Lizard = bad?

November 8, 2016 8:30 AM

Have seen a lizard around the house several times. Possibly more than one lizard even. (two?) I don't really mind singular lizards, but I know that for example one cockroach is never one cockroach, and I'd like to know if there's any reason to be worried about an incoming lizard horde. (alternately, if there's a reason I should mind even singular lizards, I'd want to know)

Lizard small, maybe total length = palm of hand? Murky colored. Hangs out near storage closet that belongs to our landlord, not to us.

(we also have a shower gecko but that's been there from the beginning)

Possible relevant risk factor: soon to arrive infant.

posted by Cozybee to Home & Garden (12 answers total)

Best answer: I live in Florida, and we have lizards EVERYWHERE outside.
Inside, we may see the occasional lost soul who zigged when he should have zagged when a door was open, but I seriously doubt that they are setting up house anywhere inside, because Difficulty Level: Food and Water. We usually find their dehydrated skeleton later, during spring or fall cleaning.
Personally, I wouldn't even be close to worrying about it, unless you live on Komodo Island.
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 8:37 AM on November 8, 2016 [4 favorites]

Everywhere lizardy I've lived, we always get the occasional bolter through the door. But lizards are great! They eat bugs! I don't think they're terribly interested in *living* (or breeding) inside your house, and they tend to die in the house if they stay too long so I do try to get them into a jar and take them back outside when I see them, because it makes me sad to find their dried husks inside.

They're not going to hurt your baby, though.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:44 AM on November 8, 2016 [6 favorites]

We get lots of tiny lizards too. If you can't catch one, try leaving a screened window open for the afternoon. It'll probably be hanging out there when you get back, and you can scoop it up and take it outside.
posted by aralymn at 8:49 AM on November 8, 2016

No. In the US the anoles and skinks you see around your yard are harmless. They eat bugs. Enjoy your lizard friends.
posted by Violet Hour at 8:50 AM on November 8, 2016 [2 favorites]

Lizards are awesome. We have geckos in our house in Japan. They eat cockroaches and poisonous centipedes. The lizards are our friends.
posted by My Dad at 9:23 AM on November 8, 2016

Echoing the above. Lizards are chill. I grew up in the southeast where fauna likes to make its way indoors at a pretty high rate, and even my kill-it-with-fire dad didn't bother chasing down anoles. Just cracked the window open and let them sort their own way out.

As far as being a risk to a baby, well, I can't say I'd personally recommend it, but tons of my classmates used to pick them up on the playground and let them bite/dangle from their tongues to entertain everyone. No one was harmed by this (except probably the lizards).
posted by phunniemee at 9:29 AM on November 8, 2016 [2 favorites]

Lizards are great! And won't eat your baby. But they will eat bugs and be super cute while they do it. Yay lizards!
posted by fiercecupcake at 10:09 AM on November 8, 2016

Also nthing "lizards are our friends" sentiments and adding an "and they're not really pack animals so one lizard doesn't necessarily equal many more lizards". :)
posted by helloimjennsco at 10:25 AM on November 8, 2016

In Singapore they are called chitchats and growing up we used to encourage lizards in our house to eat bugs. They also might leave a tail behind for you, so beware......
posted by lstanley at 10:30 AM on November 8, 2016 [1 favorite]

Best answer: We had geckos in our house in Australia and lots of other little lizards outside. The main risk I heard was that gecko poo (WHICH THEY LEAVE EVERYWHERE) can carry salmonella. Don't know whether this is regional or not, but I was careful to clean up gecko poo frequently in places my kid could reach when she started crawling.
posted by olinerd at 12:29 PM on November 8, 2016

Lizards aren't like cockroaches, one doesn't mean millions of little friends nearby. I have one about a foot long in my back yard and it seems to live a happy solitary life. Sometimes the little tiny ones get in the house but I catch and release because the cats pat them to death.
posted by kitten magic at 3:59 PM on November 8, 2016

Response by poster: Thank you everyone! Am very happy I don't have to worry about the lizardfriends.
posted by Cozybee at 8:06 PM on November 8, 2016 [1 favorite]