Caitlin Monesmith
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bonesmith.bsky.social
Caitlin Monesmith
@bonesmith.bsky.social
55 followers 130 following 28 posts
Caitlin, 34. She/her. Dental anthropologist by trade, lizard enthusiast by passion. My brain is full of worms but that's ok. Always doing the best I can. Don't ask me when I will finish my dissertation, I WILL cry.

The tegu's name is Nakajima, btw.
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bonesmith.bsky.social
She wants this road trip to be over SO bad. We're still like an hour away from the tegu condo at my parents' house and her farm fresh quail eggs courtesy of my brother's in-laws and she is just DONE.
The grumpiest, most exhausted tegu lizard in the world.
February 8, 2025 at 7:18 AM
bonesmith.bsky.social
Some friends from my last visit to Sanibel.
An American alligator in shallow water, surrounded by plants Close up of the head of an American alligator in shallow swamp water, surrounded by plants The head of an American alligator swimming in deeper, open water
January 28, 2025 at 2:43 AM
bonesmith.bsky.social
This aquarist has my dream job (lizard cuddler) (I do that anyways but imagine if I got paid for it...)
A shedd aquarium employee holding a caiman lizard. The employee's head is cropped out and there's a lot of greenery in front of them because they are in the lizard's habitat.
December 18, 2024 at 5:08 PM
bonesmith.bsky.social
Love that my department just lets the lizard teach classes.
December 4, 2024 at 5:11 AM
bonesmith.bsky.social
Nakajima and her namesake!
An Argentine black and white tegu lizard sitting on a bed and sticking her tongue all the way out. Japanese actor Haruo Nakajima halfway into his Godzilla costume
November 23, 2024 at 7:10 AM
bonesmith.bsky.social
One of my favorite things about my lizard is how much she loves children. She's more than a pet; she's my outreach animal and she was born for the role. She does an amazing job helping them see how curious and intelligent reptiles can be.
An Argentine black and white tegu lizard sitting in the lap of a young Black child. The tegu is resting happily. You can only see the child's hands and some of her legs. No face, for privacy. An Argentine black and white tegu lizard sitting on the shoulder of a white child, whose face is obscured for privacy. A screenshot of an instagram post from the museum of science and industry's summer picnic. There's lots of people in the background and the focus is on me holding my Argentine black and white tegu lizard while a young boy pets her. This child's parents signed a photo release for the public event so you can see his face as he looks at the lizard. An Argentine black and white tegu lizard sitting on a young boy's shoulder. His face is turned away but you can see from his cheeks that he's laughing.
November 20, 2024 at 5:15 PM
bonesmith.bsky.social
Is that a lizard in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

Oh. Oh, that's. That's actually a lizard. Huh.

How'd... how'd that even get in there...
An argentine black and white tegu lizard hiding in her owner's pajama pocket. The pajamas are pink and white striped, the bedspread is the William Morris Strawberry Thief pattern, and the lizard's legs and tail are visible. An argentine black and white tegu lizard hiding in her owner's pajama pocket. The pajamas are pink and white striped, the bedspread is the William Morris Strawberry Thief pattern, and the lizard's tail and one toe with a claw are visible. The human has lifted the edge of the pocket and part of the lizard's face, focusing on the eye, is also visible. An argentine black and white tegu lizard hiding in her owner's pajama pocket. The pajamas are pink and white striped, the bedspread is the William Morris Strawberry Thief pattern, and the lizard's face is visible with her tail flopped over her head. She seems to have no understanding that she is a lizard and TOO BIG to fit in the pocket, and also she is asleep now, trapping her owner who is far too enchanted by this scenario to move her. An argentine black and white tegu lizard hiding in her owner's pajama pocket. The pajamas are pink and white striped, the bedspread is the William Morris Strawberry Thief pattern, and the lizard's sleeping face and part of the tail are visible.
November 13, 2024 at 5:55 PM
bonesmith.bsky.social
Oh good, she's learned how to shove things off of tabletops. I see this boding well for the future.
An Argentine black and white tegu lizard shoving a pair of fuzzy black earmuffs to the ground. The lizard is wearing a pink harness and sticking her tongue out a little. The earmuffs are falling off a desk.
November 12, 2024 at 3:30 AM
bonesmith.bsky.social
I'm starting to think Kaiju wishes my brother's in-laws were her in-laws.
An Argentine black and white tegu lizard relaxing on patio furniture. She is extremely relaxed. An Argentine black and white tegu lizard sitting on a small white Adirondack chair. An Argentine black and white tegu lizard looking at chickens. An Argentine black and white tegu lizard eating an egg, quite messily. She's sitting on newspaper and the egg is absolutely everywhere.
August 19, 2023 at 7:02 PM
bonesmith.bsky.social
I know TNC has its problems but they've done a beautiful job with the Kankakee Sands prairie restoration.
A great blue heron flying over the prairie A great blue heron flying over the prairie
August 15, 2023 at 9:24 PM
bonesmith.bsky.social
She is supervising my oil change.
An Argentine black and white tegu lizard sitting on the dashboard of my car. The hood is popped and she's looking out the window.
August 13, 2023 at 6:05 PM
bonesmith.bsky.social
My mom bought the lizard a pillow because "it looks like her!" My mom is not wrong. 🦎
An Argentine black and white tegu lizard sitting on a black and white spotted pillow that resembles her pattern. Her tongue is out. An Argentine black and white tegu lizard sitting on a black and white spotted pillow that resembles her pattern.
August 12, 2023 at 4:55 PM
bonesmith.bsky.social
And then there's this guy.
A small brown and white chihuahua mix looks at the camera, his eyes full of love. He's holding up a paw and kind of flopping it at the wrist.
August 12, 2023 at 1:07 PM
bonesmith.bsky.social
Bestie.
An Argentine black and white tegu lizard snuggled onto a light green pillow. An Argentine black and white tegu lizard snuggled onto a light green pillow. She looks like she wants to move to the next pillow, a silver silk pillow on which she is NOT ALLOWED but you try telling her that.
August 10, 2023 at 4:27 AM
bonesmith.bsky.social
Honestly I could be convinced to visit most of the states that I don't currently have an interest in visiting if somebody invited me out there or had something cool to do.
A colored map of the US showing which states I've lived in, visited, want to visit, would visit, and don't want to visit. Most of the map is filled in with states that I have visited- there's not enough alt text characters, I think, to explain this map completely.
August 9, 2023 at 5:00 AM
bonesmith.bsky.social
It's 11:51 PM, do you know your lizard is?
An argentine black and white tegu lizard resting her head on a person's knee. She's being petted. She seems very content.
August 9, 2023 at 4:51 AM
bonesmith.bsky.social
Did you know there's a clown cemetery right outside of Chicago? It's part of a larger cemetery and it's a very neat piece of history. It was first used in 1918 after the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus train crashed outside of nearby Hammond, Indiana.
An elephant statue at Showmen's Rest. An elephant statue at Showmen's Rest. There is a large tree in the background. An elephant statue at Showmen's Rest. There are trinkets at its feet, left as memorials. A gravestone commemorating the Hagenbeck-Wallace circus train wreck of 1918.
August 8, 2023 at 3:07 AM
bonesmith.bsky.social
Plenty of cats on this platform, which is great- but where are all the lizards? There should be more.
An argentine black and white tegu lizard in front of some yellow cowslips. Her tongue is sticking out. She's wearing a colorful harness. An argentine black and white tegu lizard reaching for a green hornworm. Her foot is lifted off the ground and her mouth is slightly open. An Argentine black and white tegu lizard looking at the camera. She's in a car carrier.
August 8, 2023 at 2:48 AM
bonesmith.bsky.social
All hours are tegu posting hours.
An argentine black and white tegu lizard stomping through a city made out of food. Her mouth is open and her tongue is sticking out.
August 8, 2023 at 2:43 AM