Instructions
Find the lizard. Lizards generally want a warm spot to rest. They soak up heat through their skin, making them able to move faster. Look in warm spots to find your lizard. These can be spots like a large rock that affords them unobstructed sunlight or a porch or driveway that does the same.
Lift rocks in colder weather to find your lizard. If the sky is overcast and there is little heat and sunlight to be found, looking under a rock or an old tree branch on the ground will be the best bet for finding a lizard. They will be sheltering themselves from the cold and hiding from predators.
Sneak up on the lizard. This is especially important when the lizard has been in the heat and is able to move quickly. If you can't sneak up behind a lizard without being seen, approach it so that it will be trapped in one area if it runs forward.
Grab the lizard from above, holding it behind its front two legs. This will prevent it from being able to bite your hand. There are a few types of lizards that have longer necks and may be able to reach a hand behind its front legs. If the lizard looks capable of this maneuver, use two hands to grasp the lizard. Put one hand at the base of the head and the other hand around the lizard's middle. This will keep his head steady but will also support the body.
How to Catch a Lizard Without Using a Trap
Lizards can be expensive when purchased at pet stores. But, in many areas they are freely available outdoors. Most types of lizards can and do bite people who try to catch them the wrong way. To catch them without a trap and to then keep from being bitten, there are a few things that should be done.