The Tale of the Mailbox Lizards

The first time I checked my mail at my new apartment, I thought the lizard hiding in my mailbox was a fluke. It jumped out of my mail as I quickly dropped whatever was in my hands. Shutter. Skin crawls. It runs away.

The next day, I reached to open the top of the mail box and the little slimy thing was there again.

I proceed day after day to shake the mailbox before checking it and the lizard usually runs out. Still grossed out, but at least I know it's there. I even snapped a picture of it so people would believe me. Here it is, holding my mail hostage.



Then one day last week, I warn the lizard by knocking on mailbox. As usual, my unwanted pet scurried out. It was safe to take my mail. Fast forward a few hours...I'm going through the mail and a SECOND lizard jumps out of the sales papers. In. My. Apartment. UGH. It's a lime green color. It's a reptile. It's disgusting.

I have no idea how to catch a lizard. But something told me I needed a broom to do so. There's no way I was touching that thing. I chased it around for at least 30 minutes. It went from the kitchen, to the dinning room, to the living room. Up the wall, JUMPS on the bookshelf, back down to the carpet where it CHANGES COLORS. This is not natural. This thing needs to get out of my apartment and fast.

I finally grab the biggest mixing bowl I have and trap the little monster underneath. It was late, I was tired, and thought it was safely trapped under the bowl. I could see it's shadow through the plastic. I could at least sleep and worry about it the next day.

I got home from work the next day, and tried to slide the bowl to my back door and let it run free. I saw the shadow again, so I know it's still under the bowl. I start sliding. I have to slightly pick up the bowl to make the transition into the kitchen. Something must have went wrong, because by the time I got to the back door ready for the grand release, the critter was gone!

That's right...loose again somewhere in my apartment. It probably changed colors, stayed on the floor and then ran away laughing at me while I kept sliding the bowl. I left for Thanksgiving, it's been a week, and I still haven't found the thing. I sure hope it's gone. If it's not, I feel sorry for my downstairs neighbor when it decides to make another appearance as I'm sure there will be screaming involved.

The other lizard was still on my mailbox yesterday.

Anybody know a good way to get rid of creepy, mailbox-jacking lizards besides calling one of the Swamp People?