Lizards (skinks) stuck down backyard drain?

[mimi88]

Hello! I would like some advice please. Please note we live in a rented house so we are not allowed to mess with things, ie drains and anything else. So in our backyard we have a wire top drain. We also have lots of small lizards (skinks). They seem to fall into the drain and not have a way to get back out. So if heavy rain comes they are pretty much going to drown to death. I'm not talking about a couple of lizards either, i've seen at least 7 or 8 down there. Pretty sure there would be alot more hiding. It's impossible to catch them because of their tiny size and the face that they tend to burrow under all the rocks at the bottom, they also run into the actual drain pipe. I had an idea today and stuck some of our parrots old gumtree branches down there, to see if maybe they can climb up. 15 mins after I put the branches in I caught one climbing DOWN it, going into the drain.. GRRRR! (pic below)

Anyone have any other ideas about how I can help these guys? i'm not sure if they can actually climb up the branches.. clearly they can climb down LOL. It is starting to rain as I type this. I have seen babies down there only a few cm long and it breaks my heart thinking of them drowning to death. One of them has a dropped/missing tail too so i'm thinking that maybe they fall in trying to escape from neighbourhood cats at night.

If you look very hard at the first pic you can see one of the babies, he is on the larger white looking rock to the left.

Here is a close up of the one I found climbing down while trying to take pics to show you guys... GRRR lol

 

[SpotsandSally]

Well, he can run up and down them all he wants, if he goes down there, he'll have a way up. Good idea, if you can leave them there, that way they have a chance of escape.

 

[Mike17]

If they can climb down the stick, they'll be able to climb up it as well. If the drain has concrete sides they should be able to climb them too- but leave the stick there just in case.

 

[strudel]

Geckos can walk on walls, they have little suckers on their feet, so they might just be going down there on purpose, maybe because it's cool or to get a drink. Are you sure they aren't just climbing out when they want to?

 

[SpotsandSally]

Strudel, them there look like skinks. Skinks are evil little things, and while they can outrun a cheetah they cannot climb walls. Well, smooth, metal walls.

 

[mimi88]

Geckos can walk on walls, they have little suckers on their feet, so they might just be going down there on purpose, maybe because it's cool or to get a drink. Are you sure they aren't just climbing out when they want to?

I'm 99% sure they aren't going down there on purpose, I think they are somehow falling in... no way for them to get back up at all, they have no suckers on the feet. As another poster said they are damn good runners lol but not good climbers from what I know.

 

[strudel]

Yes, you may be right, I'd just rather they were geckos and not drowning in a ditch. It's POSSIBLE that they are going down just for fun and can get back out, isn't it?

 

[mimi88]

I will keep the sticks there then, I don't know if they can grip the bottom of the sticks though as they aren't on much of an angle. I think the guy in the picture was in the garden and decided to work his way down the stick into the drain, I don't think he was one of the ones stuck down there at the bottom. But hopefully they will find a way up. I hope it will help them.

 

[SpotsandSally]

They have long little spindly claws. They should be able to climb it. If your still concerned, you can take a leaffier branch and set it so they walk up the leaves then the stick. But so long as its rough, they should be able to climb.

I love skinks. I want to own a blue tonged skink but not sure anyone in my family would like it.. Hehe.

 

[mimi88]

They have long little spindly claws. They should be able to climb it. If your still concerned, you can take a leaffier branch and set it so they walk up the leaves then the stick. But so long as its rough, they should be able to climb.

I love skinks. I want to own a blue tonged skink but not sure anyone in my family would like it.. Hehe.

Thats a good idea - a leafier branch. I'll look for one next time i'm out. On another note I use to have a blue tounge as a child, he was a baby that we found injured I believe - we had him for a while, can't remember if he passed away or my parents released him. He was a great little guy, he was very gentle. I had bearded dragons too, they are awesome. I love all animals, feathery, furry and scaley :bunny7: but my soft spot is for birds.