The Thorny Devil - A prickly little chap with a face only a mother could love!

Mick... Oh...MICK.
That would have to be the most beautiful and too short Video clip I have yet seen on EO, and the tender loving care in how you picked it up, actually the prickles are not prickly, it's for looks and looks that you and I love as well as it's Mother, I gave the little fella the same when I shifted him off the Hwy between Mt Isa and Camooweal.
Good one, needs a prize .



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Mick,

Thanks for sharing.
Here's one on the Canning Stock Route in 2010:

Mick! I dont know how many times i have seen something on the road a few hundred metres up, pulled up in a screaming hurry and kicked one of our wonderful reptiles off the road. I guess we all have, knowing they will be back on the road a bit later.. We can only try to help!!! Michael

Loved the video Mick, and like this idea of reptile blogs and threads. Here is our TD contribution, this one found between Jervois and Batten Hill. Taken late in the afternoon, so light not the best.

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Cheers,

Val

Gday Mick,
Nice blog. Here's a couple more photos:
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Cheers
Phil

Mick
Great blog and post about one amazing lizard. My brother lives in Alice and his next door neighbour had one as a pet. One of the problems that they had with it was keeping up and finding the ants that they eat. Their looks are deceiving as you would have found out with their thorns and skin been quite soft and their robotic style of walking is quite unique. As to now I've not seen one in the wild, but maybe one day.
Murray

Hi

Heres one I found recently on the east side of Lake Lefroy near Kambalda WA late last year.

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Cheers
Greg

Gday MickO
I had one in my hand about 3hrs west of Alice . Sister in law had a squat and the stick moved . She almost fell on it backwards .

Hi Mick

Great story, thanks. We have looked for years and have only ever seen them twice. The first was north of Kalka Aboriginal Community years ago, well before the invention of digital camera, and our second time was 3 years ago out on the Sydney Yeo Range Track, east of the Connie Sue.

Went for a walk one night and found this little fellow. I do not know if it was sick or night, but it was very inactive. After the photo, I placed it back under a bush near where I found it. I went back an hour later and it was still as I had left it. I felt very sorry for the little fellow, and was happy next morning when I went back and it was gone. We hope that it did go off by itself and did not come Dingo Bush Tucker.

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Cheers


Stephen

G'day Mick,
We had them as pets while growing up in Geraldton WA, they were known as "Mountain Devils" then. They can actually change colour to blend in with the different surroundings. We had one tethered by ten metres of string once, it was the only way we could find him, by following the string. We weren't too popular with the old man though, when he found out.
Fantastic little creatures.

Cheers,
Noel K.

Hi Mick, thanks for a very thought provoking thread.

I've had a lot of experience with these guys over the years, not only the full sized reptile but the eggs as well.

The eggs are laid usually near a green leafed plant that looks a bit like a double gee plant/three cornered jack to you guys over east, I believe.

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Because the eggs have points on them people think they are the seed of a double gee - wrong double gees don’t have seeds, they are all thorny devil eggs.

This camouflage keeps the eggs safe because most animals that would normally eat the eggs think it’s a prickle and keep away.

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So the next time you see a double gee plant, proceed with caution and protect the eggs. Don't pull the plant out - you are destroying thorny devil eggs and habitat - they're scare enough now!

Regards

Truthful Phil

Hi Mick,

Yeah we were lucky enough to find one on the track when we were travelling down the CSR in '98, the good lady wife has a video of me picking him up rather gingerly only to find they are more soft than spikey. I think they are rather cute little guys. Speaking of reptiles I disturbed a reasonable size "race horse' goanna sunning him (her???) self on our back patio today. The lizard in question made a very hasty exit into a clump of shrubs in the garden. Some time later it re-emerged and casually walked across to another garden bed. The unusual way it held its tail curled up like a scorpions tail rather than being dragged along the ground behind it caught my eye as I have seen lots of them but never one holding its tail in that manner. It didn't appear to be injured in any way. Where is a camera when you need one.
Love your blogs by the way even if you do ride the wrong brand of Yanky ATV..LOL.

Cheers
Pop