In Vietnam, this “unlikely” shaped animal is often “massacred”, while Europeans and Americans consider it a unique pet creature.

In Vietnam there is a strange lizard species with characteristics unlike any other lizard species: their tail is six times longer than the length of their body and head.

That is Liu Diu (Takydromus sexineatus), a small lizard that often lives in lawns and bushes.

This long tail helps the turtle avoid falling when climbing slowly or moving quickly through tall, dense grass or loose branches.

Because they are so long, their tails are also very fragile and can break easily.

Like some other lizards, Liu diu also “shows its tail” when attacked by a predator. From the stump of the tail, a new tail will grow back.

Liu diu is a fairly common reptile in Vietnam. They appear from the Northern mountainous provinces to the Southeast region.

They are often hunted and raised as food for pet birds. At ornamental bird stores, olive trees are sold at quite cheap prices, only a few thousand dong per bird.

However, in Europe and America, many people keep them as pets because of their beautiful colors and unique long tails.

This is a reptile that is quite easy to raise, with its food being small insects such as flies and mosquitoes.

In folk culture, Liu Diu appears in the proverb known to many Vietnamese people : “Dragon eggs hatch into dragons / Liu Dieu hatches into Liu Diu”.