Hi everyone, it’s time for another post about some common wildlife you might see on your Orlando Florida vacation. Actually of all the things you might see, the little lizards we have will be the most common. Many people call them many different names. Gecko, lizards, chameleons and so on. There actually are around a dozen different lizards in Florida.
But the most common one your going to find on your Orlando Vacation is the green Anole and brown Anole. They both are small, around 8 inches long. The green Anole is more common, and often called a chameleon because it changes its color to match the color of whatever it’s standing on. So it can be different shades of green, brown, gray and white.
They are very common, often crawling around every shrub, tree and fence around your hotel, theme parks and houses. Often as you walk on the sidewalk you can notice a quick movement in the shrubs and grass close to where you are; those are the lizards hiding from you. They are harmless and do not bite, they have no teeth.
If your outside sitting quite you can see them come out onto sidewalks and decks, they love to soak up the sun. The males have a red sack under their throat that they can expand to attract females. Often they bob their heads up and down too, it’s fun to watch. They eat lots of insects, helping to keep Florida from being overrun with them!
So please don’t kill the lizards, they will always run away from you and pose no harm. Unfortunately They can climb straight up walls and fences. So often they crawl into homes and rooms through a loose fitting screen window or door. If you see one inside, they can be damn hard to catch. They can crawl fast, yet a quick grab when they are still is often successful.
However don’t try to pick them up by the tail. Their lower part of their tail will break off when grabbed, it’s a natural escape ploy they have. So try to scoop them up in your hand and throw them outside. I get one inside my house almost every week here. Many keep them as pets and they make great pets too.
In the winter months they seem to go into a short hibernation, you don’t see them much. But get a warm day out and you’ll see a few here and there. So don’t be surprised at the little lizards you see in the grass and shrubs, or climbing on the walls. Just leave them alone and they will you. If you have pets try to not let them eat any!
