id these critters... found the in my back yard

[Tcrazy]

this little guy did not make it

 

[loxoscelesfear]

five-lined skink and a brown snake

 

[Galapoheros]

That could be Broadhead skink. Young five-lined and young Broadheads look almost the same. You would have needed to count some scales below the eye called labial scales. Five-lined has 4 labials and Broadheads have 5. I remember that because I've always wanted a Broadheaded skink and kept finding Five-lined around here but no Broadheads.

 

[LeilaNami]

That could be Broadhead skink. Young five-lined and young Broadheads look almost the same. You would have needed to count some scales below the eye called labial scales. Five-lined has 4 labials and Broadheads have 5. I remember that because I've always wanted a Broadheaded skink and kept finding Five-lined around here but no Broadheads.

Come to Arlington, then. They're everywhere

 

[davidbarber1]

five-lined skink and a brown snake

I agree. I'll go with the Five Lined Skink (Eumeces inexpectatus), although, as Galapoheros said, it could be a Broadhead Skink (Eumeces laticeps). According to Roger Conant in Reptiles and Amphibians of Eastern/Central North America, there are several ways of telling the difference, including the scale count as Galapoheros mentioned. The snake is definitely a Florida Brown Snake, Texas style (Storeria dekayi).

David

 

[BrianWI]

We have the same skinks here, but fairly rare. I never could keep one alive, either, must have some requirement I did not provide.

 

[jasen&crystal]

in washington we call those blue tailed racing lizard but yes its a five lined sckink they like moist sub. lots of room and hiding places and are really die easly due to stress