Shocked mum and son find pet lizard in garage two-and-a-half years after he vanished

A mum and her son were left stunned after they found their pet lizard in their garage two-and-a-half years after he vanished.

Eve Ainsworth and her lad Ethan were left heartbroken when their leopard gecko – called Obi – went missing.

They feared that he might have been eaten by one of their cats after his tank had been left open.

They just assumed they would never see him again.

So she was shocked when 13-year-old Ethan found him in the garage of their home in Crawley, West Sussex.

Cheeky Obi had survived eating spiders and bugs and keeping warm against central heating pipes.

Novelist Eve told Jam Press: “We lost our pet leopard gecko over two-and-half-years ago.

“The vivarium had been left slightly ajar.

“We searched the whole house but couldn’t find him and thought that sadly one of our pet cats had caught him.”

But overjoyed Eve added: “Then my son was putting his bike away in the garage and he spotted the tail under an old TV stored there.

“He couldn’t believe that it was Obi and apart from being skinny he was looking really well.

“Our garage is attached to our house and he must have crept in when the door was open.

“What a fighter.”

They have now put him back in his tank which has been empty since 2021.

She added: “He’s very skinny, but seems to be in good shape.

“We will get him checked over.”

They found him on Thursday (29 Jun).

Leopard geckos can grow up to 10 ins (25cm) long and live up to 15 years.

They are native to the deserts of Pakistan, India, and Nepal but make great pets.

They like to eat live insects including crickets and locusts.

Pal Carol Bates said: Wow, ‘The Secret Adventures of Obi’ sounds like a great children’s book in the making.”

Kirsty Crommie added: “How wonderful.

“I love this so much. Obi is a wee superstar.”

Cazz Anders said: “That’s astonishing. Nosh once a day until he fattens up.”

Laura said: “I thought you meant he died two years ago, and there had been a resurrection.”