Help! Large reptile in my house

[SandraK]

And there's a list of countries that have things that do the same. Going by continents alone that would cover Australia, Asia, Africa and some parts of North America and Europe. You should be safe in Antarctica ...

 

[Kiwibird08]

And there's a list of countries that have things that do the same. Going by continents alone that would cover Australia, Asia, Africa and some parts of North America and Europe. You should be safe in Antarctica ...

Hmmm... fence lizard or polar bear....fence lizard or polar bear... decisions, decisions!

 

[rockybird]

Thank you guys!!!! So you think it's another lizard? I do feel better! I am not afraid of lizards at all and enjoy seeing them. I do have a couple small geckos living in the house right now, which is common for my area. Their droppings are MUCH tinier than the one I posted a pic of. I could not find him last night. I will do a full on search this weekend. I just dont want him to starve. Yes - I think the first one was a desert spiny lizard. As long as you all dont think its a snake, I feel better...because I DID find a snake in the house about a month ago. I believe it was a harmless nightsnake. I was able to catch him in a shirt and put him outside. I put tape under the pivot door as I think that is how he got in.

 

[Kiwibird08]

Thank you guys!!!! So you think it's another lizard? I do feel better! I am not afraid of lizards at all and enjoy seeing them. I do have a couple small geckos living in the house right now, which is common for my area. I could not find him last night. I will do a full on search this weekend. I just dont want him to starve. Yes - I think the first one was a desert spiny lizard. As long as you all dont think its a snake, I feel better...because I DID find a snake in the house about a month ago. I believe it was a harmless nightsnake. I was able to catch him in a shirt and put him outside. I put tape under the pivot door as I think that is how he got in.

Can I reasonably assume you live in the southwest US judging by the critters that get indoors? I used to find things like that inside too that needed to be caught/released outdoors when we lived in AZ. The only ones that bothered me were centipedes (one of the ONLY animals I will kill), but that's because I got bit by one of those evil things once (a giant desert one that snuck into my bed while I was sleeping).

 

[rockybird]

Just adding- @Blue & Spud Pythons are bad! Was it a pet? My friend's snake got out. They heard a loud scream in the middle of the night. It had squeezed through the bars and had their Meyer's head in its mouth! They got their just in time.

@jmfleish I live in Phoenix - in the city, but on the side of the mtn. The desert wildlife is crazy considering I live basically in the middle of the city. I have a javelina herd in the neighborhood, coyotes, lots of rabbits. I saw a bobcat on someone's fence while out biking a couple mos. ago. Unfortunately, we also have lots of poisonous animals. I have found a couple scorpions and desert centipedes in the house, which is not uncommon. I frequently see dead rattle snakes on the road when biking and I used to see lot of them when out mtn biking in the city park. I lost count a 35 my first summer! I almost stepped on a large one when when my chain slippedone night -very scarey - but he did not strike. I had a couple close encounters when I was a kid, and the snake had to be shot both times.

 

[rockybird]

@Kiwibird08 - Yes - Phoenix! I occasionally find those desert centipedes. I cant believe you got bit! That must have been awful!!! Those things are huge! I try to get them outside and release them when I find them, but I do not like them!

 

[riddick07]

Looks more like lizard to me too. I don't think you guys have lizards that feed on adult birds. Not that I know too much about the wildlife in Arizona! I think a Gila would be unlikely. Yeah snake would definitely be more of a worry but it doesn't look like snake to me.

I have a python and boa...if they were hungry they would go after any one of the birds in the house especially the boa. And if it was my boa the bird would probably be crushed before I got to them. Why its a good idea to suck it up and spend money on cages that snakes can't escape from. My boas cage has a lock on it not that I use it but if she suddenly had an urge to be an escape artist instead of just lazing around waiting for her food I would use it. Obviously you are talking about wild animals slithering into the house though...so this is besides the point really

 

[SandraK]

Hmmm... fence lizard or polar bear....fence lizard or polar bear... decisions, decisions!

Emperor penguins!

 

[MandaExotics]

To be honest when I read large lizard, I was thinking someone's 5 ft iguana got out or something. At least that's not the case


Think positive.
Eh, I don't appreciate brown recluse spiders in my home but I'm not afraid of much regarding animals. I really don't like any ant or tick infestations though. Been meaning to get the house spiders off my front door entrance for a while.

We don't have any interesting centipedes I know of immediately here, though I hope I never get bit by one regardless. They're hunting strategies are fun to watch though.

 

[rockybird]

Thank guys! My main concern is if it is a lizard, it is going to starve. I think I will buy some mealworms on my way home tonight and put them out, just to see if he eats them. If they are gone in the AM, than I will see if I can come up with a trap. I dont know how long they can go without eating.

 

[MandaExotics]

Thank guys! My main concern is if it is a lizard, it is going to starve. I think I will buy some mealworms on my way home tonight and put them out, just to see if he eats them. If they are gone in the AM, than I will see if I can come up with a trap. I dont know how long they can go without eating.

Just make sure they can't get out if you do that. You're not likely to have an infestation but I'm pretty sure once they are beetles they can breed at room temp. Food for thought. Dried mealworms are always an option, I doubt it'll work but the wild birds love them regardless.

I had a little pot I'd put fresh mealworms in every other day outside. It was cute seeing other birds show others that didn't know where the mealworms were.

 

[rockybird]

@MandaExotics I didnt think of that! If I just put 2 or 3 out overnight, hopefully they wont become beetles right away?

 

[Clueless]

@rockybird one snake in my house, it's on the market.

@jmfleish there would be a new door.

Note to self: never, ever, move to Arizona. Maybe look into Antarctica? Thanks @SandraK

 

[MandaExotics]

@MandaExotics I didnt think of that! If I just put 2 or 3 out overnight, hopefully they wont become beetles right away?

It takes a while, I'd just rather make sure the mealworms can't get out. I wouldn't worry about them molting if they can't get lose in your house. Here's a lizard trap. If you have a 2 liter bottle or plastic container you don't need this might work better for you:
I wouldn't worry about drilling as much.

If it's a large lizard- larger hole, larger container. A heated exacto nice cuts through rubbermaid containers well.

 

[Chihuahua]

Hmmm... fence lizard or polar bear....fence lizard or polar bear... decisions, decisions!

polar bears don't live in Antarctica so you're safe lol

 

[CallmeSweetie]

You have a biggy there!

 

[Blue & Spud]

Hmmm... fence lizard or polar bear....fence lizard or polar bear... decisions, decisions!

I'll take the polar bear please no thinking needed I LOVE BEARS

 

[Blue & Spud]

Just adding- @Blue & Spud Pythons are bad! Was it a pet? My friend's snake got out. They heard a loud scream in the middle of the night. It had squeezed through the bars and had their Meyer's head in its mouth! They got their just in time.

Yup I've had the same issue previously, the only bad thing about living in the Australian bush . I've lost a couple of aviary lovies in the past sadly & we once found a northern death added in the bottom if one of the aviarys (that was SCARY) but usually we just have different kinds of pythons cruising around here, harmless to humans but sadly they quite like birds (hence why my cages are inside)

 

[Kiwibird08]

Just adding- @Blue & Spud Pythons are bad! Was it a pet? My friend's snake got out. They heard a loud scream in the middle of the night. It had squeezed through the bars and had their Meyer's head in its mouth! They got their just in time.

@jmfleish I live in Phoenix - in the city, but on the side of the mtn. The desert wildlife is crazy considering I live basically in the middle of the city. I have a javelina herd in the neighborhood, coyotes, lots of rabbits. I saw a bobcat on someone's fence while out biking a couple mos. ago. Unfortunately, we also have lots of poisonous animals. I have found a couple scorpions and desert centipedes in the house, which is not uncommon. I frequently see dead rattle snakes on the road when biking and I used to see lot of them when out mtn biking in the city park. I lost count a 35 my first summer! I almost stepped on a large one when when my chain slippedone night -very scarey - but he did not strike. I had a couple close encounters when I was a kid, and the snake had to be shot both times.

@Kiwibird08 - Yes - Phoenix! I occasionally find those desert centipedes. I cant believe you got bit! That must have been awful!!! Those things are huge! I try to get them outside and release them when I find them, but I do not like them!

I know a few people who have constrictors as pets. They are really interesting reptile, but when I adopted Kiwi, I decided never to adopt any predatory animals. Prey and predators don't mix IMO.

Arizona does have some terrifying wildlife. It's all either, uh, mean or poisonous. Those javalinas are not to be messed with! They are everywhere and super protective of their babies. My parents have a bobcats that lives around the area. Rattlesnakes are more afraid of us than we should be of them and when you encounter them, you just back away slowly and move on. Sudden movements is what cause them to strike 99% of the time. They feel threatened by us and only have one form of defense. Those centipedes though do a number on my psyche ever since I woke up to one biting me in my bed. That was horrifyingly frightening, and I'm not squeamish about creepy crawly things. Anything "segmented' that even vaguely resembles them (not even living things) makes my skin crawl. I used to occasionally find bark scorpions too and black widows. My mom got bit by a brown recluse not to long ago. Arizona is full of very unfriendly to humans creatures indeed! I typically trap and release bugs because I don't want to harm or kill unnecessarily, but centipedes I'd let my dad or (when I got older) my husband "handle" (and they don't catch and release them).

 

[Birdbabe]

I've got tons of geckos right now ,,and a huge chuckwalla in the front yard, haven't seen anything like him though, hope ya get him outside,,, nice of you to feed him though.