Lizards

[Villager Joyce]

Our home has vinyl siding. We see lizards going behind the vinyl all the time. We believe this is the entryway into the enclosed lanai and then the house. Any ideas on how to keep the lizards out? Thanks.

[villagetinker]

Can you get matching silicone caulk and use it in the areas where you see the anoles entering? If your house is new, I would also contact home warranty, to see if the siding was installed correctly.

[twotogo]

I also have a vinyl sided house. Warranty office called out siding applicator he put some caulk in siding just before the screening on both sides of the lanai. I thought it worked but now starting to see some small ones. I also see somewhere between 10-15 around the house that go up into the bottom length of siding. There has to be a way to prevent the lizards from going under the siding. It can't be good if they are relieving themselves while in there. If there is a product to fix this, I would do it.

[rdhdleo]

Been here 13 years now and our home has vinyl siding have yet to see or hear of a way to prevent it. Welcome to Florida. I knew of a neighbor that used double sided tape in her lanai basically to catch them. Pretty much they do not create a hazard and are harmless, but they breed like crazy. On the upside if you have the anoles around you most likely don't have snakes :) Anytime we found snakes on our property we did not see anoles as they make a good dinner for the snakes.

[Villager Joyce]

I have lived in Florida most of my life and never had a problem. Perhaps my previous cats got rid of the evidence.

[pbkmaine]

One of our cats loves to catch the lizards that slip into our birdcage. We have formed a lizard rescue society. She brings them into the house, drops them to play with them, then we scoop them up and put them back outside. This annoys the cat but not the lizards.

[PR1234]

We only ever have had one 'lizard' in our lanai. I have made a deal with him....I told him IF he just stays on the Lanai and won't go into the house, I will leave him alone. He said ok and hasn't been a problem ;-)

[Chi-Town]

One of our cats loves to catch the lizards that slip into our birdcage. We have formed a lizard rescue society. She brings them into the house, drops them to play with them, then we scoop them up and put them back outside. This annoys the cat but not the lizards.
We must have the same cat. Where you call it the "lizard rescue society" we call it "catch and release".

[DonH57]

One of our cats loves to catch the lizards that slip into our birdcage. We have formed a lizard rescue society. She brings them into the house, drops them to play with them, then we scoop them up and put them back outside. This annoys the cat but not the lizards.

So now the little guys know where to run to for rescue!

[dotti105]

Growing up in Florida in the 50's and 60's we had chameleons. They were so much fun! It was amazing to watch them change color as they went from one surface to another.

Fast forward and they are all gone. I guess the anoles are more aggressive and they won the survival of the fittest. I do miss the chameleons. Wish they were around to show our kids and grand kids.

Back in the day, no one had AC and the chameleons came and went as they pleased. Never a bother or worry. I don't think the anoles are anything to worry about either.

[capecoralbill]

Dotti,
Do I have chameleons, or anoles, my lizards are light green, and very shy, I also have the brown ones known as anoles, I think. I'm up in Alhambra. They don't seem to cause any harm... I've never seen them defecate, not sure what that means. Bill

[Happinow]

These critters are so small when they are young. We often have them out in the lanai. I expect they are coming up from the drains for the pool. I usually try to catch them with the pool net and put them back outside. Then the next day I notice another one. It's become a game. I haven't had one in the house as yet thank goodness. They stay out by the pool and the screens mostly, and not under the lanai where we sit.

[cquick]

my friends bought a preowned home here in The Villages. They are trying to figure out a way to add a sliding screen door between their screened in lanai and the house because the wife doesn't want the geckos in the house. There isn't a track for a sliding screen door. We have a big screened pool deck and we don't have a sliding screen door. Never even thought about needing one. we don't have the lizards in the house.

[yamma3]

My aunt used to call them "baby alligators". :22yikes:

[Topspinmo]

I like the little lizie's, I even named couple. :a040:I don't like little insects. So I leave the Lizards alone. Some say they walk like dinosaurs, but I think the Hollywood Movie's made the Dinosaurs walk like the lizards.

I also run them off the pickleball courts after I seen one get splatted by the ball. I was very sad:(

[Barefoot]

One of our cats loves to catch the lizards that slip into our birdcage. We have formed a lizard rescue society. She brings them into the house, drops them to play with them, then we scoop them up and put them back outside. This annoys the cat but not the lizards.

Just this last week, gecko visits to our birdcage have tripled. We have two dogs, so it keeps us busy catching and releasing them.
The little lizards are pretty darn quick and like to hide under the door thresholds.


I like the little lizie's, I even named couple.
I also run them off the pickleball courts after I seen one get splatted by the ball. I was very sad:(

:coolsmiley:

[Bonanza]

Dotti,
Do I have chameleons, or anoles, my lizards are light green, and very shy, I also have the brown ones known as anoles, I think. I'm up in Alhambra. They don't seem to cause any harm... I've never seen them defecate, not sure what that means. Bill

You don't have chameleons, but there is a type of green anole that does change color. Anoles are either a light green or brown. Geckos are non-native in Florida and are mostly located in south Florida. I've not seen any geckos in this area. I'm pretty sure we don't have any this far north. If you're lucky, you may spot a skink which come in about 1/2 dozen different colors. There is one that is endangered here in Central Florida that lives mostly in sand.

They all are really fun to watch. Even one of my dogs thinks so!

[mrscrimefighter]

Connie. I too am looking for a screen door from the Lanai to the inside. AND I don't have a track! I have made numerous calls but no luck. If you or anyone else hear of a solution please share! To all- yes the critters are cute, but they do come in my house and unfortunately they die if I can't get them out.

[Villager Joyce]

So.....how do you catch them?

[PR1234]

I've been told to throw a cold washcloth on them. They don't like the cold and it will stop them so you can put them back outside.

[Barefoot]

So.....how do you catch them?

I keep a soft dishcloth in the birdcage just for the geckos. I scoop them up with the soft cloth and release them outside.
The anoles are very fast, so I figure that catching them improves my dexterity. :)
And then a white Ibis will come along and eat some of the little lizards that I just saved! Oh well, it's the cycle of life.

[dp000]

Massey came out and put in wire, similar to SOS pads, without the soap. Snakes get in through the siding, also. We had 3-4 snakes in our lanai. This wiring stopped them.

[sharoni]

So.....how do you catch them?

My cat had one cornered in our master bedroom closet. I just picked it up by the tail and took it outside. No problem, lol

[graciegirl]

I have lived in Florida most of my life and never had a problem. Perhaps my previous cats got rid of the evidence.


That is likely the answer. We lived in a vinyl sided home first here and no gecko's. But we have three kitties.

I think that they sneak through the vinyl.

They come up on my front porch railing and poop. I have put up signs but they do it anyway.:D Perhaps English is their second language?

[Grandfinch]

We enjoy seeing these guys in our bird cage and NEVER a spider nor any bug. They are a very welcome addition to our florida living.

[Vicki.baker@aol.com]

If you see a very small brown speck with a white tipped end........that's anole poop. They also get underneath the vinyl and come into my lanai, I have watched them.

[Matzy]

It is amazing to watch them how good this little creatures keep our windows clean from little bugs. Sometimes a anole comes into the house but try to get out as soon as possible again when they have had first contact with our cat. I try to rescue them before the cat gets it, sometimes I am successful. Interesting for me is that the cat never could catch one in the lanai area. I like this little "lizards".

[mrscrimefighter]

I catch them with a plastic container and a net. I haven't tried a cloth, but I do think they laugh at me and come right back in!!!

[Bonanza]

My cat had one cornered in our master bedroom closet. I just picked it up by the tail and took it outside. No problem, lol

Don't pick them up by the tail.
That is one of their "survivor tactics." The tail will usually come off.
It will eventually grow back, however, it takes a while.

[Mleeja]

We cut some old towels and stuffed them in the first course of siding where the laini wall meets the house. This seems to keep the little buggers out of the laini. We use a butterfly net to catch them if they do get in. It is strange I rarely see them in the garage even if the door is open.

[Barefoot]

It is strange I rarely see them in the garage even if the door is open.

The anoles seem to crave sunny, dry, hot conditions. They suddenly are very plentiful, sunning themselves on our rocks where it is very hot. Perhaps the garage is a bit shaded for their liking.

[dbussone]

Don't pick them up by the tail.
That is one of their "survivor tactics." The tail will usually come off.
It will eventually grow back, however, it takes a while.

Please don't discuss this topic in front of my wife.