How To Catch A Gecko - Wukihow

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How to Catch a Gecko Explore this Article methods 1 Finding a Gecko 2 Luring a Gecko into a Trap 3 Catching a Gecko 4 Handling and Housing a Gecko Safely + Show 1 more... - Show less... Other Sections Questions & Answers Video Tips and Warnings Things You'll Need Related Articles References Article Summary X

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Geckos often hide inside the crevices in and around homes, and often find a way indoors, creating a nuisance. Pet geckos can also move quickly, making it easy for them to slip away. Whether you're trying to catch and release a gecko from your home, tracking down your pet gecko around the house, or just want to capture a wild gecko to keep as a pet, catching a gecko without injuring it is quick and easy, if you know its behavior.

2 Know where to look. If you decide to look for a nocturnal gecko during the day (or a diurnal gecko during the night), knowing where the gecko sleeps may be helpful. Many geckos seek out sheltered, warm places to sleep. In the wild, geckos may sleep hidden under tree bark, in natural crevices, or underneath larger objects. [10] If you're looking for a wild gecko in your yard, try peeling back loose tree bark or lifting fallen tree branches. If you're searching in or around your home, look for small cracks in the foundation, gaps in the siding or floor boards of your home, or anywhere else a small lizard might fit.
4 Know the legality of keeping a wild gecko. Laws that govern the catching and keeping wild animals, including geckos, can vary widely from one state to another, and from one country to another. Check with your local Department of Agriculture or your country's office of disease control, or contact your local government on regional regulations regarding the keeping of wild geckos as pets. [12]

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3 Make funnel traps. Funnel traps do not have to be dug into the ground like pitfall traps, and rely on a setup that allows a gecko to enter the trap and have difficulty exiting the trap.
- Cut 0.125-, 0.25-, or 0.33-inch mesh hardware cloth into 18-inch wide sections.[18]
- Roll each trap body into a cylinder, and secure it into that shape with zip ties, rubber bands, or twine tied around the tube.[19]
- Roll additional pieces of mesh hardware cloth into funnels with a narrow opening, around two inches (roughly five centimeters) in diameter.[20]
- Insert the funnels into each end of the cylinder, with the narrow points inside the tube.[21]
- Cut flaps into the mesh hardware cloth that hangs over the opening on each end, such that geckos could easily climb into the tube but would not be able to easily climb out.[22]
- Be sure to leave a wet sponge in the cylinder of each funnel trap you set up, and leave the trap in a shaded area for outdoor setups so that the gecko(s) will not overheat in direct sunlight.[23]
- Make the trap more alluring by leaving a couple of small insects, such as crickets, inside the trap.

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3 Use a stick. You can use a stick to gently "guide" a gecko in the direction you want it to go.
- Slowly lower the stick slightly behind the gecko.
- When the gecko moves, continue to "herd" the gecko in the direction you want it to go.
- Be careful not to harm the gecko. You should never actually touch the lizard with the stick. It should simply be used to guide the gecko toward a net or a second person with open hands.

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3 Create a comfortable habitat. Understand what kind of environment your species of gecko prefers, and try to replicate that environment as best you can at home.
- Nocturnal geckos should be kept in a dark enclosure at night.[30]
- Give your gecko small plants and little objects to hide under or behind.[31]
- Be aware of whether your species of gecko can climb walls. You may need to put a mesh screen over the enclosure to prevent your gecko from escaping easily.[32]
- Keep a clean water bowl in your gecko's enclosure. You may also want to spray a mist of water onto the plants in the enclosure, as this may help further replicate what your gecko is used to in the wild, depending on its species.[33]
- Feed your gecko insects. Some geckos prefer crickets and mealworms. Others prefer smaller insects, depending on the size and dietary needs of each gecko species. Young crickets may need one to three insects every day. Older geckos may prefer being fed four to six insects three times each week, or roughly every other day.[34]

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