Lizard Hunting Season

"Shhh... I'm hunting lizards."

With Australia heading into the summer months Lizard Hunting Season begins. Well at least it does for our dog Oscar who gives them a serious barking tirade whenever he finds one.

Australian Blue Tongue lizards are pretty common where I live, specifically the Eastern variety. Because we live a short distance from bushland we get more than our fair share in the back garden and, on a couple of occasions, even in the house.

Eastern Blue Tongue.
Photo: Aust. Travel Guide

Despite their short little legs these lizards can run pretty fast and even jump relatively well.

When cornered they puff up their body to nearly twice its size and give a pretty intimidating hiss as a warning.

They also have a pretty nasty bite if you happen to get in the way of their sizable looking mouths. Oscar found this out the hard way one year when one got a hold of him. We heard his yelps from the garden all the way in the house. Needless to say he doesn't get too close to one that's out in the open and hissing at him.

However he will stick his face right into a hole where he knows a lizard is hiding (and hissing) - so there's a nose bite waiting to happen.

Anyway, I wouldn't mind these lizards in our garden so much if Oscar hadn't taken to sniffing them out at every opportunity, and then barking at them continuously, like they have no right to be there. It's annoying as hell when you're trying to work. Worse than when the neighbors dog won't stop barking when they're out because it's our dog that won't stop barking!

Even the lizards get tired of it because they don't exactly run away. In fact I've seen them swear under their breath and charge forward at Oscar. Ever since he got bitten he's wise to that maneuver.

I have a feeling it's going to be a long summer.

Oscar the Lizard Hunter.

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