The Legless Lizard

[blackcrystal22]

I went to the petstore the other day to get some supplies and I came across a legless lizard.

Without asking, I realized I had seen it before (Shed Aquarium had it in its new reptile exhibit and I had just been there a month ago.)

I knew it was apparently not a snake but some type of a lizard species with no legs. Har.
It looked just like this. (not mine!)


AND WELL.
I had never seen one as a pet before.. I thought it was a bit weird so I asked about it. The clerk man told me that actually, he found it quite pointless to have one as a pet. He said when you handle them they become very sparatic and can actually break their own spines. I of course wondered the real truth to this.. as trusting petstore employees is not very.. uh.. reliable.
It sounded realistic as they DO in fact look very fragile?

I thought it was interesting though, does anyone know anything about these guys, as pets?
Anyone seriously have one? :]

[BMorrison]

I think they're actually called Sheltopusiks (sp?)
They have one at a local petshop here in Michigan. They're crazy. Eyelids and ears! All the little kids always go "Look Mom A Snake!" and the mom's always like "No Timmy! That's a Lizard!" I have no idea anything about them whatsoever but they're interesting looking.

[qiksilver]

nope... they're actually Lialis... if it really looked like that picture. It's a genus containing two species, L. burtonis, and L. jicari. They're lizard feeders from New Guinea. I think they're fascinating.

[Jerhart]

Here is a Ophisaurus attenuatus I found a couple years ago, they are VERY fascinating and fast!
http://www.emeraldexotics.net/Photos...tus_2_copy.jpg

[Schlyne]

My friend had one for a while. It was really cool, although it was a lizard eater, so she had to get anoles and house geckos. I was there when she fed it an anole once, which was interesting. It basically clamped down on the head and suffocated the anole then ate it.

I think she had a Russian legless. It was basically a display animal and it got used for educational shows as well.