OT Question - small wildlife in the house

I am hoping that some of you might've faced a situation like this with some odd
critter that one of your youngsters brought in.

I discovered a small lizard in my apartment this evening, perched on a high
wall in my living room (I have one of those very high ceilings). At first I
thought this was a large bug. Given how completely I despise bugs, I was
somewhat relieved to discover that it was "only" a small lizard, probably a
gecko, common enough around here.

Not sure how the thing got in. Moreover, I got stupidly compassionate and
decided not to kill it. So I threw a small pillow at it (it was well out of
reach), hoping to dislodge and stun the lizard. This was not an especially
bright idea. It dislodged the lizard, but then I lost track of it.

So, here's my questions:

(A) -- is this anything to worry much about? I know geckos are harmless, but I
don't want him/her setting up housekeeping in my apartment and possibly
increasing the gecko population. And I CERTAINLY don't want to find him in my
BED or something!

(B) -- any ideas on how to get this critter out of the place?

"GI Trekker" wrote in message
...
I am hoping that some of you might've faced a situation like this with
some odd
critter that one of your youngsters brought in.

I discovered a small lizard in my apartment this evening, perched on a
high
wall in my living room (I have one of those very high ceilings). At first
I
thought this was a large bug. Given how completely I despise bugs, I was
somewhat relieved to discover that it was "only" a small lizard, probably
a
gecko, common enough around here.

Not sure how the thing got in. Moreover, I got stupidly compassionate

there is no such thing as stupid compassion :-)

and
decided not to kill it. So I threw a small pillow at it (it was well out
of
reach), hoping to dislodge and stun the lizard. This was not an especially
bright idea. It dislodged the lizard, but then I lost track of it.

So, here's my questions:

(A) -- is this anything to worry much about? I know geckos are harmless,
but I
don't want him/her setting up housekeeping in my apartment and possibly
increasing the gecko population. And I CERTAINLY don't want to find him in
my
BED or something!

if it's really a gecko, they prefer to remain on or near the ceiling where
the bugs are, so, no, nothing to worry about.

(B) -- any ideas on how to get this critter out of the place?

if it comes down you might want to direct it out the door (with a broom or
something else to steer it in the right direction) if you can do that
without scaring it. but i honestly wouldn't worry about it. we have little
skinks in our house most of the time (one time, memorably, a really BIG
one); they keep to themselves & stay out of our way & eventually find their
way out again (only to be replaced by others, it would appear). in the
tropics everyone has resident geckos & they aren't any bother either.
:-)
kylie
--
First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist so I did not
speak out. Then they came for the Socialists and the Trade Unionists, but I
was neither, so I did not speak out. Then they came for the Jews, but I was
not a Jew so I did not speak out. And when they came for me, there was no
one left to speak out for me.
~ Martin Niemoeller

Thank you for the responses. There seems to be no sign of him this morning, and
I hope that remains the case. As long as he's willing to remain in the higher
areas, if this is his pattern, then it shouldn't be a problem. I just didn't
want to hear him clattering around the clutter inside one of my closets or some
such. The last varmint that I actually HEARD around this place was a large
ROACH, and while easier to catch up to than a lizard, proved nearly impossible
to kill. You can see why I was a little unnerved by last night.

GI Trekker wrote:

(A) -- is this anything to worry much about? I know geckos are harmless, but I
don't want him/her setting up housekeeping in my apartment and possibly
increasing the gecko population.


Why not? If anything, it would probably keep down the
population of any bug-like critters. Only real harm I see
to it is squishing one accidentally where it would make a
mess. (I know whereof I speak, having had many batches of
chameleons escape, only to be found mangled.)


(B) -- any ideas on how to get this critter out of the place?

If you can get it out and keep it out, you wouldn't have to
worry about it breeding, since you'd be keeping out all but
that one. We were often able to lure chameleons by putting
a ripe banana on the counter to lure fruit flies, and the
chameleon would come out to eat the fruit flies. I don't
know that it would work with the specific lizard you have,
and you'd need a house with enough "leaks" to get fruit
flies, which might compound your lizard problem.

Phoebe

GI Trekker wrote:

I am hoping that some of you might've faced a situation like this with some odd
critter that one of your youngsters brought in.

We had geckos in the house all the time when we lived in FL. They got in by
themselves and they got out
by themselves. None ever set up housekeeping and I never found the remnants of a
dead one either.
K-

Exactly. I have any number of spiders in my house, and I don't worry about
finding them in my bed.

Spiders I would worry about. Ever see a wolf spider? Big hairy ugly suckers
that look like a tarantula gone bad. My mom got one in her hair once. Screaming
like that you don't even hear in horror movies.

But the general consensus on the lizard seems to be that he's nothing to worry
about, and I haven't seen him today, meaning that I suspect he either got out,
or is at least in hiding.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Duncan}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} }}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Thank you for the responses. There seems to be no sign of him this morning,
and
I hope that remains the case. As long as he's willing to remain in the higher
areas, if this is his pattern, then it shouldn't be a problem. I just didn't
want to hear him clattering around the clutter inside one of my closets or
some
such. The last varmint that I actually HEARD around this place was a large
ROACH, and while easier to catch up to than a lizard, proved nearly
impossible
to kill. You can see why I was a little unnerved by last night.







Bleh, good grief, how did you sleep at night?!?!?!?! If I seen a roach that
big, I'd move...lol!

Brandy