How To Catch A Common House Lizard And Keep It As A Pet - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow How to Catch a Common House Lizard and Keep It As a Pet PDF download Download Article Co-authored by Clint Bartley

Last Updated: March 10, 2025 Approved

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  • Preparing a Home for Your New Pet
    • |
  • Catching a Common House Lizard
    • |
  • Handling Your New Lizard
    • |
  • Caring For Your New Lizard
    • |
  • Video
    • |
  • Expert Interview
    • |
  • Expert Q&A
    • |
  • Tips
    • |
  • Warnings
|Show more |Show less X

This article was co-authored by Clint Bartley. Clint Bartley is a Herpetology Expert based in Chandler, Indiana. He has over 30 years of experience working with reptiles, and opened Metazotics in 2022, a large reptile breeding facility and specialty store where he oversees a breeding colony of nearly 500 reptiles. Metazotics specializes in reptiles such as colubrids, ball pythons, geckos, tortoises, and more, and serves a national audience with their state-of-the-art online merchandise platform. In particular, Clint is known as an industry leader in Asian rat snake and black rat snake mutations. Clint has successfully reproduced more than 60 species of reptiles in captivity. He was the second person in the United States to produce Archelaphe bella chapaensis (bell rat snakes), and the first person in the U.S. to produce them twice. Metazotics carries a comprehensive line of supplies and habitats, offers all bioactive enclosure needs, and works with local organizations to further their knowledge and understanding of reptiles. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 14 testimonials and 82% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 352,361 times.

Would you like to keep a house lizard as a pet? Lizards can make great pets because they are “low-maintenance.” They are quiet, not very messy, and do not need a lot of attention or space.[1] However, make sure that you do not try to catch a wild lizard and keep it as a pet. Capturing a wild lizard will cause the lizard to feel stressed and it may die as a result.[2]

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 4:

Preparing a Home for Your New Pet

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  1. Step 1 Get a glass aquarium and add a screen top. 1 Get a glass aquarium and add a screen top. A 24 by 12 by 12 inches (61 by 30 by 30 cm) or larger tank is recommended.[3] Make sure you seal any openings where your lizard could escape from.[4]
  2. Step 2 Use a UVB light or a heating pad set on low to warm your pet’s new home to the appropriate temperatures. 2 Use a UVB light or a heating pad set on low to warm your pet’s new home to the appropriate temperatures. Lizards are cold-blooded creatures that rely on outside warmth to function. The tank should be a minimum of 80 °F (27 °C) at one end with a basking area with a temperature of about 95 °F (35 °C).[5] [6]
    • Do not use heated rocks because they can cause your lizard to overheat.
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  3. Step 3 Choose a flooring that is easy to clean. 3 Choose a flooring that is easy to clean. Paper towels and newspapers are inexpensive options that work well for smaller and medium-sized lizards and are easy to change. If you want to breed your lizard, add about half-inch soil mixed with sand. Maintain proper temperature. You should also know what sex is your gecko (male or female).
  4. Step 4 Create visual barriers with vining plants, smaller branches, pieces of bark or hide boxes. 4 Create visual barriers with vining plants, smaller branches, pieces of bark or hide boxes. Your lizard likes to defend itself by hiding.[7] [8]
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Part 2 Part 2 of 4:

Catching a Common House Lizard

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  1. Step 1 Locate an area near your home where you see lizards regularly. 1 Locate an area near your home where you see lizards regularly. Lizards like warmth and sunlight, so look for sunny outdoor spots.
  2. Step 2 Capture a lizard... 2 Capture a lizard by either setting a trap or using a lizard fishing pole.
    • Setting a trap: Find an odorless box, cover it with plastic wrap and cut a slit. Place the box in a location where you have seen lizards and add live insect bait. Check the trap two or three times a day. It may take several days to catch the lizard, so make sure replace the bait as necessary.
    • Using a lizard fishing pole: Source a stick that is at least 3 feet (0.91 m) and a long piece of dental floss. Tie the dental floss to one end of the stick. Make a slip knot out of the other end with a loop large enough to fit around a lizard’s neck. Approach the lizard of your choice slowly and gently fit the loop around its neck. The best time to catch lizards is early in the day because they have not had a chance to warm up and will move more slowly.
  3. Step 3 Identify your new lizard using a resource such as Animal World. 3 Identify your new lizard using a resource such as Animal World. Geckos, anoles, and skinks are common types of lizards that can make good pets.
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Part 3 Part 3 of 4:

Handling Your New Lizard

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  1. Step 1 Handle your new pet carefully. 1 Handle your new pet carefully. Lizards, like any other animal, can feel pain. Some signs that your lizard is feeling uncomfortable include biting, thrashing around, clawing, and scrambling.[9]
  2. Step 2 Scoop up your lizard in your hand and hold its head delicately between your thumb and forefinger. 2 Scoop up your lizard in your hand and hold its head delicately between your thumb and forefinger.
    • Alternatively, clasp it in your hand while grasping one of its front legs between your thumb and forefinger. With this method, your lizard is likely to struggle and may bite you.[10]
  3. Step 3 Place one hand gently over the back of your lizard. 3 Place one hand gently over the back of your lizard. Use your other hand to grasp your lizard around its sides with just enough pressure to hold it still.
  4. Step 4 Make sure to support the lizard’s body weight and length and allow them to become comfortable. 4 Make sure to support the lizard’s body weight and length and allow them to become comfortable. Be calm and make smooth motions.[11]
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Part 4 Part 4 of 4:

Caring For Your New Lizard

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  1. Step 1 Provide water for your lizard daily. 1 Provide water for your lizard daily. Depending on the type of lizard, a shallow container of water, a bubbler bowl (for lizards who do not drink still water), or misting the walls of the cage daily will work (for arboreal and desert lizards) as water sources.[12] [13]
  2. Step 2 Purchase insects such... 2 Purchase insects such as live crickets or super mealworms and wax mealworms larvae from the pet store to feed your lizard 5 to 7 times a week. Make sure to buy insects of the appropriate size for your lizard.[14] [15]
    • Start with 6 insects to see how many your pet will eat. "Leftover" food can be dangerous to your lizard while it is asleep, so it is important to not put too many insects into the tank.
  3. Step 3 Clean the tank whenever it smells musty or you see animal waste. 3 Clean the tank whenever it smells musty or you see animal waste.
    • Remove the flooring. If it is paper, discard the original and replace with new paper towels or newspaper. If it is gravel or carpet, wash the existing flooring and set back into the cage.
    • Mist the cage with cleaner. A good cleaner is a mixture that is one part alcohol and two parts water with a drop or two of dishwashing liquid. Wipe the cage dry.[16]
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question Can I use sticky traps to catch lizards? Clint Bartley Clint Bartley Herpetology Expert Clint Bartley is a Herpetology Expert based in Chandler, Indiana. He has over 30 years of experience working with reptiles, and opened Metazotics in 2022, a large reptile breeding facility and specialty store where he oversees a breeding colony of nearly 500 reptiles. Metazotics specializes in reptiles such as colubrids, ball pythons, geckos, tortoises, and more, and serves a national audience with their state-of-the-art online merchandise platform. In particular, Clint is known as an industry leader in Asian rat snake and black rat snake mutations. Clint has successfully reproduced more than 60 species of reptiles in captivity. He was the second person in the United States to produce Archelaphe bella chapaensis (bell rat snakes), and the first person in the U.S. to produce them twice. Metazotics carries a comprehensive line of supplies and habitats, offers all bioactive enclosure needs, and works with local organizations to further their knowledge and understanding of reptiles. Clint Bartley Clint Bartley Herpetology Expert Expert Answer To safely catch lizards using sticky glue traps, place them in areas where lizards are active and optionally bait them with insects or fruit. Check the traps regularly, and when a lizard is caught, use a non-toxic adhesive solvent or oil to free it from the glue. Carefully transfer the lizard to a suitable enclosure with proper habitat and diet, and monitor its health regularly. Consider alternative methods of catching lizards, such as live traps or hand-catching, to avoid harming them. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 9 Helpful 19
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Tips

  • Do not keep a Gecko with a baby lizard, for the gecko will eat the baby lizard. Thanks Helpful 45 Not Helpful 3
  • For breeding: make sure you have enough space and only one male. The best breeding combination is one male and four females. Thanks Helpful 47 Not Helpful 4
  • Do not keep more than one male lizard. Thanks Helpful 41 Not Helpful 8
Show More Tips

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
  • If you're breeding lizards, make sure you have enough space for several lizards but only one male. The ideal breeding combination is 4 females and 1 male.
  • If you're hand feeding, hold the lizard in one hand and gently cover its breathing holes so that it opens its mouth. Then you can feed it, but be careful!
  • Take your lizard outside to get natural sunlight every once in a while. This also allows you to socialize it a little at the same time.
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Warnings

  • Get your lizard's neck out of the strings of the pole as fast as possible or it could struggle and choke itself. Thanks Helpful 108 Not Helpful 10
  • Make sure you take proper precautions when handling your new pet. Your lizard, like all animals, may carry diseases and can cause infections. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 3
  • Keep in mind that by capturing a house lizard, you're isolating it from other lizards. If you're passionate about keeping a thriving lizard population in your area, hold off on catching it. Try taking a picture or pausing for a moment to admire it instead.[17] Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about reptile care, check out our in-depth interview with Clint Bartley.

References

  1. ↑ http://reptilesmagazine.com/best-pet-reptiles-for-children/
  2. ↑ https://www.zillarules.com/articles/5-reasons-you-should-not-take-home-wild-reptiles
  3. ↑ Clint Bartley. Herpetology Expert. Expert Interview
  4. ↑ http://www.petplace.com/article/reptiles/general/housing-caging-your-reptile/housing-your-lizard
  5. ↑ Clint Bartley. Herpetology Expert. Expert Interview
  6. ↑ http://www.petplace.com/article/reptiles/general/housing-caging-your-reptile/housing-your-lizard
  7. ↑ Clint Bartley. Herpetology Expert. Expert Interview
  8. ↑ http://www.petplace.com/article/reptiles/general/housing-caging-your-reptile/housing-your-lizard
  9. ↑ http://www.anapsid.org/handlingreptiles.html
More References (8)
  1. ↑ http://www.petplace.com/article/reptiles/general/enjoying-your-reptile/how-to-handle-a-lizard
  2. ↑ http://www.anapsid.org/handlingreptiles.html
  3. ↑ Clint Bartley. Herpetology Expert. Expert Interview
  4. ↑ http://www.petplace.com/article/reptiles/general/housing-caging-your-reptile/housing-your-lizard
  5. ↑ Clint Bartley. Herpetology Expert. Expert Interview
  6. ↑ http://www.petplace.com/article/reptiles/general/feeding-nutrition-of-reptiles/feeding-your-lizard
  7. ↑ http://www.petplace.com/article/reptiles/general/housing-caging-your-reptile/housing-your-lizard
  8. ↑ https://www.zillarules.com/articles/5-reasons-you-should-not-take-home-wild-reptiles

About This Article

Clint Bartley Co-authored by: Clint Bartley Herpetology Expert This article was co-authored by Clint Bartley. Clint Bartley is a Herpetology Expert based in Chandler, Indiana. He has over 30 years of experience working with reptiles, and opened Metazotics in 2022, a large reptile breeding facility and specialty store where he oversees a breeding colony of nearly 500 reptiles. Metazotics specializes in reptiles such as colubrids, ball pythons, geckos, tortoises, and more, and serves a national audience with their state-of-the-art online merchandise platform. In particular, Clint is known as an industry leader in Asian rat snake and black rat snake mutations. Clint has successfully reproduced more than 60 species of reptiles in captivity. He was the second person in the United States to produce Archelaphe bella chapaensis (bell rat snakes), and the first person in the U.S. to produce them twice. Metazotics carries a comprehensive line of supplies and habitats, offers all bioactive enclosure needs, and works with local organizations to further their knowledge and understanding of reptiles. This article has been viewed 352,361 times. 20 votes - 82% Co-authors: 38 Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 352,361 Categories: Lizards Article SummaryX

To catch a common house lizard and keep it as a pet, start by cutting a slit in a box covered with plastic wrap and putting live insects inside the box to act as bait. Next, place the box in a warm, sunny spot near your house where you regularly see lizards, and check the trap 2-3 times a day. When you catch a lizard, scoop it up gently with its head between your thumb and pointer finger, then put it in a tank with a good supply of water. Additionally, feed it live insects or mealworm larvae from your local pet store 5-7 times a week. For more tips from our Veterinary co-author, including how to set up a tank for your lizard, keep reading! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

  • Amy W.

    Amy W.

    Aug 11, 2016

    "We found a small baby garden lizard. Thanks to this page we are on our way to a great pet. Making him a terrarium..." more
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Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Clint Bartley Co-authored by: Clint Bartley Herpetology Expert Co-authors: 38 Updated: March 10, 2025 Views: 352,361 82% of readers found this article helpful. 20 votes - 82% Click a star to add your vote Amy W.

Amy W.

Aug 11, 2016

"We found a small baby garden lizard. Thanks to this page we are on our way to a great pet. Making him a terrarium..." more Ana Cabrera

Ana Cabrera

Sep 20, 2018

"It made me realize that I might be a bit over my head. I found this little lizard in my room, and I wondered if I..." more Aera L.

Aera L.

Oct 18, 2024

"It helps me because before I read this, my lizard died. After I read this, my lizard is very happy and healthy!..." more Kyla Kenny

Kyla Kenny

Jul 11, 2017

"I found a lizard in the backyard, my brother caught it and we put him in a water bottle. He's now in a box, he..." more Chastity Bone

Chastity Bone

May 18, 2016

"We caught a wild lizard and needed to know what to feed it, but this also taught us how to make a home for it and..." more Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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