How to deter a monitor lizard from setting up home in our garden?

[Bredbury Blue]

We live next to pla-salid fields so snakes, turtles, monitor lizards, etc, are regular visitors and we have no problem with that (we did when we had returning cobras every April until we removed all low shrubbery and they never returned).

Now we have a monitor lizard that in the past few days wants to make its home (nest?) right next to wear we park our cars at home! The area it fancies is tiny and is right next to where we pass regularly … we live next to fields and a khlong, so not sure what the attraction is.

It’s been chased away a few times, but keeps returning to dig its hole.

We put a big plant pot over its hole. But it’s not deterred.

This morning it was back in its hole. I could see the mess from its digging. I crept up with an umbrella, whacked it, broke the umbrella, it ran the other way.

30 minutes later when the kids left for school it was back!

Will try pepper in the hole tonight.

Any ideas how to deter it?

Don’t want to catch it, or kill it, just deter it from making its home and trying to dig under our house.

[Chicog]

I can't see a happy ending to this that doesn't involve you capturing it and relocating it.

Is it that hard?

You don't need much. A long stick with a noose on the end, a canvas bag....

[Ace of Pop]

Vizol Bog Cleaner. They soon Bog Off.

[Bredbury Blue]

If the lizard persists in sitting in its little hole even though we chase it off, then a capture and release it will have to be (not looking forward to that)...but i'm hopeful that like most animals they don't like some kind of aroma...pepper is usually a good one to try...

[Bredbury Blue]

Here's where it wants to set-up residence...

[Torrens54]

Well, what's the problem?

Maybe the Lizard will deter OTHER less desirable critters, such as Cobras from moving in?

Edited August 25, 2014 by Torrens54

[wayned]

Snare it, put it in a 50 kilo rice bag and release it far away!

[Bredbury Blue]

Well, what's the problem?

Maybe the Lizard will deter OTHER less desirable critters, such as Cobras from moving in?

See above..."we had returning cobras every April until we removed all low shrubbery and they never returned"...cobras no longer problem.

It was there in its spot when the wife got home last night and she chased it away. She noticed that when it runs away, it goes to the far side of the house and sits on the perimeter wall until it returns back to its hole.

The wife has now piled up some garden ornaments on top of the lizards hole...it wasn't in residence this morning, hopefully its given up and moved off somewhere else.

[featography]

Have some Burmese over.

You.ll never see the monitor again

[Shazdeb]

Really don't understand the problem ?? I had one too and was happy for him to stay, he just wandered sunned him self, swam in the pool and liked laying under my bed !! Go figure. since he left I miss him

[lumply]

Maybe it has eggs in the hole that altogether makes it a bigger issue. Is there not a professional outfit that could be employed to relocate it (humanely), as quite rightly you do not wish to eliminate it altogether? Alternatively as previously mentioned by leaving it be, it would deter other less desirable visitors, maybe even the mother in law.

[Bredbury Blue]

Really don't understand the problem ?? I had one too and was happy for him to stay, he just wandered sunned him self, swam in the pool and liked laying under my bed !! Go figure. since he left I miss him

If it was digging a hole away somewhere remote in my garden, not a problem. Digging a hole right next to where we pass (see photos) regulalrly, and more importantly, where my kids pass, IS a problem - apart from the mess to the garden.

[Bredbury Blue]

Maybe it has eggs in the hole that altogether makes it a bigger issue. Is there not a professional outfit that could be employed to relocate it (humanely), as quite rightly you do not wish to eliminate it altogether? Alternatively as previously mentioned by leaving it be, it would deter other less desirable visitors, maybe even the mother in law.

No visible eggs.

The wife has covered up the little areas with heavy garden ornaments which stops it getting to its hole...it wasn't there this morning when i left, hopefully its been deterred!

[dagobert]

Dont worry about, live in harmony with your new little friend, he does not bother you by barking all night long, he does not shit on the lawn, dont worry about it.

As posted he will keep other criters out, not worth even worrying about.

Unless you want to eat it, very faty but the oil in it is good for skin itches.

[TBWG]

Play Celine Dionne cd's non stop on boom box next to hole, that should do the trick!

[Gandtee]

I captured one to release back into the wild. Use a noose to capture it then grab it behind the head and the base of the tail, a few inches along from the base to control the tail. They can give you a nasty bite and a fair whack with the tail. Make sure that you can get it into the sack without it biting onto it. I had to get help to cut the sack around the lizards mouth because it had clamped onto it. Don't let the locals near it, or let them know where you release it. Lizards are very Aroi I believe.

[Gandtee]

Really don't understand the problem ?? I had one too and was happy for him to stay, he just wandered sunned him self, swam in the pool and liked laying under my bed !! Go figure. since he left I miss him

And the wife???

[sunshine51]

Actually...there is nothing wrong with having a monitor lizard or two around; unless you

simply don't care for them or are afraid of them. They won't bother you but if you

have chickens the monitor will devoure the eggs. We have one around our place that's

about a meter & a half long & quite friendly as far as lizards go. To that add six rescue

dogs and still there never has been a problem. But if you must get rid of it...

try sulphur around & in the hole...they don't care much for that but also it may want to

make another nest in a place you feel is also inappropriate. Last resort is a capture

& release...use a bamboo pole about 6 feet long and some nylon line about 1/2 to 3/4

inch in diameter...fashion a noose at one end of the pole and the fag end is what you will

pull to tighten the noose around the monitor's neck. Have a large (50Kg) rice sack

readily available to put the monitor in.

Be Warned...a noosed monitor lizard even a small one will put up a fight like you have never

experienced. It's not the bite you should be concerned with rather their claws and tail, both

which will rip you skin open faster than a straight razor. Their bite can be nasty as well &

you will require at least a tetanus shot...perhaps stitches also.

If it must go...have your local snake catcher do it for you....that's the best choice.

NB...edit to add a line about the "bite".

Edited August 26, 2014 by sunshine51

[dagobert]

True, I know if i lived in Thailand with a wife, kids and a garden, i,d be happy to have a

Monitor living in the Garden, The Monitor wont bite the kids but the snakes will, the lizard

will keep the cobras in check!.

[Shazdeb]

Really don't understand the problem ?? I had one too and was happy for him to stay, he just wandered sunned him self, swam in the pool and liked laying under my bed !! Go figure. since he left I miss him

And the wife???

[/quote

LOL I am the wife

[96tehtarp]

Actually...there is nothing wrong with having a monitor lizard or two around; unless you simply don't care for them or are afraid of them. They won't bother you but if you

have chickens the monitor will devoure the eggs. We have one around our place that's about a meter & a half long & quite friendly as far as lizards go. To that add six rescue dogs and still there never has been a problem. But if you must get rid of it...

try sulphur around & in the hole...they don't care much for that but also it may want to

make another nest in a place you feel is also inappropriate. Last resort is a capture

& release...use a bamboo pole about 6 feet long and some nylon line about 1/2 to 3/4

inch in diameter...fashion a noose at one end of the pole and the fag end is what you will pull to tighten the noose around the monitor's neck. Have a large (50Kg) rice sack

readily available to put the monitor in.

Be Warned...a noosed monitor lizard even a small one will put up a fight like you have never experienced. It's not the bite you should be concerned with rather their claws and tail, both which will rip you skin open faster than a straight razor. Their bite can be nasty as well & you will require at least a tetanus shot...perhaps stitches also.

If it must go...have your local snake catcher do it for you....that's the best choice.

NB...edit to add a line about the "bite".

I wouldn't recommend trying to catch one oneself. They are packed with energy like you would not believe and can put up quite a fight.

Don't kill it. I learnt in another thread that they are a protected species.

Contact the Aw Baw Taw they will know a lizard catcher who will remove it for you.

Edited August 27, 2014 by 96tehtarp

[Bredbury Blue]

Thanks for everybody’s replies.

Monitor lizards are regulars in our garden and in our street. There seems to be some misunderstandings by some posters as we don’t want to kill or capture the lizard which wants to reside too close to our house (see photos above)…I was trying to find out if someone knew of a scent (pepper perhaps) which would deter it – it seems that know one did, if such a thing exists.

Anyway the wife seems to have deterred it by covering up its “spot” with garden ornaments…it has given up trying to get to it/lie in it.

It now lies on the top of the garden wall next to the adjacent khlong, ready for a quick get-away when it sees the wife…smart monitor lizard!

[tw25rw]

I'm not convinced about pepper.. Reptile senses aren't the same as ours. Things like chillies affect us and other mammals, but other animals don't have the same reaction.

Personally, if I had an animal like that in my garden I would be happy about it and enjoy it.

[Bredbury Blue]

I'm not convinced about pepper.. Reptile senses aren't the same as ours. Things like chillies affect us and other mammals, but other animals don't have the same reaction.

Personally, if I had an animal like that in my garden I would be happy about it and enjoy it.

Don't know if it's an old-wives tale, but there is a theory that lemongrass deters snakes.

You obviously don't have a monitor lizard digging up your nice garden right in front of the front door (see photos)...yeah i'm really happy about it - anyway, its buggered off now

[tw25rw]

I'm not convinced about pepper.. Reptile senses aren't the same as ours. Things like chillies affect us and other mammals, but other animals don't have the same reaction.

Personally, if I had an animal like that in my garden I would be happy about it and enjoy it.

Don't know if it's an old-wives tale, but there is a theory that lemongrass deters snakes.

You obviously don't have a monitor lizard digging up your nice garden right in front of the front door (see photos)...yeah i'm really happy about it - anyway, its buggered off now

No but I would accommodate it. Your ornamental garden used to be wild animal territory. Now they have nowhere else. Could be worse.

[Bredbury Blue]

I'm not convinced about pepper.. Reptile senses aren't the same as ours. Things like chillies affect us and other mammals, but other animals don't have the same reaction.

Personally, if I had an animal like that in my garden I would be happy about it and enjoy it.

Don't know if it's an old-wives tale, but there is a theory that lemongrass deters snakes.

You obviously don't have a monitor lizard digging up your nice garden right in front of the front door (see photos)...yeah i'm really happy about it - anyway, its buggered off now

No but I would accommodate it. Your ornamental garden used to be wild animal territory. Now they have nowhere else. Could be worse.

Get real will ya...i live in a mooban which yes used to be pla-salid fields (yes before that it was all wild animal territory) but the other side of my wall where the lizards come from is a massive expanse of pla-salid fields and orchards (yes before that it was all wild animal territory). There is no need to accommodate it...there's loads of space around for it!

[tw25rw]

I'm not convinced about pepper.. Reptile senses aren't the same as ours. Things like chillies affect us and other mammals, but other animals don't have the same reaction.

Personally, if I had an animal like that in my garden I would be happy about it and enjoy it.

Don't know if it's an old-wives tale, but there is a theory that lemongrass deters snakes.

You obviously don't have a monitor lizard digging up your nice garden right in front of the front door (see photos)...yeah i'm really happy about it - anyway, its buggered off now

No but I would accommodate it. Your ornamental garden used to be wild animal territory. Now they have nowhere else. Could be worse.

Get real will ya...i live in a mooban which yes used to be pla-salid fields (yes before that it was all wild animal territory) but the other side of my wall where the lizards come from is a massive expanse of pla-salid fields and orchards (yes before that it was all wild animal territory). There is no need to accommodate it...there's loads of space around for it!

And he's chosen your place. You're the lucky one.