Lizards

Requirements

• What is a herpetologist and how can you become one?
• Learn about lizards in your area.
• Learn how to care for a lizard.
• Catch a lizard or see them in a pet store, on a video, at a nature center, zoo, or in books. Invite a herpetologist or knowledgeable guest to talk to Adventurers.
• Paint a lizard on a rock.
• Read Leviticus 11:29-30.

Answers

• Reptiles (lizards, snakes, and turtles) and Amphibians (salamanders, toads, and frogs) are called herps, which means “crawling things.” If you really like herps and like to watch and learn about them, you are a herper. If you go to college and study herps, you can become a herpetologist and teach, or work in a museum or a zoo.
• If you do not have lizards in your area, you may study salamanders. If neither is available, go to pet stores, museums, use books, videos, etc.
• Before you catch a lizard, you must prepare for this special guest.
• If keeping the lizard for a short time, use a plastic see-through jar with air holes.
• If you keep the lizard for more than a few hours you must (1) Know what type of lizard it is and how to care for it. (2) Provide a larger container, water, and food. (3) Place newspaper or sand in the bottom of the container to keep it dry.
• Observe the lizard in its habitat or other locations as mentioned in Helps #2. Try catching a lizard by hand or by using a noose (as described in Peterson Field Guide).
• Paint a lizard on a rock. See resources: Painting on Rocks for Kids Draw, stencil, or stamp the outline of a lizard on the rock, using pencils or acrylic paint. For details, use paint brush, Q- tips, or toothpicks. If you want to put the rock lizard in your yard, apply clear spray for acrylic paint to preserve the art work.

References

Reptiles & Amphibians for Dummies. Patricia Bartlett. Coauthor of Lizard Care from A to Z. Wiley Publishing, Inc.

Reptiles and Amphibians Peterson Field Guides. Houghton Miffl in Company, <st1:place w:st=”on”><st1:city w:st=”on”>Boston <st1:state w:st=”on”>New York. 2003.

Painting on Rocks for Kids. Lin Wellford, North Light Books, <st1:place w:st=”on”><st1:city w:st=”on”>Cincinnati, <st1:state w:st=”on”>Ohio www.artistsnetwork.com

Websites:

Search for the name of your state or province, “Lizards”) Example: “New York Lizards” Library or <st1:place w:st=”on”><st1:placename w:st=”on”>Nature <st1:placetype w:st=”on”>Center