Lizards in my house (Center: scorpions, live, shopper)

[crazy8s]

Ok...when the thought of moving here came up all I could think about is scorpions and snakes. I posted numerous posts about bugs in Texas and I was warned about everything except Geckos or whatever kind of lizard these clear things are. I tried to catch them but thats nearly impossible. I have seen 2 in my house and 1 on the patio so far which when I used a cup to scoop it up it died or played dead or was knocked out...didnt let it hang around to long to find out.

How do I keep these things from coming into my house? I am not to big on killing them as they do more good then harm and as mentioned when trying to catch them to put them back outside they seem to die at the smallest touch. Any suggestions on what I can do?

[TexasHorseLady]

We just thanked our lucky stars that we had exterminators that were so cute! (The geckos, that is.)

They're supposed to be good luck, too.

Never had much trouble relocating them when I deemed it necessary to do so. A glass, a very thin sheet of cardboard. Put the class over the gecko, then very, very carefully, slide the cardboard between the glass and the wall/floor/whatever hard surface. Carry gecko (who may be clinging to the side of the glass by now) outside, put glass down on its side (NOT in the sun), and either wait for the gecko to move on or go about your business and come back and retrieve the glass.

Just remember, very carefully and gently. No scooping! (Imagine yourself being scooped up in something the size of the Frank Erwin Center and you'll get the idea what being scooped up in a cup would be like for a gecko. )

[Rakin]

Speaking of spiders.... Those great big ones that build webs outside your home, my grandmother would chew us out if we tried to kill them since they were her bug & mosquito control.

She would grab a big old grasshopper & throw in their web to feed those things. She was very protective and took care of them almost like a pet.

Never could argue with her about this since we all know Grandmothers are always right. To this day, I leave those guys in place & feel like they are just doing their job of bug control.

[CarnivalGal]

I can't believe you haven't seen more. We have bunches of them stuck to the outside of our window screens at night.

They really don't bother us. Like the pps said, they are good bug control. And they won't infest your house or anything; what you're seeing is just some strays that got inside.

Our cat usually takes care of any that make it in. But you can try to catch them and let them go. They're fast little buggers, though.

If it makes you feel better, it's only a summer thing. Rarely, if ever, will you see them in winter. Oh, and the larger green lizards are chameleons. You'll see a lot of them too, although they rarely get in the house. We also have some big brown lizard that lives under our deck. No idea what kind it is, but he's pretty cool.

All of them are harmless.

[crazy8s]

Thanks for the info. I dont mind them if they are outside, its the idea of them being in the house while I sleep. I guess they could be getting in when we leave the door open to let my dog outside. One actually got in when I opened the door...it just fell in.

[TexasHorseLady]

Rakin, I'm just like your grandmother! Didn't use to like those spiders, but the year that three different kinds of grasshoppers peaked all at once, the 55 acres was denuded overnight, and the chickens and guineas were eating as fast as they could but weren't making a dint of a dint, we discovered that those spiders eat grasshoppers and they are now a protected species on our place.

[centralaustinite]

We have geckos that winter in our attic! We love them. They eat bugs and we don't hang out in the attic, and they never come into the rest of the house.

TexasHorseLady, I'm glad to learn that they are good luck! They come out at night on our porch and hunt insects, my kids love them.

Roaches, ants, and silverfish, I want out of my house. Spiders and geckos are welcome.

s

[crazy8s]

So how do I keep them out of the inside of my house. I do not want to go to bed with one. I do not want to put my close on and one be hanging around.

[TexasHorseLady]

What, you're modest around lizards?

I don't really know how to keep them from coming in at all - never really tried. They're so small, after all, that I don't know how you would possibly block up all possible points of entry. If you have a cat, they may catch and remove them (one way or another). Don't know about dogs - we've had dogs, but we've also always had cats, and they're quicker on the draw than the dogs are.

You might talk to a pest control company about it and see if they have any ideas.

[orngkat]

Don't worry...they won't crawl up your nostrils while you're sleeping.