Well, that was fun.

I was getting the trash bag out of the can and a lizard started running around the top of the can. I jumped until I realized it was just a green anole. We keep the trash can close to the door leading to their primary sanctuary in my yard, so the initial surprise turned into more of an "oh" feeling.

I held my hand down gently to see if I could scoop him up and take him back outside.

That didn't work out so great.

When I did that, he took a leap onto my arm and started running all around and around me, up and down my back, through my hair, and even sat on my shoulder and looked at me in between laps.

I tried opening the door to see if he would jump off my back and go outside. When I opened the door and the cold air hit, though, he jumped off of me onto the floor IN THE OTHER DIRECTION.

He high tailed it behind the couch.

The cats didn't do much. Yogi didn't even wake up long at all. He merely opened his eyes and rolled over. Sunday Girl came and watched and listened as I giggled (it tickled when the lizard was running all over me, with no shirt on and all), but didn't seem all that interested in getting the lizard either.

I had to get my toast out of the oven before it burned, so I washed my hands and made lunch. I just finished eating.

The lizard is still behind the couch. This is not the first lizard I have found inside during the winter.

I guess when he comes out from behind the couch, I'll make another attempt at taking him back outside.

He doesn't seem interested in going though. It's freaking cold out there. It's sunny and warm in here.

He's a lizard. Of course, he wants to stay warm.

I just don't have the heart to send him out in the cold just yet. I know I should, but damn he fought valiantly to avoid my first attempt to set him free.

As he ran toward the couch, he ran alongside the cats' water dish. So, I know he can find water in here...and a few spiders overnight. It is supposed to be warmer tomorrow. I'll definitely take him outside in the morning. I guess.

So, am I cruel for not having the heart to kick him out in the cold even though he belongs outside? I know we are supposed to have a nice warm weekend with temperatures in the mid 50s to mid 60s, but that warm front doesn't happen until tomorrow morning. It's cold out there today and will be colder tonight.

I mean, if he was within 1 foot of freedom and ran the other way because the cold air hit, maybe he just wants a warm place to stay for today? :shrug:

Let me be the first to say this post is USELESS without video!
(Damn thats a hilarious image of the lizard crawling all over you):rofl:

BTW, if he wants to stay and you don't object and the cats aren't interested, sure let him stay...

It won't hurt him and it won't hurt us any. I like lizards. So, maybe there's a chance for him this way.

It was funny when he was running all over me. I giggled uncontrollably. It tickled. :rofl:

"I was getting the trash bag out of the can and a lizard started running around the top of the can."

:rofl:

:P

:toast:

Now, if he comes out from behind the couch driving a cool little car, wearing sunglasses, and playing some great music, I might just have to make an emergency trip to a pet store and get a reptile keeping kit and some food of some sort. :D

They eat bugs, stay out of your way, and amuse your cats (wait until a cat jumps it and is fscinated by it's suddenly detached, still-twitching tail).

I just want to make sure I'm doing him a favor...and maybe he'll find the camel cricket I never saw again about a month ago. That would be the equivalent to a lizard Thanksgiving Turkey, if he found that monster of a bug. It could feed an entire lizard family. :D

No, he should be fine.

in some kind of universal animal language. :P

:rofl:

That's a really funny story. I've had baby fence lizards come into the house and large ones living in the compost bin -- I know what's it's like to have the little buggers scare me and to chase them around the house. Haven't had one run around on me yet.

I couldn't post some of that content here on DU, without violating the rules. It was really funny though. I giggled the whole time. It would have won that AFV $10,000 hands down and possibly even the $100,000 finals too. :rofl:

Then, when I realized it was just one of the anoles who hangs around on my deck, I calmed down. :D

Small world.

did you run all over a woman's back and make her laugh uncontrollably? :rofl:

So much for the idea that I may have "guard cats." :rofl:

When I woke up this morning, I found him laying on the couch with Yogi. I tried putting him back outside, but it was colder than they were predicting. He may be staying another night.

Yogi was on the right hand side of the couch and the lizard was on the arm on the left hand side of the couch, just lounging. I couldn't believe it. Right there with my cat and doing fine, just lounging.

I got him and he ran up my arm again and started his ring around the Jama thing again. I went to the door, with my shirt on this time, so I could lean out and give him a better shot at freedom. He fell off, but then ran straight for my feet and crawled up my leg. I IMMEDIATELY started squeezing the legs of my shorts so he wouldn't "go there." He made it back up to my shoulder again. So, I tried again. That didn't work, so I just sat down until he finally crawled to where I could pick him up.

I tried putting him outside and he just crawled a couple paces and stopped. I closed the door and went on about my business thinking maybe he'd be less stressed if I left him alone to be free. He just laid out there on that rock (in the shade) for an hour without moving. He barely made it another foot. If he had made it another 10 feet, he would have at least been in the Sun. I was scared he'd die.

Apparently, the weather prediction has changed and it is going to stay cold. He was a sitting duck on that rock right out there in the open. I went outside about an hour later to get the paper in and he wasn't moving. He looked miserable and shriveled up and cold.

He's back inside now for another night.

Can lizards eat bits of turkey?

I broke out a couple of the bigger rocks in my rock collection and put them in the garden tub in the sun. He's checking out my bathroom for spiders and other creepy crawlies and staying another night, I guess.

God, I'm such a sucker. I suppose I'll be shopping for some kind of fancy heated/misted reptile crib soon. Might as well spring for some sunglasses and the Barbie car too, while I'm at it. :eyes:

What am I going to do, y'all?

http://www.anolecare.co.cc

At least it's not a mouse running around loose. Lizards, being cold blooded, don't crap that much. At least not like a mouse craps.

I haven't seen any yet. I know there are spiders in my bathroom from time to time. He'll have something to eat in there of all places. I seem to have rid the rest of the place of most creepy crawlies, but they way they built my garden tub, spiders seem to like it. I don't know what it is, but I have to clean out a dead spider from time to time in there.

First warm day, I'll try to liberate him again...if he'll just "liberate" instead of crawl a foot and start dying. :P