Need advice on relocating wild lizards to my backyard

[JohnnyB65]

First off I don’t know if there are any laws against this and I don't know how to capture them if it is legal. I don’t know a thing about them except that I see them all the time while at work.

I want to use them to help get rid of bugs and I’m not sure if they will even stay in my yard. I used to have hundreds of very large toads in my yard and absolutely NO bugs or at least the large ones. Something killed them all off and I think it was a rat invasion we had years ago. I don’t know that I’ll be able to bring back the toads at this point because of the drought, but I know the lizards will survive.

I don’t know the species that I see here in the southern CA High desert, but there are at least 4 different ones that I see regularly. Some are slender and fast moving while others are wide with large heads.

The thought came to me a just few days ago while trying to deal with these cockroach looking bugs outside and I really haven’t thought much about it. I guess I should have done some research before posting this thread to find out what species I’m talking about, but just wanted to know if it is feasible before I get to involved

 

[ascott]

First off I don’t know if there are any laws against this and I don't know how to capture them if it is legal. I don’t know a thing about them except that I see them all the time while at work.

I want to use them to help get rid of bugs and I’m not sure if they will even stay in my yard. I used to have hundreds of very large toads in my yard and absolutely NO bugs or at least the large ones. Something killed them all off and I think it was a rat invasion we had years ago. I don’t know that I’ll be able to bring back the toads at this point because of the drought, but I know the lizards will survive.

I don’t know the species that I see here in the southern CA High desert, but there are at least 4 different ones that I see regularly. Some are slender and fast moving while others are wide with large heads.

The thought came to me a just few days ago while trying to deal with these cockroach looking bugs outside and I really haven’t thought much about it. I guess I should have done some research before posting this thread to find out what species I’m talking about, but just wanted to know if it is feasible before I get to involved

Well the biggest dilemma you would have is that the bugs you are referring to hide out under things and burrow into the earth during the day while that is the prime time the lizard would be down for the night....the toads eerea perfect match up,,, did you check riund to see Iif any of your neighbors still have any toad population un their yards? perhaps if so yiu could set up a make do area in your yard to attract some back...I mean don't get me wrong lizards to help by getting some of the runners and can dig a little around stuff to soook em out but if you do not naturally have an area that supoorts lizrds then I dint jnow that I would put them in harms way just to be killed off...especially if yiur area has free roaming cats...

 

[ascott]

Well the biggest dilemma you would have is that the bugs you are referring to hide out under things and burrow into the earth during the day while that is the prime time the lizard would be down for the night....the toads eerea perfect match up,,, did you check riund to see Iif any of your neighbors still have any toad population un their yards? perhaps if so yiu could set up a make do area in your yard to attract some back...I mean don't get me wrong lizards to help by getting some of the runners and can dig a little around stuff to soook em out but if you do not naturally have an area that supoorts lizrds then I dint jnow that I would put them in harms way just to be killed off...especially if yiur

Well the biggest dilemma you would have is that the bugs you are referring to hide out under things and burrow into the earth during the day while that is the prime time the lizard would be down for the night....the toads eerea perfect match up,,, did you check riund to see Iif any of your neighbors still have any toad population un their yards? perhaps if so yiu could set up a make do area in your yard to attract some back...I mean don't get me wrong lizards to help by getting some of the runners and can dig a little around stuff to soook em out but if you do not naturally have an area that supoorts lizrds then I dint jnow that I would put them in harms way just to be killed off...especially if yiur area has free roaming cats...

Apology...I erased a line in the first part of jy reply so it came out dumb...bottom line is the waterbug hides most of the day which is prime time for lizard to hunt...and the waterbug comes out at night when the lizard is sleeping...apology for that

 

[JohnnyB65]

Thanks Angela, I didn't think it through with the lizards being out during the day and the bugs out at night. That would be a problem.
I have mentioned the toads to the neighbors a few years ago and they all said they haven't seen them in years. Actually some of my neighbors are glad they aren't here anymore. I just blows me away how ignorant some people are. I suppose they think they will get warts and die or something.
Well I guess I could try to get some more toads even if it means I have to buy them, but I have no idea of what species they were.

And there are a couple of cats that sleep on my porch, but I believe one of my neighbors is feeding them although they may try to catch a toad. There were a lot of stray cats around back when we did have toads.

 

[Angel Carrion]

Can you describe the toads and lizards? I might be able to help you identify them, which would be a small step to setting one or the other in your yard

 

[JohnnyB65]

Can you describe the toads and lizards? I might be able to help you identify them, which would be a small step to setting one or the other in your yard

Well the lizards are out in the desert at my remote communication sites. My coworker is fascinated by lizard and has named them to me at one time or another, but all I can remember is a "blue belly" I think. I kind of remember a "horned" something or other for another lizard. I tried to incorporate my coworker into helping me but he said hes too busy right now and went on vacation.

It has been a long time since the toads were here and all I remember was that they were big and probably could eat a small mouse. I have a 3" drain pipe that got clogged up once and when I dug it up, there were probably 20 or so toads jammed in the pipe. I had to just walk away and let them come out on their own through the night.

 

[JohnnyB65]

I just did a search for Southern California toads and found this site, but I don’t see them. The skin looked like this:

 

[JohnnyB65]

Oh I just stumbled on this and I'm not sure, but it kind of looks like the ones that were here and it appears that they are endangered.
http://www.californiaherps.com/frogs/pages/a.californicus.html

 

[Angel Carrion]

Well that would explain why you stopped seeing them.
I'll look to see if I can look up what the lizards are using that description.

 

[Angel Carrion]

Any of these look like your guys?

 

[Angel Carrion]

Based off of the blue belly comment from your co-worker and you saying southern California desert area, I believe the southern sagebrush lizard is your other lizard.

 

[JohnnyB65]

Thanks Angel
I’m pretty sure the Southern horn lizard is one of them, but I don’t see as many of them as I do as the others. The southern sagebrush lizard is definitely one, but I think I see a lot more of the other two.

 

[Angel Carrion]

All three pictures I posted of the Southern Sagebrush lizard is of the same species, just different specimens within that species.
One thing to look out for if you decide to grab some of the horned guys to put in your backyard; sometimes when they feel threatened, they shoot blood out of their eyes. So if you see that, don't freak out and think there is something wrong with them. They just feel scared.
Glad to be of assistance.

 

[JohnnyB65]

All three pictures I posted of the Southern Sagebrush lizard is of the same species, just different specimens within that species.
One thing to look out for if you decide to grab some of the horned guys to put in your backyard; sometimes when they feel threatened, they shoot blood out of their eyes. So if you see that, don't freak out and think there is something wrong with them. They just feel scared.
Glad to be of assistance.

OMG thanks for warning me because I surly would think I hurt it.

 

[Angel Carrion]

No problem. It's actually really neat to see. After I looked up and found pictures of them, I went "oh! These guys!" They're on TV quite often, haha