Mediterranean gecko?

[arizonablue]

I found this little guy skittering around my bedroom this morning. Nearly stepped on the poor thing, he blended into the carpet so well! I think he's a Mediterranean gecko and was hoping someone could confirm that. I managed to catch him and put him back outside. Thought about keeping him, but he seemed terrified to be picked up and I've never taken care of a gecko before and didn't want to botch it up. Location is Tucson, Arizona.

 

[Toxoderidae]

this is going to sound brutal, but exterminate any of those you see. They are highly invasive and detrimental to the surrounding ecosystem.

 

[jaredc]

I see them all the time in Los Angeles. I found a few when we first moved in.

 

[arizonablue]

this is going to sound brutal, but exterminate any of those you see. They are highly invasive and detrimental to the surrounding ecosystem.

Oh no, really? What sort of damage do they cause? I don't think I'd have the heart to squish one of the little guys, but if I find another one in my apartment maybe I'll put him in a tank and try to make friends instead of putting him outside.

 

[Toxoderidae]

Oh no, really? What sort of damage do they cause? I don't think I'd have the heart to squish one of the little guys, but if I find another one in my apartment maybe I'll put him in a tank and try to make friends instead of putting him outside.

They eat a lot of native insect species, and since aside from cats, not much can really stop them, they just overrun the small low life ecosystem.

 

[arizonablue]

They eat a lot of native insect species, and since aside from cats, not much can really stop them, they just overrun the small low life ecosystem.

Although I do love my desert beetles, if the geckos eat the massive infestation of crazy ants I've been dealing with for weeks, I'll call it even. This is the first gecko I've seen by my apartment so far - mostly we seem to have collared lizards and assorted other small speedy lizards I can't identify.

 

[Toxoderidae]

Although I do love my desert beetles, if the geckos eat the massive infestation of crazy ants I've been dealing with for weeks, I'll call it even. This is the first gecko I've seen by my apartment so far - mostly we seem to have collared lizards and assorted other small speedy lizards I can't identify.

Nothing aside from those horned lizard eats ants - They are too small and low in nutritional value.

 

[bigchin]

I don't know exactly any studies on those geckos that have stated they are "destroying" or "detrimental" to native habitat or ecosystem. If so, shouldn't we put them on the LACEY act too/ LOL. They help eat small insects in and around houses. NO harm, no foul?

 

[jaredc]

Here in highly urban areas those small ecosystems are some of the only ones that still exist, so I assume they are pretty delicate. I'd ideally like to keep seeing jumping spiders around me, but I could easily see these geckos destroying those small populations.

 

[Galapoheros]

They make OK feeders if you want to thin them out around your home and have something that will eat them, haha yeah sounds kind of brutal. ime this species mostly inhabits building structures and shallow cliffs in rocky areas. They tend to stay out of US forests and fields, I haven't seen many in those habitats anyway, probably don't have much of a chance in those environments.