Podarcis sicula - Italian Wall Lizard

Temporary housing for some lizards I caught in early October, 2009.

A couple of weeks ago Tatiana and I went to Topeka, KS in search of lizards. We came back with three juveniles and two hatchlings after only about an hour of looking. The Italian Wall Lizard, or Ruin Lizard, is not native to the U.S. but several decades ago a small population found a new home in Topeka. Now there are lizards everywhere, if you're looking in the right part of town. We spent our entire urban herping adventure in the parking lot of a restaraunt. I was only able to catch five of them that day, but we saw dozens of them scurrying through the leaves and landscaping along one fence and near a dumpster.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• TheRoachKeeper
• Italian
• Wall
• Lizard
• Podarcis
• sicula
• Ruin
• Reptile
• Herp
• Herpetology
• Topeka
• Urban
• Herping
• Cute
• Babies
• Baby
• Juvenile
• Lacerta
• Cool
• Roaches
• Ball
• Python
• Bearded
• Dragon
• Wild
• Caught
• Captive
• Green
• Cage
• Basic

[LOGonover]

what do you feed this little guy? small crickets?

[TheRoachKeeper]

@LOGonover They were eating feeder roaches (Blatta lateralis) while I had them. I think I might have thrown a couple of small superworms in for the larger ones as well.

[lizardboy7]

i own 1 and im gonna get more there amazing herps

[TheRoachKeeper]

There's a wild population on Long Island isn't there?  Did you catch yours or buy it? You can catch them all day long through the summer in Topeka. You've gotta be quick, though!!

[daleheathcote1995]

did you find them or but them

[TheRoachKeeper]

Caught them myself. :)

[zoedrick]

hey bro did i see an emerald tree skink in there? :)

[Pilot9r]

Yes, there is a population on long island. I saw one at hte arboretum in westbury once and I saw another at a friends house in valley stream. They are only in select areas. I wish they were near my house.

[gabriel30968]

zffdgnfdohtojpgidpdfjgi Aewkdmkkbbmbmk yelow



[gabriel30968]

maneiro eu vou criar



[eletrizity23]

Are there eggs like clear yellow

[ColdSideOfPillow136]

@TheRoachKeeper I used to catch them on Staten Island.

[cetnickiponos]

there are a bunch in Victoria B.C. , Canada.

[henrikossauros20]

Podarcis are amazing, I got 4 Podarcis hispanica (Iberian Wall-Lizard) but I only got them a short period of time, mostly only to mate.

Lacerta looks like a big wall lizard, here in Portugal there are lots of those kind of reptiles.

Great video, aswell as the lizards but, don't forget to let them free!

[microiguana]

These lizards are just amazingly active and awesome to watch. I love how they are so curious, ever exploring any crack, crevice and cranny they can cram themselves into. I am building a green house and hope to get a few of these little guys, along with some anoles and other reptiles. Great idea with the reverse-half-flowerdish thingies, it's a nice touch. Isn't there also an introduced population of green lizards in Topeka? you can see some of the roaches throughout the vid, like 3:26,4:21&444on

[ganados0]

Did you hear about the lizards of Pod Mrcaru?

In 1971 scientists left five speciemans there then the war broke out so they left. In 2004 they returned to the island and in 2007 revealed the lizards had evolved, their physiology and behaviour had changed in adapting to the environment.

That is incredible.