One of the Eastern Water Skinks in my back yard has been having a tough time of it. Not only has it lost its right rear leg at some point, but it's also recently lost its tail (it's a little hard to see in the photo, but its tail does *not* extend under that white box).

The missing limb looks like an old, fully healed injury so they must have been managing OK as a tripod, and the tail will regrow, but nonetheless losing it would be a setback. I left some food and water out near their hiding spot to help them out a bit.

Yesterday was Jerry's Gotcha Day, 4 years exactly since we brought him home from the lizard breeder we bought him from.

I have the date marked in my calendar in part because that also means it's time to change the tube in his UV-B lamp, which he needs in order to ensure he gets enough vitamin D. The output of these tubes declines with time and they need to be periodically replaced, and for the brand I use the manufacturer recommends doing so every 12 months.

Measuring the lizard is difficult as he will never lie still while stretched out straight for me. I managed to get pretty close here, though. Looks like he is at least 50 cm long, probably 51-52 cm if he were completely straightened out.

Jerry has been hiding a lot lately, but can be tempted out of his log with a blueberry.

Got a closeup of the scaly sausage while he was lying on his 3D printed platform right up against the front glass.

Instead of going to sleep inside his hollow log, under either of his rocks, or inside his plastic rocket the lizard has decided to just make a very half-arsed effort at burying himself next to his food bowl.

He does this occasionally for reasons that are not clear to me, but I suspect it's got something to do with the 100% ambient humidity we've got today. That wouldn't affect him in anything like the way it affects humans (it's not going to make him feel hot and sweaty because he's cold blooded and doesn't sweat) but it does have some effect.

The skink thinks he's a gecko. He keeps coming out after lights out and climbing on the decor.

Helped mum catch a surprise visitor and put it back out in the garden.

I think it's a moko skink?