Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi
Reading the field guide to reptiles and amphibians of north America bye National Audubon Society I saw something strange

Quote:
"Sometimes domestic cats eat this skink, in which case they may loose their sence of balance or develop a paralysis"

Is there anyone that knows more about this?

Best wishes
Søe Pedersen

There are only two venomous lizards in the world: the Mexican Beaded Lizard and the Gila Monster.

Nuff said.

Hi
Yes I know of the only lizards that is proven to deliver poison from their bite.
This is something else. The cats gets sick eating the skinks, so the flesh could be poisonous. That was what I was asking about.

Best wishes
Søe

Not to start an arguement, but is there possibly a link to this info? I'm aware of the poisonus lizards we have, and am also aware that substances that are produced by some creatures are toxic, toads come to mind here. I've known racoons to bite the tails off skinks with no ill effects, so I find it difficult to believe it could harm a cat. JMO

Quig

Well I guess it is possible for the skinks to obtain some kind of "poison" in their flesh from their diet, like box turtles (yes, box turtles, they get toxins from the mushrooms they eat, read Turtles and Tortoises for Dummies by Melissa kaplan for more) and poison dart frogs. I don't know what insect they would get toxins from though.

Could it be possible that the cats got Salmonella from eating the skinks? That seems more reasonable to me.

Salmonella is a possibility. That's why I was hopin' for a link of some sort. Not that I mistrust Audubon either, I just don't see skinks being toxic. Worse things have happened though, I suppose LOL.

Quig

Hi

I fell like you. I cannot find any publication elsewhere to support this, and therefor I asked here, if anyone knew anything about it.

As I said the story comes from "Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians " National Audebon Society.1979 ISBN 0-394-50824-6. Authers John L. Behler, Curator of Herpetology at the wildlife Conservation Society, and F. Wayne King, Curator of Herpetology at the Florida State Museum of Natural History.

I cannot believe that it is Salmonella. I newer heard that it causes paralyses. To me it sounds like a reaction to a pioson like botulism; poisoning caused by infection with bacillus botulinus.

Maybe anyone knows one of the authers?

Best wishes
Søe

Reptilia-Denmark

Five-lines are in no way toxic. Neither their bite nor flesh is toxic. I say research should be done on this skink.