Like any pest, a lizard will bite as a means of self-defense when it feels threatened. Most bites occur when people try to catch the reptiles in their hands to remove them from homes or yards. ... Though most lizards have small teeth, they can easily pierce the skin.

What happens if a lizard bites you?

Common symptoms include pain, swelling, and discoloration in the area around the bite as well as swollen lymph nodes. Weakness, sweating, thirst, headache, and ringing in the ears (tinnitus) may develop. In severe cases, blood pressure may fall.

Can house lizards bite?

Lizards tend to avoid confrontation. Bites are only inflicted when they are manipulated or when they are cornered and feel threatened. Lizard bites may be frightening but most do not cause serious health problems. The wall lizard or gecko, found in most homes, is not poisonous at all.