Hey, y’all! I have been away for a few days, but I have returned from camping amid the tall oaks with the Boy Scouts. We actually got back Sunday, but I picked up a couple of friends named Sam-n-Ella while on the campout and it took another couple of days to get rid of them.
I have a serious love for the outdoors that the Scouts has allowed me to indulge somewhat, and later this year I hope to be able to combine my camping and art by doing some painting en plein air in the big woods.
Anyway, while on the campout, one of the boys found this here creature. We usually see a number of lizards and maybe even a snake or two, but I am thinking this is either a salamander or a skink. I am no animal expert, and have not had time to research it since we got back. Maybe one of you readers can help out with the 411 on this guy. He was fairly placid and not at all slimy.
Oh, and he tasted sorta like chicken.
Just kidding!
As long as you did not touch it–everything is ok….oh if you did well you have at least a week or two…
🙂
That’s a salamander. A skink is a lizard that has a blue tail. Salamanders are placid, but skinks are very active. Now as to exactly what type of salmander it is, I’d have to look further.
You did wash your hands after playing with that, and before eating… right? Otherwise you might get sick… 🙂
I thought it looked like a newt. But then again, I’m not sure what the difference is between a salamander and newt, so Ellen may be right.
“She turned me into a newt!”
It’s definately a salamander – hard to say from the picture, and you didn’t say where you saw it – my guess would be that it’s in the genus Ensatina possibly E. eschscholtzi?