bands become very broad. You can also pick them by the head. Lace Monitors have around three to five wide bands on the lips, Heath Monitors have more and they are narrow. Heaths also have a dark stripe though the eye, bordered by a pale edge above and below which Lacies don't have. However, the eye stripe fades in particularly old specimens and is not easy to see if they are in shed.

A good way to familiarise yourself is to google up some pics and practice looking for some diagnostic features. I know when I have done that I have occasionally turned up an animal that has been misidentified. Have fun.

Blue


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## RyanBass (Jan 14, 2012)

amazing, I'm digging that heath monitor


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## atothej09 (Jan 14, 2012)

Awesome post.
You're very lucky.


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