Geckos are not what some people associate with the Geico cartoon. If these little green lizards decide to move into your house, they might give you quite the scare.
They are a common pest surrounding homes, although they can be useful in some ways because they eat pests in the area.
The problem arises when they start to sneak inside, climbing up walls and under appliances while leaving behind their feces. So, how to get a gecko out of your house?
- You need to address the issue of insects in your house to prevent attracting geckos.
- Home-made pepper spray can work wonders to deter geckos.
- You can use a garden hose to eliminate geckos because they hate cold water.
- If you own a cat, they might love to chase the gecko out of your house.
So, let’s take a look at some of the best ways to get a gecko out of your house and some signs that show that you have a gecko in your house.
Best 8 Ways To Get a Gecko Out of Your House
If you stay in an area where geckos are common, you either have adjusted to their presence or occasionally have problems because of them.
Here are some strategies for getting rid of your gecko problem and moving on with your life.
1. Keep Your Doors Shut
Although it might sound too simple, lizards enjoy rushing in when they spot a chance.
- It might be best to keep your doors and windows shut whenever possible because those geckos will be waiting to just get inside.
- Use a screen door if you like to leave your door open to let the air in. Make sure it fits tightly so that lizards cannot squeeze through the opening.
- Weather stripping can help fill any gaps that could have developed as your home ages.
Check your doors and other entry points for large cracks or holes because that would let geckos and other pests inside your house easily.
2. Spray a Bottle of Cold Water
The best way to make geckos scram is with a spray bottle of cold water! Geckos are drawn to heat. Therefore the colder the water, the better. This explains why geckos frequently sit in the sun.
If geckos are inside your house, they could be drawn to warm light sources or heaters.
Just spray cold water on them, and they will run away. You can use a rolled-up magazine and a scooting motion to attempt and nudge them in the direction of an exit.
3. Minimize Insects in Your House
While it is possible that lizards can decrease the number of insects in and around your house, it is also true that lizards can become attracted to a place with a lot of insects to search for a convenient food source.
Dealing with insects in your house can be done chemically or naturally.
- Diatomaceous earth and Borax will help lower bug numbers naturally.
- Use a fogger to eliminate insects if you have a serious pest problem.
- You need to leave your house while the poison acts. After that, you must air the room per the bottle’s directions.
4. Post a Cat
If you own a cat, they might catch on and begin to take pleasure in chasing geckos away. If not, you might think about purchasing one to ward off various pests.
Of course, there is a good chance that a cat will simply kill a gecko, so you shouldn’t overly reward your cat if you are not okay with a lethal solution.
If your cat does manage to kill one, be sure to remove the remains as soon as possible.
5. Chase Away the Gecko With a Broom
It’s important to remove geckos from your home immediately if you see any. You might only need to scoot them out with a broom or run them out.
There’s no reason to go overboard with geckos because they aren’t harmful or poisonous in any way. If you behave too aggressively, you risk injuring or killing them.
6. Pepper Spray
Geckos can be driven away efficiently with homemade pepper sprays.
- It’s simple to make your own pepper spray because all you need is a spray bottle, some spicy sauce, and some water.
- Simply mist areas with diluted pepper.
- If you want the spray to stick in one location, you can use a tiny bit of frying oil.
7. Turn On the Garden Hose and Sprinklers
You could use your garden hose to chase geckos away from your patio, yard, and other outdoor areas since they don’t enjoy cold water. You can set your sprinklers to activate when they detect motion.
Of course, this is only helpful if you live somewhere where water usage is not tracked and you don’t want to flood or swamp your yard.
8. Remove the Clutter
You will draw more geckos if there are more hiding spots for them. There are many things that we own but no longer use.
Trying to reduce clutter is a worthy effort to keep all pests away and keep your surroundings clean. Your home will appear better if there are fewer piles and clutter.
You can also donate useful stuff to charity. For example, the Salvation Army and Goodwill sometimes come to your house to take up more significant donations.
This way, you no longer have to deal with transporting your belongings.
Signs That Show You Have a Gecko in Your House
Look out for these signs that indicate you have a gecko(s) in your house:
- Squeaking Sounds: You might have a gecko problem if you start to hear squeaking or chirping sounds. Many people assume they have a rat problem if they hear weird noises. But you’d be surprised at how much noise a single little lizard can make in the dead of night.
- Trace Of Tails: Geckos can shed their tails, just like many lizards, and you can find a couple of them lying around your house.
- Scattered Food: You might notice odd footprints or debris trails if geckos get into your dry goods. If the lizard problem is so serious, you must act quickly to resolve it.
- Seeing Fast-moving Lizards: Since geckos move so quickly, you could question whether you see things or not! Pots full of soil and greenery are a huge attractant for geckos since house plants can draw insects that they like to eat. Additionally, geckos can easily hide and blend in by using plants as cover.
Conclusion
Although geckos can be unpleasant, you shouldn’t be terrified of them. At most, they will just startle you when you find one in your house. Nobody likes lizards to be running about in their kitchen.
Usually, all that is required to restore peace is to chase them away from your home and fix any holes and cracks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I Call Pest Control To Get Rid of Geckos?
While pest controllers can help you get rid of geckos, many individuals choose to handle the problem themselves to save money. However, you might bring up the lizard issue with your exterminator if you also deal with other pest problems.
Pest control can be your greatest alternative if you’re older and don’t feel competent enough to eliminate the lizards in your house. Your expert would advise searching your property for openings and cracks where geckos can enter.
Professional exterminators can also make recommendations and set up a sealer for you.
How To Lure a Gecko Out of Its Hiding Space?
You can try dangling enticing foods like dead or live insects, which the gecko frequently visits to lure it out of its hiding space.
Are Geckos Attracted to Light?
Most insects that geckos like to eat are drawn to light. So, they will also lurk near light sources to find convenient food sources.
You can place some flypaper near light sources to capture the geckos and their annoying food source.