Maybe the lizard is a new, unwanted creature in your home. Maybe you just want a new pet for a day. Maybe you just want to see if there are any other lizards in your yard. Whatever the reason, there are several ways to catch these tiny reptiles without touching them directly.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Siege Geckos Inside the House
Step 1. Determine the room the lizard lives in
If you don't want these tiny reptiles in your home, it's easier to know the rooms where geckos are most likely to be found. Hopefully, the lizards are always in the same room. Since these creatures depend on habit, if you're lucky, you may see a lizard in the same place every time.
Check for cracks/gaps in the walls of the room for the lizard to pass through. Perhaps, this gap should be closed while the lizard roams the room in order to be caught
Step 2. Narrow and close the lizard escape route
You will need to prepare a bucket (or box) and a stick that is at least 1 meter long. Make sure your stick is blunt.
- Use several buckets (or boxes). Prepare a blanket or three to block the lizard's escape route between your buckets. This method can increase your chances of catching lizards.
- Place the bucket where your target lizard escapes. Your greatest chance is where the lizard has run away before.
- Draw or paint a crack at the bottom of the bucket. Geckos like to hide in cracks and will head for them when they see them. Use a Sharpie or paint to draw/paint the cracks in the bucket.
- Wait until the paint/ink is completely dry. You should wait for the chemical smell to go away as much as possible. You can even wash the bucket to make it safer and the lizards don't run away.
Step 3. Approach the lizard quietly and slowly
If you scare the lizards, the whole process will become much more difficult.
Just wear socks so your steps don't make a sound
Step 4. Spray the lizard with cold water to slow it down
Now, use the stick to guide the lizard into the bucket.
- Don't touch the lizard with a stick. You shouldn't hurt the gecko and it should be able to run without touching it.
- Adjust to the behavior of your lizard. If the lizard still doesn't move even after being sprayed with cold water, you can place a bucket on it. Use a manila envelope and gently tuck it under the bucket. Then, flip the bucket and envelope together so that the envelope still covers the mouth of the bucket when turned over.
- Use a stick to overturn the bucket until it is perpendicular. If the gecko is sprinting towards the bucket, don't waste time using your hands. This is the difference between lizards that are caught and those that have escaped.
Method 2 of 3: Making a Gecko Trap
Step 1. Look for an odorless box
The bad smell will keep the lizards away from your trap. Use parchment paper to cover the exposed areas and tape the edges with odorless tape.
Step 2. Cut a hole in the cellophane (cellophane)
Make sure the hole is in the center of the cellophane cover and make sure it's no bigger than the lizard you're trying to catch. If the hole is too large, other animals may also enter the trap (such as snakes).
You can use a glass terrarium with holes in the top of the screen. You can see the contents of the terrarium from its surroundings and even from a distance
Step 3. Study the lizards in your area
That way, you can find out what the lizard's favorite food is. Put some insects into the trap.
Choose lizard food carefully. For example, the western long tailed lizard likes insects and spiders. Maybe the type of spider that lizards like isn't available in pet stores, so try trapping spiders from your house. You can also try adding fruit to attract flies and fruit flies, which will attract lizards
Step 4. Place the trap box where the lizards frequent
Take advantage of the ledge/balcony in your home, if you have one. Geckos like to climb walls so this location is very attractive to geckos.
Step 5. Place a tarp under your lizard trap
If the soil on which the trap is placed is wet, a tarp will keep the trap dry.
Step 6. Come back repeatedly to see if the gecko has been caught
If not, make sure the bait is still alive in the trap.
Method 3 of 3: Attracting Geckos In The Trap
Step 1. Monitor your page
If you see a reptile that you would like to take a closer look at, note where and when you saw it. This is the place and time of your hunt. Over time, you will understand your hunting habits.
Step 2. Research the types of lizards that live in your environment on the internet
That way, you have information about your favorite habitat, hiding places, and other information about the lizards you're looking for. Then, you can find the places on the page where lizards encounter the most.
- For example, around Las Vegas (USA) there are many western long tail (WLTL) lizards roaming around. A quick search on the internet will provide a wealth of vital and useful information.
- WLT geckos like to hide in trees and open roots of Creosote shrubs. As such, they make use of shrubs in or near the yard or try to find the roots of the Creosote bush to create shelter in their yard.
- WLT geckos also eat insects and spiders so put spiders in the house in Creosote traps or lay fruit to attract flies and fruit flies that will attract lizards.
- For those who live in Riverside or San Diego, California (USA) can find many banded rock (BR) lizards. BR lizards eat ants, beetle flies, caterpillars, spiders, flower buds and petals
- These lizards are flat and like to hide in and under large, round rocks. To catch it, they make traps while feeding lots of food to invite lizards to come to the yard or the surrounding area.
Step 3. Create a realistic habitat
We recommend that you invite the lizard to a location on the specified page. Through your research, you'll learn that little geckos like to hide in cracks. So, provide used wood and make miniature walls that have gaps for lizards to hide. You can also use cement and putty if you have one available.
Follow the results of your research here. Make a trap that matches the lizard you want to catch
Step 4. Find a container that is larger than your wall/structure
Place the container cover on the ground upside down (inside facing up and outside facing down) and place a wall/structure on top of it. Glue your walls/structure to the lid of the container. It's best to use nails or screws because the smell can be removed by boiling it in water.
This may be difficult to do if you are piling wood or rocks to create openings for the lizards to hide in (based on your research). You may have to get creative with glue, nails, etc. Geckos like openings that are the size of their bodies. So, as long as you can make one, the chances of catching a lizard are pretty good
Step 5. Set the trap
Once the gecko likes your structure, wait for the gecko to enter the crevice and place the bottom of the container on top of it all and attach it to the inverted lid until it's tight. You have successfully caught a lizard.
Clear containers are most effective for this method. You can also buy an inexpensive opaque case at a hardware store and cut the bottom off. Be careful, if the height of the wall is not close enough to the box, the lizard can jump out of the box if the bottom is cut
Tips
- Once you're satisfied with watching the lizards (perhaps for a few hours), release them back to their natural habitat. Remember, wild animals should not be caged.
- Sticks can hurt lizards, so use extreme care when guiding lizards into traps.
- Wild animals should not be kept as pets. Wild animals carry diseases, parasites, mites, etc. This is especially important if you have other pets. Visit a certified pet shop if you want to pet lizards.
- If you want to hold a lizard, don't hold it by the sides with your fingers. The lizard will be squashed and hurt, which can make it bite you.
- You can spray ice water on the lizards to slow them down.
- Place a container of water in the habitat to allow the geckos to drink and cool off.
- Make sure you do some research on lizards in your area to make sure they are safe to catch and that the species are not rare or conserved.
- If you don't have a bucket, we recommend buying two. If not, you can use a hat. Just make sure the hat doesn't have holes.
Warning
- Turtles, lizards, and various other reptiles are known to carry Salmonella bacteria. You should always be careful when handling reptiles.
- If for some reason you touch a lizard or decide to try picking it up, you should wash your hands before and after.
- Make sure the type of lizard won't hurt you before catching it. Some lizards have powerful jaws and are even poisonous.
- Here are two lizards that are highly toxic: The Crazy Monster is found in the southwestern United States, and its cousin, the Mexican Beaded lizard, is found in the far south (both are part of the Heloderma family. Another dangerous lizard is a member of the Varanus family because it has large and powerful jaws. The largest lizard is the Komodo dragon which eats carrion and has a very strong and poisonous bite, so I hope this animal is not in your room.
- Small geckos also have teeth. Even though they are small and cannot tear the skin, the bite still hurts. What's more, the stress between you and the lizard is not good for you.
- Treat lizards like any other animal. If you don't treat them carefully and gently, lizards can bite you.
- Although many lizards eat crickets, many do not. Make sure you do your research before catching a lizard. For example, horny toads (horned lizards that live in the southwestern US) usually eat ants. These lizards will die if you force them to eat caterpillars or crickets. After all, this lizard will not be interested in eating both.
- Remember, separating wild animals from the wild and keeping them as pets is illegal. You can't do it.
