Identify a lizard

[the eskimo]

We found this little bad boy in our backyard.

Never seen anything like it in Joburg before, and we're not near any open spaces which leads me to believe it's an escaped pet.

I'm no herpetologist so would appreciate an ID so we can know what to do with it.

Any ideas?

 

[Ninja'd]

Looks like Prince Andrew.

 

[UrBaN963]

That's a Bearded Dragon.

Pogona - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Solmonster]

Looks like an Agama (Koggelmander). Could be female

 

[w1z4rd]

Agama

 

[Ninja'd]

Agama lizard?

Agama (lizard) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Geoff.D]

The genus Agama includes at least 37 species in Africa, especially sub-Saharan Africa, where most regions are home to at least one species.

Rare to see them in home gardens unless you are close to an open space and koppies.

 

[the eskimo]

Thanks for the ID. Digging further, seems like it’s a Southern Rock Agama (Agama Atra).

Kids have been asking if we could keep it as a pet and we’re doing our research. Could also be a neighbours escaped pet so we’ll ask around too.

 

[Polymathic]

I was led to believe as a kid that the blue head variety was venomous

 

[Smokey mcpot]

That's a Bearded Dragon.

Pogona - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Lacking some spikes which makes me think its not a dragon. My bro in jhb also does have one of them and it has alot more spikes.

Then of course I've got this little guy around...

 

[Magnum]

I was led to believe as a kid that the blue head variety was venomous

They are.....Don't eat them...

 

[Geoff.D]

I was led to believe as a kid that the blue head variety was venomous

Not poisonous but tend to be aggressive especially in the mating season, and will bite. The bite if not treated turns septic which then feeds the poisonous myth. Bites from animals must be treated.
After all, none of them have been taught to brush their teeth.

 

[itareanlnotani]

Rock agama, they run around and do little push ups all day. I have a ton of them in my garden in the Cape.
They like my stone wall and zoot around the top of it pausing to do push ups for a minute or two, then zoot off to another spot and repeat.

 

[Smokey mcpot]

Rock agama, they run around and do little push ups all day. I have a ton of them in my garden in the Cape.
They like my stone wall and zoot around the top of it pausing to do push ups for a minute or two, then zoot off to another spot and repeat.

Yes, that's exactly what they do. The little fellow in the picture I posted has become very friendly to the point that I've even been able to run his back while he climbs walls. On one occasion I had to take him down, my wife thought he was going to enter through the bedroom window haha