Posted on 01/12/2026 11:13:01 PM PST by thecodont
ALAMEDA, Calif. - Former tenants left a massive lizard, called an ornate Niles monitor, behind in their home, Alameda police announced on Monday.
Police dispatchers were called about it, and they, in turn, called animal control, police said.
The lizard was large and aggressive, but police said they were able to devise a plan to get the reptile safely to the East Bay Vivarium.
The lizards, which can often be confused with Komodo dragons, have powerful bites, strong claws, and forceful tails that can cause injuries.
Police said that Ornate monitors, native to West and Middle Africa, are not suitable for beginner reptile keepers and are never appropriate pets for children.
Police posted photos of the lizard, who was seen climbing up a window on Venetian blinds.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktvu.com ...
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Maybe the lizard abandoned them?
Niles is an area of Fremont, in the same couty.
Not saying it; not gonna go there...:P
Poor lizard should never have been transported to any town of any size. It doesn’t have any choice about its behavior. It simply is what God created it to be and I wish it well.
Lizard Cheney?
,,, one thing about lizards... they can do this stuff because they manage their time so well.
Maybe they had been running a lizard day care.
Noted. “Niles” (sic) copied from the story.
Here’s a link to the lizard’s temporary new digs.
https://www.eastbayvivarium.org/
Never heard of that. I’ll have to stop by sometime.
Did you pack the lizard?
No, did you?
Uh-oh.
They can get much bigger than that. It may be a baby monitor.
Sending the Haitians from Springfield, they would probably like that More than dog. I’ll bet it tastes just like chicken :-)
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