Geckos often hide inside cracks in houses and easily find cracks to enter the house annoying the people who live there. Pet ones also move fast and can run away with ease. Whether you're trying to catch a gecko that has entered your house, retrieve your lost little friend, or just want to catch a wild one to make it your pet, catching a gecko without hurting it is a fairly quick and easy procedure., if you know his behavior.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Find a Gecko
Step 1. Know the moments of activity of the gecko
Most of these reptiles are nocturnal, as in the dark hours it is easier for them to catch insects and avoid the extreme desert temperatures when the sun is at its zenith. However, some saurians, known as Phelsuma, are diurnal animals, meaning they are active during the day. Know if the specimen you want to catch is day or night, so you can determine the best time to try to catch it.
- The gecko of the genus Phelsuma is native to Madagascar and various islands of the Indian Ocean, but thanks to human intervention it has also spread to other geographical areas;
- That of the genus Lygodactylus is native to a part of Africa, including Madagascar, and to a part of South America;
- The genus Gonatodes is native to the Caribbean islands and to a part of Central and South America;
- The Eurydactylodes gecko is native to the southwestern Pacific regions, in particular New Caledonia and Koumac;
- The Moorish gecko, of the genus Tarentola, comes from southern Europe and northern Africa, but has also spread to Florida and California;
- Tokay and leopard geckos are nocturnal by nature, but it has been observed that when in captivity they become accustomed to diurnal cycles. If you have one of these as a pet, know that it can adapt to the daily rhythm and you will therefore have to look for it during the daylight hours if you have lost it.
Step 2. Know where to look for it
If you decide to look for a nocturnal gecko during the day (or a daytime gecko at night), it is helpful to know where it usually sleeps. Most of these reptiles look for sheltered places to rest; in nature, they can sleep under the bark of a tree trunk, in natural crevices or under large objects. If you are looking for a wild gecko in your garden, try scratching the loose bark of a tree or picking up fallen branches to the ground; if you search for it in or around the house, look in the small cracks at the base of the building, in the crevices in the siding, between the floorboards or anywhere else where a small lizard could slip into.
Step 3. Know the ideal temperature for these saurians
They are cold-blooded animals, an important detail to keep in mind when hunting for a specimen. If you are looking for your little friend who is lost in the house and you have turned on the air conditioning system, know that the pet will try to take refuge in a warm place, such as under an appliance that emits heat, such as the refrigerator.
Step 4. Find out if it is legal to keep a wild gecko
The rules governing the capture and keeping of wild animals, including geckos, may vary depending on where you are. Find out from the Forestry Guard or wildlife authorities and ask if the specimen you want to keep with you is in a critically endangered category.
Method 2 of 4: Lure the Gecko into a Trap
Step 1. Set up a wet area
Many geckos are attracted to a hot, humid environment; you can build a trap that recreates these conditions to attract the pet.
- Take a shoe box and cut a small hole in three of the four walls;
- Wet several sheets of kitchen paper with hot / boiling tap water;
- Cover the base of the box with these warm, moist sheets;
- Place it on a wall in a quiet place in the house;
- Check it at least once every hour.
Step 2. Install a blind hole
This method really only works for catching geckos outdoors; a little planning allows you to create a great trap in the ground.
- Dig a hole in the ground as deep as a bucket;
- Create several such traps to maximize the effectiveness of this method;
- Put a wet sponge in each bucket, so that the captured gecko does not suffer from dehydration, in case you are unable to retrieve it right away.
- Once the containers have been inserted into the ground, cover the opening with a net or a fine metal mesh; make sure the cover is large enough to cover the full width of the container, but not enough to allow the gecko to climb once it falls inside;
- Check the buckets every couple of hours.
Step 3. Make a funnel trap
This method does not involve digging holes in the ground as in the previous trap, instead it is based on a system that allows the gecko to enter the trap but not to exit.
- Cut a wire mesh with 3-6-8 mm meshes into sections 50 cm wide;
- Roll each of these sheets into a cylinder and secure them with zip ties, rubber bands, or twine to make sure they keep that shape;
- Roll up other pieces of wire mesh in the shape of a funnel so that the narrowest opening has a diameter of about 5 cm;
- Insert a funnel into each end of the cylinders, putting the narrowest opening inside;
- Cut flaps on the wire mesh so that they protrude towards the opening of both ends; by doing so, the gecko can easily climb inside the tube without being able to get out;
- Make sure you leave a wet sponge inside each trap you have set up; place them in a shaded area to prevent the gecko from overheating in direct sunlight.
- In order for the trap to attract the reptile even more, put some small insects inside, such as crickets.
Method 3 of 4: Catching a Gecko
Step 1. Use a fill
A large net mounted on a long stick is perhaps the fastest means of catching the gecko and allows you to catch it, while remaining at some distance.
- Gently fly the net over the gecko;
- Make sure you center where the animal is;
- Drop the net as quickly as possible; once you have captured the gecko, hold the edges of the net against the floor or wall.
Step 2. Use your hands
If you are concerned that the little reptile may bite you, wear thick gloves.
- Cup your hands together, creating an empty tube;
- Be prepared by carefully holding your hands just above the pet;
- Lower them over the reptile without causing them to lose their cupped shape, making sure the animal is unable to climb and sneak between the toes. keep your palms against the floor and your fingers close together.
Step 3. Use a cane
You can use this tool to gently "guide" the gecko in the direction you want.
- Slowly lower the stick behind the gecko;
- When the animal moves, keep directing it to the point you want;
- Be very careful not to hurt him; you must never touch him with the stick, but just guide him towards the net or another person ready with open hands.
Method 4 of 4: Create the Habitat and Handle a Gecko Safely
Step 1. Grab it carefully
It is better not to manipulate this animal too often, especially if it still has to get used to living in captivity and being picked up; some specimens may even bite people when they try to grab or touch them. However, if you have to hold it, be sure to be very careful to avoid frightening or hurting him.
- If the pet tends to bite, wear gloves; this way, you protect your hands and reduce the risk of accidentally dropping it by reacting sharply to an unexpected bite.
- Sit on the floor; in doing so, if the gecko were to fall, it would not do so from a great height.
- Never squeeze it and don't grab it roughly.
- Don't catch it by the tail; this may come off and it takes 40 days for a new one to grow.
Step 2. Let me get to know you
Once it has adapted enough to its new habitat, you need to get it used to being handled. Give him 10 or 15 minutes of your time daily by letting him walk on your open fingers and from hand to hand.
Step 3. Create a comfortable environment
Read up on the ideal habitat type for your species and try to recreate it at home as closely as possible.
- Night geckos should be kept in a dark enclosure at night.
- Set up a few small plants or objects under or around which it can hide.
- Know that regardless of the variety, the reptile can climb walls; you will need to put a mesh net over the terrarium to prevent it from escaping easily.
- Keep a bowl of fresh water in his "home"; depending on the species, you should also vaporize some water to make the environment even more like the natural one.
- Feed him insects. Some geckos prefer crickets and mealworms, while others prefer smaller insects, depending on the size and nutritional needs of each individual species. Younger specimens need one to three insects a day, while older ones prefer to eat four to six insects three times a week or about every two days.
Advice
- You can put the gecko in a closed jar with a lid until you get a better and safer home for it; this animal needs space to grow and a terrarium is the best home for a gecko or small lizard.
- If your friend is small in size, such as Hemidactylus mabouia which is typically 3-18cm long, you can offer him some small insects such as flies, mosquitoes, dragonflies or small cockroaches; if it is bigger, like the Tokay, from crickets and other insects that can fit comfortably in its mouth. Sometimes, this gecko also eats mice.
