Bizarre! Is this lizard eating my cacti's roots? (pic)

[tomo]

This morning, I noticed something moving on my Mamm. duwei, and when I went closer to inspect, I was shocked to see a lizard with half of its body well below the surface! (This photo shows it when it was starting to move, it had been even deeper in the soil moments before) Egad! What the heck is it doing there? Is it eating roots? This is a problem I never would have anticipated, and if I hadn't seen it myself, it never would have occurred to me that lizards could be a potential threat. Some of the spines towards the bottom are sort of brownish, does that indicate anything?

My cacti are outside on a screen porch, what can I do to keep lizards away? Are all my cacti vulnerable to lizards, or is it just the duwei?

[kristian_Fossmo]

Probably looking for a place to lay eggs .

[iann]

Maybe it is digging for grubs.

The plant looks OK, but you don't want too much excavation going on.

[spikef35]

Absolutely not that's an anole a insect eating lizard perfectly harmless unless you grab one they hang on for dear life but the bite really doesn't hurt I use them as insect control around my greenhouse they corn in as they please

[tomo]

Probably looking for a place to lay eggs .

Yikes! That thought crossed my mind too. I thought about bringing the duwei inside, but then realized if it had eggs, that might not be a good idea, lol.

Maybe it is digging for grubs.

The plant looks OK, but you don't want too much excavation going on.

Absolutely not that's an anole a insect eating lizard perfectly harmless unless you grab one they hang on for dear life but the bite really doesn't hurt I use them as insect control around my greenhouse they corn in as they please

So the lizards won't hurt/eat my cacti? I can live with that. I was concerned something might be happily munching on all my cacti from the roots up but if it is just eating grubs, etc. then it should be OK. (I have some gnats around my cacti, maybe the lizard will take care of them too)

Thanks for the replies everyone!

[spikef35]

Hes likely noming on the gnats or your plant happens to be in his territory

[george76904]

I agree that while he won't do damage to your plant that one is a Cuban anole, they are actually an invasive species and a real problem in some parts. They are managing to Horne in on green anoles territory, and because they are larger, they will actually eat green anoles.... Back to your regularly scheduled reports. I do not believe that he is harming your plant, Cuban anoles are ground dwellers that enjoy ambushing bugs like roaches and beetles. Your fine to just leave the plant, he won't eat the roots.

[tomo]

Ah yes, seems like I remember reading something about a type of lizard that was eating the green lizards (we don't see the green ones too often, which is sort of sad). Here in Florida, lizards are all over the place, just never thought I'd find one hanging out with my cacti. I saw him again near the duwei again the other day, but good news, I now have almost no gnats.

Thanks again for the input everyone!

[tomo]

Update: turns out it WAS laying eggs. I was looking at the duwei today, and I picked up the pot to see how it's doing all around, etc. and a tiny lizard popped out and landed on my hand. I'm glad I didn't drop the duwei! I think it needs more sunlight so I was thinking about moving it to an indoor sunny windowsill but that won't be happening anytime soon...

[kristian_Fossmo]

Thats awesome

[tomo]

You totally called it with your original post! I was more than a bit startled when something jumped out of my cacti at me lol. I wonder how many more of them I can expect? Ah well, if it's providing a happy home for a little lizard family, I guess I shouldn't complain...and they have been taking care of my gnat problem, lol.

[kristian_Fossmo]

I would not expect more than two eggs out of a small lizard like that. Biological pest control at its finest.

[george76904]

If you only saw him in there once there probably isn't more than 2 eggs. But they are known to lay multiple clutches in the summer (like one clutch every week).

[tomo]

2 eggs, OK.

But they are known to lay multiple clutches in the summer (like one clutch every week).

wait, WHAT? That's not exactly what I wanted to hear, LOL. Egad, bunches of baby lizards. Well let's hope they'll leave the patio/cacti and move on outside as they get bigger. I'll be on my toes when tending to my cacti from now on, lol.

[george76904]

Yes, they are a invasive species. But all those lizards will keep the pests down.