Leapin' Lizards!

The other day a small little lizard found its way into our house. We tried to point it in the direction of the door, but in a state of panic, the little lizard ran the other direction and slipped underneath the coat closet door. (Now, in Arizona, there really isn't a need for a coat closet, so our closet has become the game, movie, wrapping paper closet.)

We opened the door, slid the wrapping paper out and there hiding in the corner, breathing heavily was the tiny little creature. I figured I would just catch the little guy with my hand and then walk him out to the big grassy bush he likes to hide under. (Yes, we have seen him there for several days.)



Apparently, the big, ugly object, my hand, scared the poor little guy into another panic. The little lizard climbed up the shelf railing where there was no way out. That was when we, all the girls in the household, started to panic. All I could think of was him dying, the smell that would ensue, and finding a shriveled, decomposed skeleton eventually.

MyMy could only think that a cute baby lizard was going to die, and it didn't deserve that kind of treatment. The LuLu didn't want to find the lizard anywhere else in the house.

I put a plate of water at the bottom of the railing and left the door open, hoping that the water would entice the little creature onto a different adventure. I then left for work assigning the girls to be on lizard watch.

That evening, we were all wondering if the little lizard had found his way out of the closet. Our concern was that yes, he did make his way out and had found a new hiding place. Derrick, being the man of the house, and the only one with brains smart enough to outwit a lizard, decided to use a flashlight and a paperclip to handle the problem. (He is a modern MacGyver) He immediately discovered the lizard still hiding in the railing and used the paperclip to coax him out. Once out, a plastic cup was placed over him and a thick piece of paper was slid under the cup. We all walked outside and Derrick placed the paper by the bush and lifted the cup. There, with heart beating out of his chest, was the little lizard, still frozen scared. Derrick gently encouraged the little lizard off the paper and quickly the little guy darted towards his coveted bush.



We haven't seen the little critter around since. Hopefully, he is off to more adventures.