Geco in casa portafortuna

Why geckos enter the house and what to do to keep them away from homes and balconies

If a gecko (a reptile of the Gekonnid family) enters the house, some rejoice because they consider it a lucky charm, others shudder, impressed by this small reptile, vaguely similar to a lizard, which moves agile and quickly on the walls and ceilings. The common gecko (Mauritanian tarentula) can accidentally enter the house for food reasons (chasing or looking for prey) or to seek shelter from the first cold temperatures. We clarify that, in any case, sHowever, they are elusive animals and completely harmless to humans. Unlike the lizards of which they are distant relatives, they almost never move on the ground and tend to remain high up on smooth or rough vertical surfaces. They are particularly active at dusk to hunt spiders and insects and it has been calculated that a single specimen can feed on more than a hundred mosquitoes in a single night. Since they are insectivorous animals, they are greatly affected by pesticide poisoning.

What geckos are doing in our homes and how to keep them away

When a gecko enters the house we shouldn’t be scared, even if we find them in the bedroom: it’s not a problem to sleep with a gecko in the house. The common gecko (Mauritanian tarentula) in fact it enters the house to catch an insect, to enjoy the warmth of a wall or shutter exposed to the sun or to seek shelter in the first cold weather. They are totally animals harmless for humans: they do not defend themselves by biting, they do not emit any venom, but only assume threatening attitudes towards danger. Indeed, it is not true that it is better not to have them at home: being skilled insectivores, they are allies of man in reducing the presence of mosquitoes or other insects that they feed on.

It doesn’t take much to remove them from the house, pushing them very gently towards an open window. The only difficulty is that they are rarely found on the ground, but always move at heights. They must be pushed away carefully because they are quite delicate. You can keep them away simply by using some natural repellents such as mothballs, coffee powder or chili because they have a very sensitive sense of smell to these substances.

The common gecko: where it comes from and where it lives

The gecko and the lizard belong to the same Order, that of the Squamates, but they are not such close relatives; in taxonomic terms they are part of two different families of reptiles (Gekkonidae and Lacertidae). The common gecko (Mauritanian tarentula) that we can find in our homes is a Saurian, originally from North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula, but now widespread in temperate climate environments throughout the world, also adapted to rural and urban environments. They have been classified in the world over 1000 species of geckos and new ones are often discovered; only in 2022 have they been well described 104 new species. The common gecko is the most widespread and largest of the 41 species present in the Mediterranean area.

In addition to the characteristics already described, which make it a champion of adaptation, the gecko is able to emit vocalizations during courtship or when it is alarmed, it has a infallible sight and the eyes are able to discriminate shapes and colors even in the middle of the night. They mate between spring and summer and the female lays 2 eggs which are hidden under stones, roof tiles or foliage. They are gregarious and in optimal conditions create small colonies.

The gecko is considered a lucky charm for its regenerative abilities

In many cultures, especially in Eastern countries, the gecko is a lucky animal; for example in the Philippines and Thailand tradition has it that if a gecko enters a house under construction that house will be lucky and if it enters a place where a child was born that newborn will be healthy and happy. In Polynesia it represents the ancestors and their protection towards the family. Unfortunately in Italy many legends and traditions describe the gecko as an animal that brings diseases and misfortunes and, for this reason, it is often chased away from homes in a bad way. In general, this small reptile is considered a lucky charm because it is associated with ability to regenerate and to adapt thanks to some surprising evolutionary characteristics. Let’s see which ones:

  • they are able to adhere to any vertical surface and even ceilings thanks to highly adhesive digital pads on the fingers. These bearings are organized in parallel lamellae which, seen under the microscope, are formed by rows of microbristles which in turn end in millions of micro-filaments of 30-60 microns with a very high adhesive power.
Gecko paw adhesive strips

  • they use the tail in various ways, first and foremost as a rudder and balance system: thanks to this mechanism geckos practically never fall. The tail is also useful for impressing enemies by keeping it raised and tense or as a means of communication during courtship. In some cases, for example in a genus adapted to living in arid environments, it is used as a reserve of liquids and fat.
  • if caught by predators they are able to lose the last part of the tail like lizards (autotomy mechanism) and then to regenerate the lost part, which will regrow with a completely different shape from the original. Their bitter enemies in homes are cats;
  • they also continuously regenerate teeth that are subject to wear;
  • at the level of the palate they possess the vomeronasal organ, a special apparatus with which only some animals in nature are equipped, including the dog. This palatal structure is capable of capture pheromones and chemicals much more effectively than simply smelling. For this reason it is also easy to keep them away from home with banal natural repellents;
  • during the colder months, they slow down metabolic activity and they seek refuge in dry and warm places, but do not go into real hibernation.