# I.D? I just found this gecko



## emmadiamond (Jul 15, 2012)

I just walked into my bedroom and found my cat trying to get this little guy.
Can anyone tell me what sort of gecko this is?
I live on the northern beaches in sydney.
I caught him and put him in a tank.
I also need to know, where I can release it 
should I just take it outside? 
and what it eats (incase it takes me more than a few days to release)
It looks pretty skinny.
Sorry for the crappy photo.


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## reptilefever (Jul 15, 2012)

Looks like an Asian House Gecko. It will be fine anywhere outside.


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## saximus (Jul 15, 2012)

Looks like an Asian House Gecko to me. I thought they were only around Brisbane though...


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## emmadiamond (Jul 15, 2012)

haha...he'd be along way from home then


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## damian83 (Jul 15, 2012)

Had them in motel room in newcastle, there pests here in lismore, good hatchie food though


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## SteveNT (Jul 15, 2012)

V common in Darwin.


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## moussaka (Jul 15, 2012)

Are they as far south as Sydney now?


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## emmadiamond (Jul 15, 2012)

I couldn't feed him to my snakes. It's too cute. Plus who knows if it's got parasites.
I guess I'll just let him go and hope he doesnt come back, otherwise my cat might get his way..


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## rvcasa (Jul 16, 2012)

emmadiamond said:


> I couldn't feed him to my snakes. It's too cute. Plus who knows if it's got parasites.
> I guess I'll just let him go and hope he doesnt come back, otherwise my cat might get his way..



It looks too dark for an Asian House Gecko, (maybe just bad photo) but perfect shape though. 

They always carry red mites under their claws. Tthere's no way I would feed them, (introduced pest) to my snakes. 

The National Museum published an article (at least online) about them. 

They're an introduced pest etc. etc. 
can be found from NT coast, East QLD, to south Sydney coast...

They sort of hibernate (completely not seen) during winter and show up again in warmer months. (at least in Brisbane). 

Very noisy, hate their call at night, keep me awake all night during summer.
They're around lights, good at eating the moths in the garage thought!


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## Bluetongue1 (Jul 16, 2012)

It is not the best photo to try and make an ID. Irrespective, the digital pads are consistent with _Hemidacvtylus frenatus_. There is an indication of the first one and possible two spines along the tail that are characteristic of _Hemidacvtylus frenatus_. Try and get a decent photo in good light. They are often quite dark and patterned in low light conditions and almost transparent in strong light conditions e.g. daylight. 

If you can make positive ID then let the Australian Museum know.

Blue


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## GeckoJosh (Jul 16, 2012)

Please don't let him go, they are a pest species, contact DECCW


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Jul 16, 2012)

I love it when they show up here in Mebourne, it's happened a few times now to


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## Chanzey (Jul 16, 2012)

Didn't realise they were such a big problem? I read they really only inhabit homes? They're everywhere here.


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## moussaka (Jul 16, 2012)

GeckoJosh said:


> Please don't let him go, they are a pest species, contact DECCW



Is it even legal to release pest animals you've caught? I have a feeling it isn't.


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## GeckoJosh (Jul 16, 2012)

moussaka said:


> Is it even legal to release pest animals you've caught? I have a feeling it isn't.



Yeah it depends on the state, species etc but generally noxious species have to be destroyed (only when 110% you can identify the species) or handed in.


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## geckoman1985 (Jul 16, 2012)

it dose look like an asian house gecko natives have much rounder heads and toe pads. if it is ahg and found i sydney it may have come from up north some were. i would have thought it be to cold for them down in sydney and yes i have seen them in newcastlevtho none here in singleton nsw. i think derm would be intrested to know about it also get on to the queensland meuseam about it thay are keeping an eye on it spred accross australia


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## -Peter (Jul 16, 2012)

Can be legally kept on a class 1 license in NSW.


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## jordo (Jul 16, 2012)

GeckoJosh said:


> Yeah it depends on the state, species etc but generally noxious species have to be destroyed (only when 110% you can identify the species) or handed in.



No they don't, the general public have no skills for animal ID or to humanly euthanise an animal so I doubt it is expect, or law in any state or territory.


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## Benskene (Jul 16, 2012)

I have seen someone advertising for ahg in Sydney. Wanted them as part of his collection and as far as I could see from the short time I spent looking it up they are on nsw license ( correct me if wrong ) I know in qld they are classified as a pest but don't think they are in nsw. 


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## rvcasa (Jul 16, 2012)

License? For an introduced pest??
That sounds like (EPA) joke!

Most nights I have at least 10 in my garage ceiling and a few others inside.

A hand full more can also be heard from across road at neighbours'

They're noisy little buggers...



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## GeckoJosh (Jul 16, 2012)

jordo said:


> No they don't, the general public have no skills for animal ID or to humanly euthanise an animal so I doubt it is expect, or law in any state or territory.



Goldfish....


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## TheCheshireCat (Jul 17, 2012)

The laws regarding animals on the noxious list in NSW are tricky because one person from DPI will tell you things such as carp need to be beheaded once caught while others will tell you it's "strongly recommended" that they be killed but you under no legal obligation to do so.
It's pretty much the same as the laws regarding catching certain fish species in closed season, some DPI employees will tell you that it is an illegal act in itself to remove the fish from the water if caught while others say catching is fine but must not be kept or molested 

In short DPI are clowns.


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## jordo (Jul 17, 2012)

It can go against a persons morals or religion to kill an animal so I would be incredibly surprised if there is any legislation stating a legal obligation to do that. I'm confident enough to bet on that, but I love to be proven wrong 

States have different rules for animal ethics. Fish are an example of a class of animals that are treated under different rules than other vertebrates. In SA the vertebrate ethics doesn't cover frogs. However it's pretty safe to say geckos can't be compared to fish, because they're reptiles - surprise, and the ethics that apply to reptiles are likely to also apply even if it's exotic. 

Some of the reasons for animal ethics and laws are to ensure animals aren't treated inhumanly (being euthanized inhumanly by un-skilled people, being cared for by un-skilled people etc). If the general public (with no training) are encouraged to take it upon themselves to kill AHG's, who's to say they can correctly ID them in the first place? When the public is involved, as in Cane Toad round-ups people are trained in ID and the toads are brought back to be checked before being killed.


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## GeckoJosh (Jul 17, 2012)

So what do you suggest she do with the gecko?


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## jordo (Jul 17, 2012)

I was just arguing a point. I don't really care what she does with it


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## -Peter (Jul 17, 2012)

GeckoJosh said:


> So what do you suggest she do with the gecko?



keep it


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## emmadiamond (Jul 17, 2012)

-Peter said:


> keep it


I'll sell it to you (;

I have no use for a gecko so he can go in the garden tomorrow


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## -Peter (Jul 17, 2012)

emmadiamond said:


> I'll sell it to you (;
> 
> I have no use for a gecko so he can go in the garden tomorrow



I have no use either but you seem to have missed the point of the responses. It is not a native gecko so to release it is irresponsible. Hand it over to someone else. One of the wildlife rescue groups will take it from you.


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## disintegratus (Jul 17, 2012)

GeckoJosh said:


> Yeah it depends on the state, species etc but generally noxious species have to be destroyed (only when 110% you can identify the species) or handed in.



But before you kill it, you have to capture it. Without an ID on it, you would have to assume it's wildlife, and it's illegal to interfere with wildlife, so you can't touch it.
So legally, you're not allowed to catch it, but if you do manage to catch without disturbing or interfering with it in any way, and positively ID it (no flash on the camera, that would upset it, of course), then you have to kill it in a humane way.
You know, it's funny, DSE didn't mention anything like that to me. The general attitude seems to be "give us some money, then go figure it out for yourself."


To the OP, I am not an expert, but it does look very similar to AHG that I've seen. Personally I would kill it, I'm not a huge fan of noxious pests. If you don't want to do that, realistically I can't see that much of an issue with it being re-released into the garden. I know it's not going to help the situation any, but I don't think one Asian House Gecko being allowed to live is going to speed up the ecosystem's descent into hell.


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## emmadiamond (Jul 18, 2012)

-Peter said:


> I have no use either but you seem to have missed the point of the responses. It is not a native gecko so to release it is irresponsible. Hand it over to someone else. One of the wildlife rescue groups will take it from you.



Okay buddy.



disintegratus said:


> But before you kill it, you have to capture it. Without an ID on it, you would have to assume it's wildlife, and it's illegal to interfere with wildlife, so you can't touch it.
> So legally, you're not allowed to catch it, but if you do manage to catch without disturbing or interfering with it in any way, and positively ID it (no flash on the camera, that would upset it, of course), then you have to kill it in a humane way.
> You know, it's funny, DSE didn't mention anything like that to me. The general attitude seems to be "give us some money, then go figure it out for yourself."
> 
> ...



Yeah, I dunno. I don't want to kill it and don't have the time to take it to wildlife people.
If I just let it go..its not going to make any difference from if I had never found it lol

Some people are getting too worked up


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## TheCheshireCat (Jul 18, 2012)

emmadiamond said:


> Okay buddy.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Please don't release it.


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## rvcasa (Jul 18, 2012)

-Peter said:


> ...to release it is irresponsible. Hand it over to... One of the wildlife rescue groups will take it from you.



Irresponsible?
The poor guy was trying to be the good Samaritan and responsibly SAVED it from the cat...

People's opinions here got so complicated, I bet next time he won't even care and go into trouble!
(I know I wouldn't)

It was caught in the wild, it should return to the wild, native or not, that's where it was born!

There are billions of those up here... Do you think 1 tinny guy AHG is going to make any difference? - NO. 

Not even EPA is doing anything about them either!!



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## TheCheshireCat (Jul 18, 2012)

rvcasa said:


> Irresponsible?
> The poor guy was trying to be the good Samaritan and responsibly SAVED it from the cat...
> 
> People's opinions here got so complicated, I bet next time he won't even care and go into trouble!
> ...



I always love reading posts like this, I have a very strong "inkling" that -Peter may know a thing or 2 about the processes involved with things like this.

Secondly your posts seem to intentionally go against the general consensus just "because". How about you step back from your keyboard and realize there are people here who not only have a lot more experience with reptiles than yourself but also work in the catching/relocating sector.


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## rvcasa (Jul 18, 2012)

ssssnakeman said:


> I love it when they show up here in Melbourne...



The best response so far...

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## geckoman1985 (Jul 18, 2012)

lol cant bleve this thead has gone on so long if it were me i would have not worryed about postIng it the guy dose not know 100%that it not native then i should be let go as id from pics is hard none of us can be certen it is ever no matter how experanced we are my gess it was ahg but i dont like to be wrong and find out it was native


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## rvcasa (Jul 19, 2012)

geckoman1985 said:


> if it were me i would have not worryed about postIng it..,



+1


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## moussaka (Jul 19, 2012)

rvcasa said:


> Irresponsible?
> It was caught in the wild, it should return to the wild, native or not, that's where it was born!



Would you apply this argument to feral cats?



rvcasa said:


> There are billions of those up here... Do you think 1 tinny guy AHG is going to make any difference? - NO.



Actually, one individual can make a difference when it's at the edge of its range. In Brisbane it probably wouldn't, but Sydney is very far south to find Asian house geckos - and every individual you release could potentially set up a breeding population and contribute to the species gaining a foothold and further increasing its range.


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## nathancl (Jul 19, 2012)

Throw it in the freezer might be against animal ethics and people will have a cry but less time consuming then walking outside than it is walking to the freezer lol


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## -Peter (Jul 19, 2012)

rvcasa said:


> Irresponsible?
> The poor guy was trying to be the good Samaritan and responsibly SAVED it from the cat...



Dont start me on the cat.


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## jordo (Jul 20, 2012)

...


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