I caught a Blue Belly lizard because my daughter wanted to pet it now she wants it as a pet ?

Question

How do i keep this thing alive she already Loves it but i don't want it to die its her first pet

Answer 1

You should have her let it go after you explain that it has to go back to its family.  Then maybe consider getting her a real pet like a cat or a dog. Cats are super easy to keep up and you can get one from the animal shelter!

Answer 2

That is so wrong is cruel your  daughter needs to no this is a wild animal not a PET.Let it go it will die  sooner or later.Why dont you get her a hamster or a rabbit,dog,cat ect....

Answer 3

try telling her that the lizard belongs with his family just liek you belong here with us. say it wont survive or it wont be happy here with us. then maybe get her a cat or a dog...or you can take her to a reptile shop annd get a reptile like a tortoise which she can keep.

Answer 4

Lizards carry salmonella and other harmful bacteria.  (Trust me, I used to have one).  You need to let the animal go, for the health of your family, and the health of the lizard.  If you research lizards on the internet, you will find many sites that will tell you not to have them around small children.  Just a warning.  Try fish or another animal instead, and explain to her that the lizard could make her sick.

Answer 5

It's usually children who I have to write this to!

The lizard belongs in the wild.  It serves a purpose there.  Wild caught lizards seldom survive in captivity.  Being caught causes the animal stress.  Stress reduces the immune system and the lizard falls prey to illnesses and diseases it otherwise wouldn't.

I'm sure if you explain to your daughter that keeping the lizard in a tank would be like suddenly taking her out of the whole yard, and the whole house, and making her have to live in ONLY the bathrub.  She wouldn't like it.

The lizard won't like being trapped in the tank.  Also wild lizards can carry disease and parasites.

Since the little thing has touched her heart, now is the time for you to explain to her why it's cruel to keep a wild lizard.  Turn this into quality Dad/daughter time, and sit down on line with her and google lizards.  Pick the one you want, and then learn everything you can about it.

Once you have learned its needs, buy the correct size habitat for whichever species you settle on  (be sure it will live in it comfortablly as an adult), get the proper light and UVB (if it needs it) and get the temperatures all correctly adjusted, then that is time for a Dad & daughter shopping trip to pick up the new captive hatched pet.

Do the right thing, please.  Let that terrified reptile go.

Thank you.

***ADD - I'm just thinking about you saying you don't want her first pet to die... this is not the right pet to start her with.  The probability is high that it will die.  Do the right thing.  Release the wild animal, and learn how to care for a captive hatched lizard for her.  I would suggest a Leopard gecko.  They make wonderful pets and can live over 20 yr.

Answer 6

hey have similar lizard umm buy like a fish tank buy like a cave for it to hang out in or probaly a heating rock !

then food wise like if its big 2 dozen large crikets if its still small that proablly 12 large crikets hope i helped and get like turf for the ground dont get sand bad for them

Answer 7

well you have to feed it crickets

Answer 8

It will die because it will get very stressed from being pulled out of its natural habitat. I suggest you put it back exactly where you found it. If she really want a lizard, then why dont the two of you go on the Internet, and find one that sound interesting.

Answer 9

Unfortunately, the best thing for it is to put it back where you found it.  My daughter volunteers at a local reptile rescue center and they get so many previously wild animals that are sick or dying because people thought they were cute and wanted to keep them.  Putting a wild animal into a captive environment is a huge stress and stress is one the biggest killers of reptiles!!!  You could release it after she's sleeping and tell her it ran away or something.  Then take her to the pet store or local SPCA and get her another lizard.  I know it will be hard..I've been through it with my animal loving daughter, but it's better than having her bond with it, then watching it die.  Good luck!!