House geckos can be a nuisance for homeowners. While they do help by eliminating insect pests, dealing with their droppings can be bothersome. This article will guide you on getting rid of geckos in your house without resorting to harmful chemicals.
What are House Geckos
House geckos are small reptiles commonly found indoors, as their name suggests. Their toes are equipped with adhesive padding, enabling them to climb effortlessly. These agile creatures are skilled predators of insects and spiders, and they are primarily active during the night.
When pursued by predators, house geckos employ a clever defense mechanism: they shed their tails to divert attention. The detached tail may continue to move, potentially startling the unprepared. The lost tail can be regenerated within a few months.
Generally, house geckos don’t bite. They possess a docile nature and will attempt to flee if you approach them.
During their growth, geckos shed their skin multiple times. Rather than leaving the discarded skin behind, they consume it.
What Attracts Geckos?
Geckos are attracted to the presence of cockroaches, flies, spiders, centipedes, mosquitoes and various insects in your house. They may have accidentally entered your house from outside. But once they find enough food in your house, they will stay and breed.
Where do Geckos Hide?
Geckos prefer dark hiding spots like cracks and crevices, behind curtains, hanging portraits, cabinets, fridges, washing machines, sofas, and water heaters. Additionally, they may conceal themselves in planters and trash bins, where they can find insect prey.
Geckos tend to remain hidden during the day and venture out at night to hunt for food.
What are the Signs of House Geckos Infestation?
Detecting house gecko infestation can be challenging since they are primarily active during the night. However, there are three indicators that suggest the presence of geckos in your home.
Droppings with a White Dot
Geckos leave elongated droppings, typically black or dark brown in color. These droppings are similar in size to long-grain rice. One distinctive feature is the presence of a white dot at the tip of the droppings. This dot represents the solid urine of the geckos, as they retain most of the water in their bodies.
Chirping Sounds at Night
If you hear loud chirping sounds during the night, it is likely the mating call of geckos. Male geckos use this unique chirping sound to attract females for mating. Additionally, they may produce these sounds when engaged in territorial disputes with other male geckos.
Gecko Eggs
Gecko eggs are approximately ¼ to ½ inch in diameter and have a slightly oval shape. They are usually white in color. House geckos tend to deposit their eggs in concealed locations, making them difficult to spot. They typically lay one or two eggs at a time.
6 DIY Methods to Get Rid of Geckos from Your Home
Controlling geckos can be a challenging task that requires a combination of long-term strategies. The good news is that you can eliminate or at least reduce gecko presence in your home using the following do-it-yourself (DIY) methods, without resorting to harmful chemicals.
Proper Proofing to Prevent Geckos from Entering Your House
Take measures to seal all potential entry points such as gaps, cracks, and crevices that geckos may exploit to invade your living space. Installing window screens and door sweeps will effectively prevent geckos from entering.
Eliminate Insect Infestations
Geckos primarily prey on small insects. By effectively controlling and minimizing the presence of insects such as flies, roaches, and mosquitoes, you can deter geckos from finding a source of food.
It is important to promptly address any issues with insect pests. This may involve sealing windows and doors to prevent pest entry, using natural pesticides to eradicate pests, and implementing improved housekeeping and sanitation practices. For detailed guidance on tackling specific pests that contribute to gecko diets, feel free to explore my blog!
Reconsider External Lighting
White light and ultraviolet (UV) light tend to attract flying insects, which in turn attract geckos. If you have outdoors or balcony lighting, consider turning them off at night. Alternatively, opt for bug lights or warm LED lights instead of white light.
Bugs perceive light differently from humans. White light contains UV that attracts insects. In contrast, insects are less attracted to warm LED lights. By making the switch to warm LED lights, you can reduce the number of insects drawn to your home, subsequently reducing the gecko population.
Reduce Hiding Places
While it may be impossible to completely eliminate all potential hiding spots for geckos, you can significantly reduce their hideouts by decluttering your living space.
Discard unused items such as old newspapers, cardboard boxes, and plastic bags, and seal any visible cracks and crevices. This will not only limit hiding places for geckos but also reduce the presence of insects that attract them.
Use Sticky Traps
Sticky traps provide a convenient and effective means of capturing geckos. Simply place the traps in dark and dry areas where geckos are likely to hide or traverse.
Although sticky traps do not contain any attractants, geckos may inadvertently come into contact with them and become trapped. Patience is key, as geckos may not be lured directly to the traps.
While some may find sticky traps inhumane, there is a method to save and release captured geckos. If the gecko is recently trapped, apply some vegetable oil around the sticky surface and gently free the gecko from the adhesive. Take care to proceed slowly to avoid harming the gecko’s limbs.
Removing geckos alive from sticky traps can be challenging. Additionally, unless you check the traps daily, the gecko is likely to perish or be near death by the time you discover it. Personally, I remove dead geckos from traps when they begin to emit an odor, as I do not check them daily. However, if I do encounter live geckos in sticky traps, I release them in a nearby park where they can find food and shelter.
It is worth noting that some may argue that swiftly stepping on a gecko to kill it is a humane method, as the gecko may not feel pain if done quickly. I leave it up to your discretion to decide.
Get A Cat
Cats are natural hunters and can assist in catching geckos. Their innate hunting instincts make them effective at controlling gecko populations. In cases where geckos are positioned out of reach, simply lifting the cat up, like what this family did.
How to Repel Geckos?
You can repel geckos using a few home remedies, such as ground coffee, essential oil, and raw garlic. Although they chase away the geckos, the effect is only temporary and does not contribute to the control of the gecko population.
In most cases, the geckos simply move from the 1 corner of your house to another after repellent is applied. They are still in your house! Moreover, the odors from those repellents quickly wear off and lose their repellency.
If you decide to give it a try anyway, apply those repellents at dark corners where the geckos could be hiding. This includes under and behind cabinets, fridge, washing machine, water heater, and wherever their activities are found.
Coffee Grounds
Place fresh coffee grounds into small mesh bags. Hang the bags at dark places where the geckos are hiding. Replace the coffee grounds after 2-3 days.
Essential Oils
Citronella, lemongrass, garlic, or cinnamon oils are effective in repelling geckos. They can be sprayed directly onto surfaces where the geckos are hiding. However, they are volatile and don’t last long. Spraying highly concentrated (>75%) essential oils directly onto geckos can kill them.
Garlic
Garlic can repel a lot of pests, including geckos. Unskin the garlic and crush it to release its odor. Place the raw garlic at dark corners where the geckos are hiding. Replace the garlic once the odor weakens.
Moth Balls
Moth balls can drive out geckos, but it is toxic and flammable. Moreover, most, if not all EPA-regulated moth ball labels don’t allow using it for geckos. It is against the law for not following the product label instruction.
Do Chicken Egg Shells Repel Geckos?
There is a common belief that chicken egg shells can repel geckos, whether it’s due to their irritating odor, the presence of sulfur, or simply the sight of the egg shells themselves. However, it’s important to debunk this rumor and clarify that egg shells do not effectively deter geckos.
Some claim that geckos are frightened by the presence of egg shells because they perceive them as a sign of predators nearby. In reality, seeing egg shells does not trigger geckos to run away.
Another aspect of the myth suggests that the sulfur on egg shells resembles the smell of a bird’s beak, which supposedly scares geckos. Additionally, it is said that geckos experience a burning sensation when they come into contact with egg shells due to the presence of sulfur. But why would geckos crawl on something they are already afraid of in the first place?
In conclusion, egg shells are not an effective method for repelling geckos. It’s important to rely on proven strategies and methods for gecko control that focus on addressing the root causes of infestations and implementing preventive measures.
How Clean Gecko Droppings?
Gecko droppings can be both irritating and unhygienic. They have the potential to carry pathogens that can contaminate food and surfaces. It is important to clean gecko droppings regularly to remove health hazards and keep track of gecko activity in your home. Remember, the battle against geckos continues until no fresh droppings are found.
To effectively clean gecko droppings, follow these steps:
- Prepare a cleaning solution by mixing vinegar, dish soap, and water in a 1:1:2 ratio.
- Spray the cleaning solution directly onto the stained area.
- Allow the solution to sit for a few minutes to loosen the droppings.
- Gently wipe the area with a paper towel or a clean cloth, removing the droppings and any stains.
- If necessary, repeat the process until the area is thoroughly cleaned.
- Dispose of the paper towel or cloth properly to avoid any potential contamination.
By following these steps, you can effectively clean gecko droppings and maintain a clean and hygienic living environment.
Final Words
In conclusion, it’s important to acknowledge that completely eliminating the gecko population in your home is unlikely. However, by implementing the techniques outlined in this guide, you can certainly reduce the gecko population to a tolerable level.
I hope you find this guide helpful in managing gecko infestations. If it has been beneficial to you, please feel free to share it with others through my blog. Thank you for taking the time to read this guide.
