Who raided the chook food?

It seems to have been a good season for blue tongue lizards this year. We've had at least a few frequenting our backyard. I like that you can often tell it's a "bluey", rather than a snake, just by the rustling sound they make as they move. Snakes tend to have a smoother sound, if that makes sense. If I see an unidentified reptile sitting still, I will tend to do a quick check for legs before getting too close.

This blue tongue was spotted passing through the chook run a few times in recent weeks. And then one day I caught it eating from a bowl of chook food. First, it lent into the bowl. Then it put its two front legs in, for more reach.

And the next time I passed, it was even using its legs to tip the bowl, for best access the tucker! 

Update on 2013-02-28 04:20 by Karen

A timely reminder from a friend, Marian, who noted that an absence of legs doesn't necessarily mean you're looking at a snake. She wrote (and said it was ok to repeat here):

This legless lizard was only identifiable by its snout which is lizardy not snakey. He appeared near the house at dusk during watering one evening. Luckily we'd seen one or two before but not so long and serpentine. He needs a 'Not a Snake' tattoo. 

This ripper of a legless lizard was about 45cm long. Fantastic, thanks Marian.