Reptiles

We love the reptiles that have made their home in our backyard since we built the pond.

We have three resident water dragons, who bred a family of three baby water dragons in 2006, and a blue-tongued lizard.  A red-bellied black snake and a diamond python each rent a rock shelter over the summer months.   We are also visited by a large goanna, skinks and various garden lizards.

A blue-tongued lizard in one of our rock shelters

We are pleased to announce that in early March 2007 we finally received our first turtle visitor, an Eastern snake-necked turtle (Chelodina longicollis).  It must have made it's way up from the local creek as it's the local native species.  He will enjoy eating the fish and tadpoles in our pond.

 
Our new turtle friend swimming on the bottom of the pond.
See his long neck bending around to the right. 

Our three kids are pleased to be sharing their backyard with so many creatures, including the odd snake and big lizard. 

 Red-bellied black snake

Red-bellied black snakes are timid creatures and they usually head for cover long before the kids feet hit the bottom step.  Even so, we teach the kids to scan the backyard for snakes before heading down the stairs, and never to touch a snake but immediately to head the other way and tell Mum or Dad if they see one.

 ... and catch fish 

A pretty leaf tailed gecko

The blue-tongued lizard

Common garden skinks