I lost my bobtail

[Sheldon222]

To be honest I'm not even sure if it was a bobtail or a blue tongue.

I found it about 2-3 months ago on a really hot day, I was watering my lawn when it walked up to me. I'm actually quite scared of reptiles, but I gave it water and some zucchini which it ate from my hand. It was very unwell, I actually thought it had been run over as it was so flat.
It went on its way but after an hour it hadn't made it off the lawn, so I grabbed it so it didn't get killed by a dog. It turned out to just be starving with no obvious reason why. I removed 2 ticks.

Fast forward 2-3 months where it was fat and healthy and I transferred it between an indoor heated glass thing (that I bought to rehab it) and an outdoor crate, and basically it's escaped what I thought was escape proof.

I never had any intention of keeping it (what I'm sure all the lizard pinchers say!!), in fact I had been considering letting it go, but as it's not as fat as it could be, I thought spring would be better.

I've searched my yard, but it can obviously fit in smaller places than I realised, I can't find it.
My main worry is if it's still in my yard, I have 2 dogs. I would have released it at the front where I found it.

Do they go far, i was gone 4.5hrs and it's possible it went under the fence into the neighbours, but given its not that warm, how far could it have got. Should I be worried it's in my yard still?

 

[nuttylizardguy]

Photos . It's pretty easy to pick a bobtail from a bluetongue.

 

[Sheldon222]

This is it here.
This pic was somewhere in the middle between near dead and healthy but not as fat as it should have been.

Thanks for your help, I'm not any sort of reptiles enthusiast, but I just didn't want to see it die. I'm not scared of them like I was, this one was always lovely to handle

 

[Sdaji]

It's a Bobtail.

Not really sure what advice you're after. If you do see it in the area with the dogs, just put it back where you originally found it. Most likely it went back there on its own. Most likely if the dogs got it you'd have seen bits of dead lizard, so hopefully it's okay.

In future just leave wild lizards alone, it's better to let nature take its course unless you're going to permanently keep the animal in captivity, which in almost all cases you definitely shouldn't be doing. It's often tempting to intervene when you see a skinny animal, it seems to be the kind thing to do, but removing them from the wild can cause all sorts of problems, from the lizard adapting to a new diet and conditions then not doing well when it goes back into the wild, to other lizards taking over their territory while they are away meaning the lizard has no home when it goes back, to many others. When reptiles are removed from the wild they generally do extremely badly when put back. Interestingly, this species is monogamous and it likely has a partner which will be looking for it in a few months.

 

[nuttylizardguy]

I suspect you may have had a lost or escaped pet shingleback - you say it ambled right up to you ==> no fear of people.

It's back looks pretty bad to me - MBD or injured.

I think it'll still be in the yard or under your house or in a shed , I'd keep an eye for it if I were you.

I don't agree with Sdaji ..My attitude is if I come across a reptile in distress who is injured/sick , I note where it was when I found it, and gather it up to take it a vet for treatment if needed or euthanisation if it's past help. Landmarks and how far from an intersection in the road. Photo of the location helps too. I don't have GPS but this would help.
Vets will treat wildlife presented to them for free, in fact I understand they are obligated to do so.
If need be I'll take it home and care for it to help it recover and recouperate under the vet's supervision in the hope it will be able to be released where I originally found it (if this is safe to do). My experience is vets will ask if you are able to care for it after giving it urgent treatment. Caring for an injured / sick reptile can be very time consuming and can be expensive if you need some "kit" and special needs , but also a very rewarding experience.
If it can't be released because it's disabled and unable to fend for itself , rather than letting it die or be taken by predators, I will keep it .

 

[rainmonitors]

i'm no expert on the matter, but even my pet blue tongue isn't that friendly, so i agree with Nutty that it was probably a pet escapee - or illegally released into the wild - considering that back shape looks like MBD, it wasn't eating before you found it (always having food present in an enclosure), it ate from your hand, and it tolerated handling well
if you find it again, ask around about rehabilitation. from my understanding, you either need a license or you straight up can't rehab in most states

 

[Sdaji]

I suspect you may have had a lost or escaped pet shingleback - you say it ambled right up to you ==> no fear of people.

It's back looks pretty bad to me - MBD or injured.

I think it'll still be in the yard or under your house or in a shed , I'd keep an eye for it if I were you.

I don't agree with Sdaji ..My attitude is if I come across a reptile in distress who is injured/sick , I note where it was when I found it, and gather it up to take it a vet for treatment if needed or euthanisation if it's past help. Landmarks and how far from an intersection in the road. Photo of the location helps too. I don't have GPS but this would help.
Vets will treat wildlife presented to them for free, in fact I understand they are obligated to do so.
If need be I'll take it home and care for it to help it recover and recouperate under the vet's supervision in the hope it will be able to be released where I originally found it (if this is safe to do). My experience is vets will ask if you are able to care for it after giving it urgent treatment. Caring for an injured / sick reptile can be very time consuming and can be expensive if you need some "kit" and special needs , but also a very rewarding experience.
If it can't be released because it's disabled and unable to fend for itself , rather than letting it die or be taken by predators, I will keep it .

What you're suggesting goes against both ecological science and the law, but at least your heart is in the right place.

 

[nuttylizardguy]

What you're suggesting goes against both ecological science and the law, but at least your heart is in the right place.

Sdaji , if there were an active WIRES in my area (and they'd still have to be prepared to take in reptiles - my understanding is most aren't interested) , I'd take it them , but unfortunately there isn't and the local RSPCA is hopeless when it comes to anything other 4 legged mammals or birds.

So at the risk of being a law breaker, the welfare of the reptile needs to be considered and I'll not hesitate to rescue any sick or injured reptile I come across if I can do so safely.

This is a case of the law is an ass and I can't see any magistrate convicting anyone for helping a reptile / rehabilitating it.

 

[Sdaji]

Sdaji , if there were an active WIRES in my area (and they'd still have to be prepared to take in reptiles - my understanding is most aren't interested) , I'd take it them , but unfortunately there isn't and the local RSPCA is hopeless when it comes to anything other 4 legged mammals or birds.

So at the risk of being a law breaker, the welfare of the reptile needs to be considered and I'll not hesitate to rescue any sick or injured reptile I come across if I can do so safely.

This is a case of the law is an ass and I can't see any magistrate convicting anyone for helping a reptile / rehabilitating it.

Fair enough, you don't care about abiding by the law, but it's a shame that your heart is blinding you to the fact you're doing more damage than good to wild animals.

Incidentally, WIRES does a heck of a lot more harm than good. Most of the people involved in it don't even have their hearts in the right place, and the few who do definitely don't have their heads working properly. But it's an emotional issue and convincing people blinded by emotion can't be done with facts and evidence, so, have a nice day and I'll leave you to it

 

[Sheldon222]

Hi All
Thanks for the replies. It's duly noted.
I was very aware that I shouldn't be interfering with the wildlife, but it was pretty obvious this one wasn't going to make it. Initially I got some stuff and syringe fed it under advice. I'm mostly actually puzzled as to why it was so skinny so soon after spring, I assumed it was sick. I looked into rehab places (I stress I was quite scared of them) but was informed that very sick ones were euthanized due to the long rehab time/resources, so yes I fed and housed it to give it a fighting chance.

The picture above was about a Month in and it had gained significant weight, incredible amounts. I'm unsure why it was in such a state when I found it as there was never anything obvious wrong.

In the last couple of weeks it became quite determined to 'escape' though I assume driven by instinct to hibernate. It at least has a fighting chance to survive winter.

I've spent hours searching and have informed neighbours behind me as I suspect it went under the fence behind, I will keep a lookout, if it's thriving then there is no need to intervene.

I've seen wild ones before and they whip around with mouth open and scare heck out of me. This one never did this, never bit, never threatened. I did wonder if it could be long time lost pet, but also was so near dead probably had no fight left.

I did considered the mate aspect, but this one wasn't surviving until spring with out intervention, so that's a moot point. I absolutely had zero intention of keeping it long term, it just wasn't as fat and healthy yet as I would have liked, so planned to keep over winter and release back out the front away from dogs and back yards. I would do this for any injured or sick animal I found, domestic or wild.
I'll keep looking out for it.

Thanks for the replies
[doublepost=1559386258,1559254227][/doublepost]Update

I found it, literally 5m from where it escaped 3 days earlier. It appeared to be hanging out under my water cylinder, unless that's just where it was at the time, because I would have thought it would be awfully hot under there (!!) With the open flame and all.

Anyway it's a bit cross about being found (hanging out in broad daylight in the middle of a dead end path) and poked it's tongue at me, but again didn't make any attempt to threaten or bite, luckily I'm more observant than my dogs.

I will release in the spring where I found it. In the meantime it's safe.
[doublepost=1559386298][/doublepost]Update

I found it, literally 5m from where it escaped 3 days earlier. It appeared to be hanging out under my water cylinder, unless that's just where it was at the time, because I would have thought it would be awfully hot under there (!!) With the open flame and all.

Anyway it's a bit cross about being found (hanging out in broad daylight in the middle of a dead end path) and poked it's tongue at me, but again didn't make any attempt to threaten or bite, luckily I'm more observant than my dogs.

I will release in the spring where I found it. In themeantime it's safe.