Yard lizards can be trained to eat out of your hand and they can be
"hypnotized." A photograph is at
http://rexcurry.net/commentary/lizards.html
Toads can also be hypnotized. Before hypnosis begins, it is a good idea
to startle a toad, or man-handle it, to induce urination and prevent
urination during the hypnosis procedure.
An alligator can also hypnotized. Remember to rub its belly calmly if
you are ever attacked.
To hypnotize a lizard, hold a lizard by the head and let the rest of
its body cradle in your palm.
You can stroke it on the head or the belly or not stroke anything at
all. Lizards (and all reptiles) don't have diaphragms. Torso muscles
are used to pump their lungs. When on its back, a lizard's limbs weigh
down in an unnatural way and the lack of movement of the torso muscles
combine to make breathing difficult. A trance-like state is caused by
that or as a means of conserving oxygen.
In Florida most lizards are wild Cuban Anoles (Anolis sagrei).
Wild lizards can be fed and, with enough training, they will climb up a
lawn chair, jump in your lap and stare at you until you give them their
favorite treat: mealworms.
Mealworms are available at most pet shops that sell s****s, iguanas and
other reptiles. The worms are sold in small plastic containers and can
be refrigerated for a month, staying dormant in the cold. Mealworms
are great conversation starters on salads. Buy the smallest mealworms,
about half an inch maximum length. Yard lizards can't eat big
mealworms. Lizards also will eat live crickets; however, crickets jump
about and are difficult to use in training.
To begin training, sit on the ground in an area where the lizards sun
themselves and watch humans. If the mealworms have been refrigerated,
let them warm up to reach maximum wiggliness. Wiggliness excites
lizards.
formally known as anoles (a-NO-lees)
Start by tossing the worms near the lizards and sit still while the
lizard watches the worm wiggle and then rushes to grab it. Then try
placing the worms nearer to you, slowly closing the distance.
Eventually, hold a wiggling worm in your fingers and lay your hand on
the ground. Next, move on up to placing a wiggling worm on your forearm
while laying your hand on the ground to serve as a staircase, so that
the lizard can crawl up the arm to take the worm.
Some lizards are easier to train (hungrier) than others. I have been in
yards where the lizards could be coaxed to take a worm from the hand in
one sitting. In other yards, the lizards were skittish and required
multiple sessions. Skittish lizards often live in yards with roaming
cats. The very act of tossing a worm will scare away some lizards. In
such yards, a worm can be slowly placed about one yard from a lizard,
and within clear eyeshot of the lizard. The human should back off to
let the lizard approach.
Soon, lizards will be happy to see you come outside, and will approach
you and other humans. You can call to them and they will come trotting
over like little dachshunds. They will chase each other and fight each
other to get your worms. They will perform peculiar territorial dances
wherein two lizards will circle each other repeatedly with their tails
rhythmically curling. They will do other crude things for your viewing
pleasure. A carefully placed mirror can also prompt lizards to engage
in displays to their own reflections.
So, if your child says he wants a new pet, just buy him a box of
mealworms open the back door and say "knock yourself out, kiddo!"
learn more about Florida ecology at http://rexcurry.net/comindex.html
Manatees http://rexcurry.net/commentary/manatee.html
Sponges http://rexcurry.net/commentary/sponges.html
Reefs http://rexcurry.net/commentary/reefs.html
always wash your hands before and after handling Anole(s)
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