A couple returned home from holiday to a rather unwelcome surprise – finding a lizard lurking amongst their baby’s toys.
Hiding in the play pen was a blue-tongue skink – a reptile found in tropical forests that grows up to 60cm in length.
The first sign that something was amiss was bits of skin that the lizard had shed across the floor.
READ MORE: Hairless French Bulldog crowned ‘World’s Ugliest Dog’ 2025
The couple called Hudson Snake Catching, and wrangler Tim Hudson was soon on the scene.
Sharing a video of the find with What’s The Jam, Tim says: “Wow, he’s made quite a mess, hasn’t he?”
The lizard can be seen hiding behind some stuffed play equipment near the edge of the pen, where Tim is able to scoop him up.
He says, “There aren’t many grasshoppers and snails to eat in here, buddy.”
Blue-tongue skinks can live for more than 10 years, and are omnivores who eat a wide range of food – from plants to live insects.
True to their name, they have distinctive blue tongues, which produce a thick mucus to catch prey.
They are often kept as pets – though this one appears to have been an unwelcome house guest.
While the lizard was far from its natural habitat, they can be found in Australia, where Tim found the beast in a home in the Gold Coast area this week (13 August).
READ MORE: Seagulls enjoy Wetherspoons date after snapping up pub grub left by diners
