Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Finding the lizard
• Part 2 of 3: Catching the lizard
• Part 3 of 3: Releasing a wild lizard
• Tips
• Warnings

Whether it is an escaped pet or an unwelcome guest in the house, it may sometimes be necessary to humanely and safely capture a free-roaming lizard. Lizards tend to hide when they are scared, so you may need to find the lizard first. Once you find the lizard, you can lure it into a box. A pet must return to its cage, but if the lizard comes out of the wild, you must release it outside. If it is a large lizard or you have a pest, remember that you can always call the pest control to get the job done for you.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Finding the lizard

1. Seal off the room where you last saw the lizard. Close the windows and doors so that he cannot escape. You can also push towels into the crack under the door to prevent the lizard from getting under the door.
2. Check dark, enclosed areas to see if the lizard is hiding there. Lizards like to live in small or covered spaces. Check under the couch, chairs, bookcases and tables in the room. Cupboards, ventilation shafts, pillows and house plants are also popular hiding places for a lizard.
   • You may need a flashlight to see in dark rooms.
   • Lizards often hide behind hanging objects, such as picture frames, on the wall.
3. Keep pets in a separate room. If your pets are in the room, the lizard is likely to hide. Keep your dog or cat in another room until you catch the lizard.
   • If you have a cat, you could use it to catch the lizard. Keep in mind that the cat is likely to kill the lizard, so this is only a possible option if the lizard is from the wild.
4. Turn off all the lights. The lizard may show itself when it thinks it is dark outside. Close curtains or blinds to block out the sun. You can use a flashlight to see. The lizard will probably show itself within half an hour.
5. Wait for it to appear. The lizard will only show itself when it feels safe. If you can't find the lizard, you can prepare the materials needed to catch it. Keep it handy until it shows up.
   • If you can't find a wild lizard in your house, it may be easier to repel it with eggshells, mothballs, and other simple household items than it will be to catch it.

Part 2 of 3: Catching the lizard

1. Find a container to catch the lizard. Most house lizards are only 5-8 cm in length. An older food container, such as an empty margarine tub or large yogurt bucket, can be ideal for catching a lizard.
2. Approach the lizard slowly. If you startle the lizard, it will likely run back to its hiding place. So walk very slowly towards the lizard. When it starts to walk, stop and stand still for a second until the lizard has calmed down.
3. Chase the lizard into the box. If the lizard is on the wall, use a magazine or piece of paper to guide it to the box. If he's on the ground, use a broom or a ruler. In most cases, the lizard will run into the box, thinking it is the safest place.
   • Try not to touch the lizard with the object. Move it towards the lizard to encourage it to run towards the box, but avoid touching the lizard.
   • Do not use your hands to pick up or chase the lizard. This can cause the lizard's tail to fall off and the lizard to even bite you.
4. Spray the lizard with cool water if it continues to run. If the lizard doesn't go into the box, you can try spraying or sprinkling cold water on it. This may cause the lizard to slow down or stop completely for a minute or two. You can then put the box over him.
5. Slide a piece of cardboard or paper under the box. Once the lizard is in the box, you can lock it in there. Slide the paper or cardboard over the opening of the box so that it is completely covered. Keep it there until you release or return the lizard to its cage.

Part 3 of 3: Releasing a wild lizard

1. Bring the lizard outside. You must release the lizard into the wild outside. Don't let him mash near your house or door, he might just run back in. Release him a few yards from the house.
2. Remove the paper from the box. Keep the box close to the ground and remove the paper or cardboard. The lizard should then run out on its own. If he doesn't, step back or leave the box alone for a few minutes. The lizard may not run out of the box until you are gone.
   • You can also gently tip the lizard out of the box, as long as you keep it close to the ground.
3. Do not keep a wild lizard as a pet. Most wild lizards don't do well in a cage or terrarium. They are wild animals and must therefore be humanely released outside.
4. Call the pest control if you think you have a pest. The pest control can examine your home for lizard entry points while removing the lizard population in your home. Call the local pest control to find out if they offer this service.
   • This is a good option if you have a very large lizard in your house.

Tips

• Lizards are usually friendly. If you let a lizard live in your house, it will eat other pests and insects for you.
• You can buy a glue trap to catch a lizard, but it will slowly kill the lizard. These traps are not considered humane.
• Lizards often enter through small cracks in doors, windows and gutters. Make sure these are plugged so that lizards cannot enter your house over and over again.

Warnings

• Even a house lizard can bite you if it feels cornered or threatened. While most lizards are not poisonous, a bite can hurt well. Therefore, do not touch the lizard directly.
• Do not grab a lizard by its tail, it could fall off.