Gekkos

[rozzer]

Hi all

Can anyone advise on how best to rid my house of Gekkos.
I actually like the little devils but they leave such a mess with
their crap.
I know they are good for the unwanted pests like mossie etc, but
we are fed up of cleaning after them and not sure what disease
their crap can bring into the home.

Any and all help and advice is appreciated.

Best regards Rozzer

[AndyD]

Geez how many of the things do you have in your house. We get the odd few outside usually in the pool control box or hiding in amongst the braai wood but not very many. I suspect our cat eats them or sometimes just dismantles them into smaller pieces, maybe borrowing a cat and giving it minimal food would work for you.

[Dave A]

I believe they're far more prevalent in KZN compared to the Western Cape, at least when it comes to the species that comes indoors.

Our indigenous varieties don't come indoors - the problem ones are actually exotics, orginally from Mauritius I believe.

As far as I know there are no registered "agricultural remedies" (pesticides) in SA for the control of geckos, making the application of any chemical product to eliminate or control them illegal. Of course they're killed along with everything else when houses are fumigated for woodborers or drywood termites, but you'd have to be pretty desperate to go to that sort of expense and trouble just for geckos. And you'd be seeing new ones coming in within a few months after.

The one thing that might help is to reduce harbourage areas. They're very territorial, so the less places available to hole up during the day, the lower the population.

[AndyD]

Thanks for the info Dave. Do they do any actual harm or pose any health risks. Maybe the cat thing wasn't such a bad idea......

[Justloadit]

Geckos, like many reptiles, may carry the salmonella bacteria in their intestines, which then is carried into their feces.
When the gecko defecates, the animal may step into the feces and carry minute traces on its feet.

[rozzer]

Thanks you guys for that info.

Firstly let me get the name right lol, Gecko's.
I agree that to fumigate is just not a feasible option as i also think they will return quite quickly
The solution will be an on going thing but i don't want to kill them unnecessarily, i have tried the usual
sprays but that's also only a temporary solution. Cats is out too as i live on a Complex with a no cats policy
I am going to have to look at the A/C units as it seems that's one of the entry points and other than
that i don't know, as i can't keep the windows close indefinitely.
Thanks for the Info on Salmonella, will have to be more cautious in the future when i let my wife clean up LOL

Just for info, we have lots of Lizards which prefer to stay outside and they are not an issue but the Gecko's love the indoors

Thanks again

Best regards Rozzer

[wynn]

You need to invest in a few red lipped herald's to keep the population of geckos down, just put them in the places the geckos like to hide and as soon as they finish eating the geckos they will start looking at naughty children! ')

[tec0]

I personally like them. But hey if they are a problem then start with what they eat. Bugs... Get rid of the bugs and they will not have food thus they will go where there food is plentiful. Secondly if you have mice then chances are they are eating the young so get rid of of the mice.

Get some Mothballs crush them up into a powder "use correct PPE gloves mask and eye protection" and place the powder where they hide/live. They hate the smell and will move on. "make sure that pets, children and druggies can't get to the white powder"

Have a look as to how they enter the home. and try to keep them out. As soon as there is no food source and there hiding spots can't be used anymore they will move away.

Lastly use strong smelling cleaning chemicals for the outside brickwork walls. They hate that sort of stuff and if they can’t be lazy in the sun then normally they will go away.

[Blurock]

Get some Mothballs crush them up into a powder "use correct PPE gloves mask and eye protection" and place the powder where they hide/live. They hate the smell and will move on. "make sure that pets, children and druggies can't get to the white powder"

I also hate the smell of mothballs, so it won't work in our household. What about a product called Gecko GO? (never tried it myself).

[Dave A]

What about a product called Gecko GO? (never tried it myself).

I've just had a rep call on me this morning and noticed this on their product list. It's a repellant and I'll be testing it just as soon as they get me a sample.

[tec0]

I know the strong smelling detergent will send them on their way. But the truth is you need to get rid of the food “bugs” then you don’t have to worry about them coming back nor worry about spiders because they also need bugs so it is a two for one deal.

[rozzer]

Hi again
Thanks for all the varied solutions and possibilities (i especially like yours Wynn for the kids hahah)
Mothballs is also out, i too detest that smell. I can clean the outside walls with a strong smelling
disinfectant although i do spray weekly for ants, maybe i need to spray higher up the wall.
All this talk about bugs will give people the impression my house is bug ridden and i can assure you
all it isn't, just the usual visitors to all homes etc.
I would be interested in the 'Gecko Go' Dave A, so after you have done your test please let me know.

Best regards

Rozzer

[Julius Tristan]

Gecko's are useful in our house, geckos also help us. Gecko eat cockroaches and eat also rats so it will help reduce cockroaches and rats into your house. But if you are in needing to get rid of this geckos here are some help I'll give it to you. Geckos don't like keeping your house cooler than 65% at night (geckos try to get in to our house to get warm), Bug spray (spray those insect in your house, there will be no food source in your house so they'll leave soon), Moth balls will help (they don't like the smell of moth balls) place it into doors entry, window ledges. I hope this will help you.

[rozzer]

Thanks Julius for your input

I have reduced the Gekko population drastically by having to resort to wacking them with a stick, not the nicest
or most humane solution but it seems the only one that works.
I bought some (Gekko Go) and that was a total waste of time, they actually lie in the stuff, a bit of a rip off i think.
It seems as though the other people on my complex also use the stick method.
Sorry i have to resort to this method but better than Salmonella.

Regards Rozzer

[ELECT 1]

I am afraid mothballs is an effective , economical way to do it.