Resident Reptile Becomes Rescued Reptile

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Dear lizard lovers and dragon fanciers – resident reptile is no longer resident. I was having a late shower this morning, while Selene was out in the back yard. Suddenly the little water dragon, which had been so quiet for a few days that I thought it must have been hibernating, came running into the bathroom. (Perhaps it was drawn by the sound of the water; perhaps it could also tell that the cat was not inside at the time?) It ran right up to the edge of the shower, which is open and unscreened, then froze when it saw me. I'm not sure which of us was more startled. So, giving it as wide a berth as possible, I got out and dried myself, wondering what to do. It remained frozen – attempting to be invisible, I guess.

I remembered that a wildlife carer had suggested throwing a towel over it, so I did. Then I didn't like my chances of picking it up in the towel without (a) damaging it (b) it getting away. So I shut the bathroom door on it and rang the wildlife carers.

They couldn't get anyone here until late afternoon, but finally a nice, calm, efficient woman turned up and the little critter has now been collected and taken away. She thought he was probably hatched only recently. She also thought he would probably survive his ordeal. And yes, I was right: he was indeed a water dragon. Wonderful creatures, but I prefer them outside.

Asking for Helpful Advice on facebook

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It seems to work for satyapriya when she does it, but in my case not so. I am still reeling from the last lot I received, and would reproduce for you my cries of amazement except those that come to mind are in language unprintable publicly, even for me (and you).

As some of you know already, a young eastern water dragon (lizard) has got into the house and is mostly hiding very quietly behind the furniture; I don't know exactly where. I've seen it twice, but unlike geckoes it is much too quick to be swept or herded outside, and also too quick for Selene-cat to catch. (She doesn't seem to be a ferocious hunter; treats it like her toys when they roll under the furniture: out of sight, out of mind.)

I'm afraid it will either starve to death in this insect-less house, or that Selene will at some stage manage to kill it. I'd like to save it, but it is not at all cooperative about being saved. For one thing, I don't even know where the heck it is when it's not visible, and that's most of the time. It is very good at hiding. I peer behind furniture with a torch, and see nothing. It was a pure fluke that I ever saw it at all. I have also done some shifting of heavy furniture, with front door wide open and Selene shut out the back, and really thought it had gone – but no, there it was in the middle of the kitchen after all ... briefly, before disappearing swiftly back under the couch or the TV or wherever.

So I asked on facebook if anyone knew what I could do. Someone opined I might keep it in an aquarium. How would I get it in there, I wonder? Someone else suggested I could herd it with box lids. Well, it's not all that small, and it reacted fairly aggressively to my long-handled brush and pan. (I was glad theye WERE long-handled.)