Know those cute little geckos that have been moving into Brisbane homes for some years with their distinctive “chuck, chuck, chuck” sound? They are called Asian House Geckos or barking geckos and they are becoming a real pest. This introduced species of geckos are rapidly outbreeding native geckos and are known to carry red gecko mites on their toes, which are suspected of causing disease in other invertebrates.
Geckoes
Asian House Geckos first started appearing in Brisbane in the early 1990’s, and it is a very rare home now that doesn’t have a gecko problem. If Asian Geckos get in your home they leave messy excrement on your walls as they pass. They also tend to set off burglar alarms, can short circuit hot water systems, computers, toasters and air conditioners as well as cause problems in your fuse boxes.
Pest control is very difficult with Asian House Geckos as they can wriggle through very small gaps. You need to first work out where they are coming in and block off all access points. Check around windowsills and doors for loose fitting sections.
Don’t leave windows uncovered at night as the lights attract moths and as a result geckos. You can squirt the geckos with water (to loosen their grip and drop them to the ground) and then just pick them up and put them outside.
