I am shocked someone would ALMOST FAINT from a lizard. I am shocked she was shocked that there are animals outside!

Yes, I am scared and appalled of lizards. And he was not scared of me unfortunately. He relaxed basking in the sun without moving. He was not handsomely colored, the color was something between grey and green and had a long tail. It looks like amouse tail, I checked on the net and mostly the comments about lizards are positive because they control the pests but i really do no like how he looks. I read that even some people take care of lizards as a pet. I am shocked that people will take a lizard as a pet. It looks so scary...

After reading on the net about lizards, and reading your comments, I understand that it is good I have lizard in the garden and i will not repel it. But do you know how to reduce the meetings with him to minimum?

Here their very favorite food is earwigs, a creature that is very destructive to flowers. Lizards are the good guys. You get used to seeing them. They have no interest in harming humans.

I even find their clutches of eggs from time to time--future earwig eaters to be!

I always like it when I see a lizard! I wish I had more of them! But I also have a snake living in my garden, who loves to lay her eggs in my mulch. I find them every spring! Unfortunately, I have also had the pleasure of digging up her young! Did not like that! Lol!
But I leave her be, she is , afterall, just a garden snake that helps a lot more than she will ever hurt.
Bgrose - the first time I saw my snake, I was very leary of going back to that part of my rose garden. And it took me awhile to relax. But, eventually, it didn't bother me anymore. Now, even if I see her, I just go about my business, and she goes about hers. I hope it turns out that way for you too.

BG, he probably doesn't like the way you look either! I would rather a lizard that a rat or a mouse. Even a spider.

Zyperiris, i would be so happy if he doesn't like the way I look, then he will stop coming. I am ready to become even more unattractive to him (if possible of course to go further in that direction). Thanks for the encouraging and the help. You are always so helpful.

Well, if it's not godzilla, leave it alone. It is just eating other bugs and insects that could harm your roses. Lizards or anoles down here are very interesting to watch, and will not hurt your roses. You can do more harm to your roses then the lizard can and will.

Thanks roseman, I would like him to go, even if you say he is harmless and I trust you. I do not like him at all because I am scared of reptiles, they really bring unpleasant feeling in my heart, sneaking and scaring me. I am a very kind person even to reptiles but I cannot overcome my feeling of antipathy. I guess I will not kill it because I cannot but my heart is closed for it. Thanks for all your help and advice, I appreciate it.

Lizards are a WONDERFUL addition to the garden.
I love to watch ours sunning themselves or doing pushups on a flat rock, or scuttling up the wall, or into cover.

Please do NOT kill your lizard.
We need benign controls of that nature.

Jeri

BGRose, if the lizard froze when he saw you, that meant he was scared of you. They freeze in the hope that you won't see them when they're scared. And if someone (or a lucky clawless cat) catches one by the tail, they lose the tail and go on their merry way. The tail grows back after a couple of months.

They're actually kinda fun to watch -- once the weather warms up, they will begin their courting dance, which looks kinda like push-ups.

My suggestion to you is to give him a name, protect him and let yourself be amused when you see him, not "scared."

Kathy

Here is a link that might be useful: Lizard tail shedding

Lizards are evidence that a healthy food chain exists in the garden. I'm delighted to see them in my garden. Please don't harm them.

I will trade your lizard for my snake of last summer. I am pretty sure it was an anaconda. ALMOST stopped me from gardening.

We have European Wall Lizards imported from Milan, Italy. I was startled by their scurrying...still am sometimes, but they're fun to watch. Every now and again, I'll see one missing a tail. I hope they eat slugs.

Eric

Here's two of my garden friends :)

{{gwi:247141}}

{{gwi:247142}}

ick

I had to laugh when I saw this post! but please whatever you do, don't hurt the poor little lizard... Believe me it will do wonders for your garden... I wish I had some cool patterned lizards in my garden. I especially loved Lucretia's comments about the lizard and yes, like Kathy, I do think if you give it a funny nickname it'll help a little "psychologically" ... Say good morning to it then turn your back to it instead of staring and obsessing over it and work on some other part of the rose garden... Think of it as Casper, a friendly spirit that may be spooky and scary but ultimately does a whole lot of good.

ick??? my lizard's feelings are hurt! And he was posing in his best push up fashion.

I like your stripey lizard very much Gean. We don't get that sort here. Ours are rougher looking.
Though now that the population has built up, I do see an increasing variation in colors and patterns.

DH has seen a snake a few times, but I have not.
If they're out there, I HOPE they are eating gophers!

Jeri

Jeri, one of the signs of summer - lots of lizard babies scurrying around. They nest underneath our porch stairs and we really like to watch them scurrying around.

lol, this has to be a joke. No one could possibly be this ignorant right?

We don't have frogs.
I wish we could have frogs in our garden, but we are far too arid for them to flourish.

I'll settle for our funny lizards. :-)

Jeri

Thanks for support, kind people. although you try to persuade me that I am the scary one and the lizard the cute one, I still cannot overcome my dispair and extreme disgust at its sight. Giving him a name, what an advice - Ok, I call him a Monster from now on. Are lizards intelligent beings? Can you give me some advice on their psychilogy? Can he understand that I am scared of him and dislike even hate him? Thanks

Kathy, I read your link about tail shedding. My lizard looks like the lizard on the pic- Aegean wall lizard. Not very cute, right?

Duchesse, thanks for the photo. Hopefully I won't have nightmares tonight, I really could not sleep yesterday because of all these scary posts and lizrad sightings. thanks though for the educational posts.

Just think of the lizard as Godzilla..only smaller. LOL

Ok, I read about the lizard and laughed (love them) and snakes don't bother me (except the coral snake in the yard that time) and spiders in general don't really bother me (except for the black widows that I find from time to time) but that picture of the harmless orb spider courtesy of Duchesse.......well, it's a wonder I can still type! THOSE give me the creeps like nobody's business!!!!! We had those all over where I grew up and I still have nightmares to this day that I am trying to get in the house and their webs are all over the place. I see one every once in a while around here and am afraid that they are multiplying.

I never have killed them but they just really get to me. I do have a picture, which I wish I could find, of my then 10 year old daughter with a huge fat one crawling up her arm (SHE wasn't bothered by them).

I can't imagine being so bothered by a lizard but then again, why does that one particular variety of spider bother me when others don't?!

Lynn

BG, don't feel bad, my DW is repulsed by frogs. I am not allowed to have a pond.

She didn't even appreciate this guy:

{{gwi:204373}}

bg said: My lizard looks like the lizard on the pic- Aegean wall lizard. Not very cute, right?

uhh, aegean wall lizard? nope, blue tailed skink, I think. and very cute!

I have had alot of fun poking fun at poor Bg's fear of lizards. I hope she will forgive. But I couldn't resist

Gee, I'll take harmless lizards over deadly pesticides any day of the week. With five cats, we've got a collection of lizard tails and the kidz patrol the gardens on a regular basis. Lizards must have an awful taste though as they don't appear to gut and chow like they do with the occasional low-flying bird.

Uh, kstrong...that part about leaving the door open? Maybe not. We used to do the same all the time until one summer, not long ago, we came home to find a 4 foot rattler IN THE HOUSE! We live in a very populated suburb, not out in the boonies, though our house does back onto a very large green belt. We've been a bit more careful about open patio doors ever since! We have lots of very welcome lizards.

No advice on lizard psychology, but I have some on your psychology. The best treatment for any kind of phobia is exposure. You need to look at pictures of lizards, then increase how close you get to the lizard every day and then ultimately TOUCH IT. Yes, your anxiety will be absolutely off the charts, but once you see you did not die or even remain anxious all day, you will be better!

BG if your garden lizard is a skink you are in real luck. They eat nothing but bugs and do not climb except onto low rocks. If you can get over your fear and just watch your little garden guest you will see that he/she does nothing more than bask in the sun or eat. If you really want to avoid it work the garden either early in the morning or in the early evening. They are most active between 11 AM and 5 PM.

Lance

Hello guys, you are real help and support but some of you went to the extreme posting these horrendous pictures of lizards to scare me (yes, you succeeded 100%)! As if you are in the kindergarten and would like to impress the kindergarten girl you like. Please act like grown-ups, kids!

Anyway, thanks for the advice, some of it was really very good. But then a heart-wrenching suspicion struck me! What if the lizard contrary to your persuasion is not scared of me and does not dislike me, but is actually attracted to me and likes me?!?!?! Is there no such possibility?!?! lol This scares me the most, he will never go away :))

Odyssey, at this moment touching it is out of question. but maybe in future if I ever get used to it (if i do not get a heartattack) maybe I will try. Not pretty at all, not pretty.

Thanks all. Seems you all like lizars and enjoy their look.

Lizard LUVVVVV...

Harry, is that a garter snake? It is almost as cute as my skink.

I think this thread belongs to the terrarium forum not the rose forum anymore. Please post your snakes and lizards and admire their cuteness freely.

bgrose, I don't think anyone posted any pictures to intentionally scare you! Certainly no one could have known the extent of your fear of these harmless creatures. They all have a place in nature and for the most part, we should all welcome them in our garden for when we STOP seeing them, we have a REAL problem.

Next time you see one, step back and take a deep breath and just keep telling yourself that they are signs of a good, healthy ecosystem in your little part of the world (your garden). Also, remember - "familiarity breeds contempt" so the more you see them, the less they will (hopefully) seem so scary to you.

Good luck!

Lynn

OMG!

Whoever posted that snake photo...YIKES!

I ALMOST pushed my laptop onto the floor. I've never scrolled so fast in my life. Please NEVER EVER post a picture of a snake like that again without a warning to people like me...I am totally phobic.

*sticks fingers in ears and hums while others say how beneficial and harmless snakes are*

I can relate to the lizard phobia, but can also say they are truly harmless. Snakes will crawl on you. Lizards won't. My cats take care of rodents...no snakes needed, thank you very much.

*wonders how many nightmares will come of that photo...sigh*

Thanks for the kind words, Lynn. I will try.

The snake in the photo is a rat snake and they are not particularly nice to mice, BG they also eat lizards if that is any consolidation. Most likely the lizard at best will get used to you and not run away when it sees you.

Lance

ok, if the lizrad does not escape from me maybe he will be scared of his own image in the mirror, lol, maybe I shall put mirrors in the garden for the lizard to scare him by what he looks like. Maybe then the lizrad will have nightmares himself lol

I won't try talking you out of your lizard phobia. You could try taking water in a spray bottle that emits a stream, and encourage him to move that way. Be prepared that he might bolt quickly for somewhere. If he freezes at seeing you, it is probably a fear reaction on his part. If he opens his mouth to take a drink, well maybe he is not so scared... (just kidding- he won't do that!)

I read through this whole thread just to make sure you weren't going to do anything harmful to your lizards, bgrose.
Lizards are a gardeners best friend.
They choose to live in your garden because there is obviously some level of balance of nature there ... a very good sign that you are doing something right in your garden / yard.
You are blessed that they chose to live there.

By the way, snakes and spiders are not welcome in my garden. Everyone has their phobias :-)

Randy

bgrose...get a friend to capture the beast and move it out of you garden...far away. Why put up with something that frightens you? You want to be happy when you garden...not be nervous. No big thing...just move it to another garden.

bgrose, I am deleting the pics, so they should be gone in a few days. I thought if I showed you my cute lizard you would stop being afraid of them, but I can see my idea did not help at all.

I have to say that I am glad that I have lizards, and we let the garden spider stay most of one summer so our ten year old could watch a spider spin its web, catch bugs, and then spin a cocoon and lay its eggs in the fall.

We watched the baby spiders leave the next spring. I don't want her to be afraid of spiders and lizards or snakes, either, for that matter. I want her to know the dangers of some snakes and to appreciate the other critters for the jobs they play in the garden and in the soil. I am sorry you have such a deep fear of these animals and hope that you have success in removing your lizard, if that will help you.

Sincerely, Gean

duchesse_nalabama, thanks for the photos of the Skink and the Golden Orb. Wish I had some skinks!

I do, however, have lots of little brown garden snakes. When I move things and find them, I scoop them into a bucket, and carry them to the compost area, where they'll find shelter and bugs to eat.

And bgrose, petting an Iguana would be a good way to discover that lizards are actually nice chaps (Gila Monsters and Komodo Dragons excepted).

An aunt of mine lives on a lake. She used to have a German Shepherd that would take naps snuggled up with an enormous Water Moccasin (presumably, the snake liked the warmth, and the dog liked the coolness of the snake). My aunt did not approve of the relationship very much at all, however.

I love the lizards in my garden, but if you want to scare it, you can just make a lot of noise when walking and working in the garden, and it will run away before you get to it. Once they see you though, they do tend to freeze, I guess because they're scared of being chased by cats and stuff.

Thanks all, I did not know I will get so many responses - most of them making fun of my phobia, which I guess is funny to you, some sympathetic responses too and some rather helpful. to tell you the truth, although I am scared of lizards, I am not going to repel them from my garden, because they seem to be beneficial to it and my garden is beneficial to me.

Being afraid of lizards is no different that being afraid of dogs - it's all relative. So many people have said how nice & cute skinks are (and I agree), just keep in mind - it could always be worse...

{{gwi:247143}}

We love lizards and thought it was cute when we saw them (15 or so) basking on our newley planted rose bush. Then we woke up to find most of the leaves gone… so evidentially they like to eat rose bush leaves. 😑 they killed the bush. I’d love some insight on dealing with that.