How do you get a lizard out of your house?

[Democrat 4 Ever]

I have a good friend whose husband recently passed away. Every little thing seems to overwhelm her right now. All the things she depended upon her husband to handle now fall to her and she is having a hard time. She came over last night completely distraught because she has a lizard who has invited himself/herself into her home.

Normally this isn't something she would freak out about but with the stress and grief she is now dealing with right now this is something she doesn't need. She is petrified of this little lizard - and no, it didn't help her when I suggested it wouldn't hurt her. And many climates are very conducive to lizards being in a person's home. Quote "How do I know there aren't poisonous or harmful lizards and how do I know this one won't hurt me?" She just isn't rational right now.

She doesn't necessarily want to kill the poor thing but I'm thinking a few more days of cohabitation with a lizard and she will be hauling out a shotgun and start blasting away. She needs our help.

So - any ideas on how to get a lizard out of a house? Dead or alive.

[NMDemDist2]

1. I made a lizard trap with a string, a showbox and a plastic fork

it didn't actually work, I actually caught him under the shoe box while he was sitting on the side of the couch. covered him with the shoebox, slid a thin piece of cardboard under the box until I heard him hit the bottom, flipped it over and took him out side.

my cat brought him in again, did the same thing two days later

Kitty hasn't caught another one lately

[troubleinwinter]

3. "I made a lizard trap"

But what does one use as BAIT????!!!!

[NMDemDist2]

4. lettuce or water

lizards love water

[troubleinwinter]

5. Interesting and good clue!

I love lizards (though not in the house)... they seem so quiet and peacful, basking in the sun.

I still think 3 boys and a 5 dollar bill is the quickest solution.

[Lorax]

13. Sugar

The last time I was in Hawaii, I enticed a gecko with little bits of brown granulated sugar (the big kind, I don't know what it's called) so it would stay close enough to me to photograph. You could try putting some sugar in the trap maybe.

[troubleinwinter]

2. If there are some boys in the neighborhood,

I tell 'em that there is $5 for whoever can catch it. Bet it's gone in 30 noisy exciting minutes.

Otherwise, I'd see about a butterfly net from a nature or fish store.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. "Otherwise, I'd see about a butterfly net ........... "

For the lizard or your friend? :)

I'm sorry. I know she's hurting. I just couldn't resist.

As for lizard bait ..... lemme know what works. Maybe we can lure boosh out of DC with it.

[troubleinwinter]

7. Ohhhh.... you IS bad!

[Stinky The Clown]

8. I know ... sometimes this stuff just leaps out and I have no control

Sparkly looks at me when I do that and sez "Miiiiiiiiiiikkkkeeeeeeeeeeyy."

[Jersey Devil]

10. lol, I love your idea

I can see them now leaping around the house. :bounce:

[China_cat]

9. If they're like the little lizards we have here

in Charleston, they're favorite food is cockroaches so maybe you could sell her on it being an organic pest control system.

On a serious note, though, if it's one of the geckos, a bowl of water won't entice it but dipping a branch with leaves still on it in some water and shaking it until there's just some drops left will be more of an enticement...both a place to hide and a drink.

[Dora]

11. Lizards are our friends: It's there to help her.

Lizards are not pests - lizards are pest control.

[DawgHouse]

12. I have regular visits from brown anoles

and I always try to catch them when I see them darting around. If I don't catch them and put them outside, I will usually find a dried up carcass in a few days and then I feel very bad :(

I grab a big plastic container and coax them toward it. In their panic, they usually jump toward the container and then I've got them!