Releasing a crested gecko in my apartment?

[pandaexpress]

Hi, I have a second floor apartment next to a zoo and across from a national park: even with a window screen, bugs have filed in here, acting like they own the place. Tonight I had an encounter with a brown recluse and managed to avoid being bitten, yet it scurried away as I tried to smash it.

After a little research, people recommend releasing a gecko in the home, as it eats all sorts of bugs. I've always thought geckos were cute pets; I never realized they held that kind of ability for the household. Before I go through with this plan, I was hoping you could answer a few questions (I'm reposting this in the Leopard Gecko thread in case I've got the wrong gecko):

1. Is the crested gecko the right gecko for the job? While I'm sure they're all bug killing professionals, I wouldn't want to choose a type of gecko that requires extreme maintenance. Just something small and hardy that can survive well and unnoticed around the apartment.

2. I am definitely invested in keeping this gecko healthy and watched after. Buying it as a pet, I have a responsibility as an owner to do so. Of course my two biggest concerns are food and water. There are bugs, but not enough to keep the gecko well fed for a year. Eventually the bug supply will dry out: how do I feed said gecko without having to release a bunch of crickets in my living room? As for water, I've seen the Rubbermaid make-ups that people keep inside their tanks: should I just leave that in a dark corner? Or if an actual dish of water a better idea?

3. Are there any other tips for general quality of life issues? I keep my apartment warm all winter (about 75-80 degrees) and the windows are almost always closed (and when they're open, I'm sitting next to them). There are no pesticides anywhere, no toxins on the floor, hardwood floors -- anything else I should do or not do?

Thank you everyone for your help. I really appreciate you taking your time to help a newbie like me. Any advice would be appreciated!

D


P.S. You can't believe my girlfriend's reaction when I told her my plan.

 

[acpart]

Well, it's an intriguing notion. Both the species you mention are probably not appropriate, the leopard gecko because it does not climb, so would not be able to get any of the bugs above floor level (and it also really needs belly heat in the 90's) and the crested gecko because most of its diet is fruit nectar. Where in the US do you live? Your best bet is to find a gecko that is native to your own habitat, possibly a house gecko. If you seriously want to do some research solicit some opinions about geckos that seem as if they may do the job and then look at caresheets. I did hear a story once from someone who released some geckos in the house to deal with roaches, never saw the geckos again, but also never saw any roaches and used to hear some crunching from under the fridge in the evenings.

Aliza

 

[OffshoreMetal]

Common house geckos would be perfect for you if your house has all the requirements they need ( temps , Humidity and everything. ) Some people will consider them as pest becuse they get inside houses and live there permanently. They can climb walls really well, In fact they are one of the Geckos species that shows well their ability to climb. I readed that they are fairly cheap when available because they are everywhere in their natura habitat.
The only thing would be probably the Brown Recluse you saw. They are probably venemous for the geckos but if there's only one , The chances the gecko gets bited are small.
Good luck

 

[Emilylovesherps]

The downside to releasing a gecko will be the feces on the walls that you'll have to clean up. I've only heard of people releasing Tokay Geckos in their homes, as they are great bug eaters, but they can also be noisy, and might bite cats or dogs that are living in your apartment. Probably the best course of action if you don't like mess or noise would be to call the exterminator.

 

[rx7master]

i had a tokay gecko get loose in my parents house when i was younger. it lived around 6 months before i recaptured him in the kitchen. we had a log house that was pretty prone to bugs/wasps/mice. he didnt look thin when we caught him. he escaped a few more times and once he got loose in the winter and i never found him until i was looking for something stacked away in the top of my closet & there he was all crispy. it was a rather large house and i looked everywhere for him, im not sure if he starved or didnt find water but i was sad for him. looking back it was my fault for not providing a more secure enclosure, but at the time there werent many cage options other than a 10 gallon with a screen top.

 

[pandaexpress]

Thank you very much for all those quick responses!

Alright, I didn't realize leopard geckos could not climb walls: that would hamper its bug catching ability. I live in Washington, DC, so I don't know if there's a particular kind of gecko indigenous to the area.

While searching online I also found people who released tokay geckos in their home: while they were expert bug catchers, apparently they do have a reputation for being aggressive. How aggressive are we talking, here? Am I going to have a gecko hanging from my finger if he's hanging out in my closet and I grab the sweater he's napping on? If a little more mellow than that, I have no other pets and small children have never been in my apartment, so perhaps it should be a consideration?

If that doesn't pan out, the common house gecko, is that its full name of the species or is there a more scientific title? It sounds like it'd be easily attainable in the DC area. Much cuter than the tokay, my only concern is that they're so small -- will they have the same bug catching power? The brown recluse I saw was about the size of a quarter, while the pictures of a house gecko I see have them at about a third of my index finger (without the tail).

Again, thanks! Whatever I get, I'll take some pictures before releasing it.

 

[Emilylovesherps]

I think most everyone here will agree that if you cornered a Tokay, it would end up on your finger, lol. I have a couple of Tokays that I've been working on taming, but other than the tame individual, they are very well known for their defensive behavior. However, they can also be trained to come to a bowl full of mealworms, so feeding them will be easier than feeding a house gecko. You will find them to be quite intelligent lizards. If you start leaving an open aquarium with mealies or crckets inside, they will probably come down to eat and drink there regularly.

 

[pandaexpress]

I think most everyone here will agree that if you cornered a Tokay, it would end up on your finger, lol. I have a couple of Tokays that I've been working on taming, but other than the tame individual, they are very well known for their defensive behavior. However, they can also be trained to come to a bowl full of mealworms, so feeding them will be easier than feeding a house gecko. You will find them to be quite intelligent lizards. If you start leaving an open aquarium with mealies or crckets inside, they will probably come down to eat and drink there regularly.

Hey, that doesn't sound too bad. Except, I did some research and apparently they grow up to be 14 inches?! Is this normal, or are there different kinds of tokays that grow smaller? I like the characteristics of this gecko, but having a mini-dragon sneaking around is going to give my mother a heart attack when she comes to visit!

 

[NathanSoto]

Its typically the males who can grow rather large, the females usually stay between 9-10in (usually)

 

[strakey]

releasing gecko

Hi:
As everyone else stated, crested and leo's are the wrong type of geckos for sure, maybe even a tokay. I have had tokays in the past and i have only cresteds now, but tokays get 1foot plus and are very aggressive. If they bite they may draw blood, but no more than a small cut. The have powerful jaws and the big problem is that they don't let go. For example i've had to stick the gecko under running water to get it to let go sometimes. The best choice is a golden gecko as they are similar in size, but not temprement or the bibrons gecko. Both are hardy and completely insectivorous. Put dishes of water in all corners, closer to the ceiling if possible. They will tend to hide behind things, not so much in them. If there are spaces under doors that they can crawl under they will so maybe put a towel down or something to keep them out of closets. If you have any holes in walls or ceilings for sure they will get in. Kill that recluse if it was one as they can kill almost everything they bite including us. If you are ever bitten collect the spider if you can and go strait to the emerg as there venom is highly necrotic (tissue death). Most bites come from stepping on or sleeping with the spider.

good luck

 

[CapCitySteve]

I'd go with a house gecko or two. They're cheap and smaller than the Tokay's and not as noisey or aggressive. I'd leave a few water dishes scattered around the rooms to prevent dehydration. With al the crickets and roaches running around the BGSU herp lab the house geckos have always done the job. The poop will be on the walls though so you'll have to clean that up.

 

[Palor]

For an in house gecko I would only use H. Turcicus and H. Frenatus. The H. Turcicus may already be present in your area.

These little critters will devastate small insects and spiders in your home. I have seen the H. Turcicus in my house eating adult crickets. Since they come in on thier own I like th leave water out where thay can get it.

 

[NathanSoto]

I agree with Palor i have H.turcicus all over my house and they will devour any insects only problem i can think of is they breed like rabbits.

 

[pandaexpress]

I went to Petsmart today and spoke to the girl about getting a gecko. All they had were the golden geckos, and I told her what I wanted it for.

She started lecturing me about the parasites bugs carry if they're not sold from a store: she also assured me that it would die outside a tank. I mentioned house geckos and she let me have it.

Any truth to what she's saying? Am I dooming a gecko to death if I let him romp around my apartment?

 

[JordanAng420]

Whatever happened to a good old exterminator? Like, a human being?

Or maybe you could get an insect fogger, and find a way to get your animals out of the house for a day.

If you want a pet lizard, then get a pet lizard. But for insect extermination I don't think it's a very good idea. With the feces all over the place with the animal walking in it all over your apartment, you are ASKING to get Salmonella.

 

[Emilylovesherps]

Whatever happened to a good old exterminator? Like, a human being?

I agree with JordanAng420. So many variables could have planty of negative outcomes. Besides, your girlfriend and mom may kill you for hatching this plan if you go through with it, lol.

 

[TongueInEye]

Years ago I spent the night a zoo and they had house geckos released throughout the back of the education facility to control insects. It was the first shower we'd had in weeks and we took it with a bunch of gecko voyeurs. Our biggest concern with that was how to avoid getting soap/shampoo, etc on them.

In that situation most of the back area was mostly cement and keep fairly warm. I'd worry about the drafts in your typical house plus simple accidental squashing. Depending on your bathroom, you might be able to release some in there if you are careful about the bathroom products.