A lizard can be a good pet but it really depends on the lizard and the child! In any case, the old adage holds true. There ain't no such thing as a free lizard! Even if your child is old enough for a pet, you have to be prepared to take on the responsibility yourself if the novelty wears off. If your child is smaller, you'd have to assume it's YOUR pet and treat it accordingly. I have seen the ad in question and looked up the info myself. The "free" lizard is a little critter (anole) common to the eastern US and while cheap, and apparently hearty enough to tolerate being sent in the mail, it's still a live animal with specific needs! The company states quite clearly that the food they sell is not a complete diet and needs to be just a small part of the whole diet. They also claim that the critter is friendly and can be tamed but most other sites suggest they don't tolerate handling well and are happier if left alone as more of a look but don't touch pet. They also require a diet of live crickets and bugs and a home that is temperature and humidity controlled, not just a plain plastic box or old fish tank. They require daily feeding and you'll have to clean their terrarium every few days as well. There's quite a lot of time and energy needed! Whether or not you are ready for that is something you'll need to decide for yourself. As for the free part, let's just look more closely at that.

Worms and "free" lizard	$7
10g aquarium or larger	$10-$100
Tank decorations	$20-100
Tank cover	$10
Temp and humidity gauges	$10
Under tank heater	$20
Light hood	$25
Lights	$20
Basking lamp	$10
Basking bulbs	$7
Mister or misting system	$2-30
Bedding, liner	$3-5
Bedding, bag of replaceable bark chips	$5-15
Cricket "dust" vitamin supplements	$5-10
Crickets	$10/week (or more, depending on lizard size)

And that doesn't even cover the cost of the supplies needed to keep the crickets and feed and water them until they become lizard food!

So, sure, lizards can be a great pet if you are so inclined, but don't for a moment think that it's really FREE!