Unlikely find, we need to play the lottery maybe!?

[EricW]

Last night my wife came home, rushes in the door, and says, "Hurry, come outside, you need to see this." By the time I got out there, there was nothing to see. My wife goes on to explain that there was a lizard, like the ones she holds at the reptile show. I am like no way. She describes it and tells me it is a Leopard Gecko. I tell her no, she probably saw a Mediterranean House Gecko and they do not get that large. She was convince and explained that it was most likely in the garage as it scurried over to the corner. So I open the garage and start gazing around thinking, heck I'll never find this gecko. Low and behold, a leopard gecko scurries across the floor and under some stuff. My wife held the light on my cell phone as I remove the stuff and capture the leopard gecko. It was quite feisty, I suppose from being out in the "wild."

But there is more to the story. So last August, a neighbor knew I am into wildlife and more knowledgeable than an average Joe, sends me a picture of a lizard hanging on his pool wall. I zoom in and I said that appears to be a Leopard Gecko. Advised him it is not native and is someone's pet that either got away or was released. I suggested he catch it and either I come get it from him, or his kids can keep it. I shared some quick links for reference. He decided to let his son keep it.

Well, when I caught this Leopard Gecko, I am like this is odd to be another leopard gecko found in the same general area. I am not aware of any "colonies" existing/established in the area. The Neighbor lives 0.2 miles from my house and they moved away a month or two ago. I text him and asked if they still had the gecko. He replied, "No, my son wanted to release it back into the wild."

I snapped a photo and compared the spots on the head and it appears to be the same gecko. I am not sure how long ago they released this girl, but what are the odds that this gecko is released, came to my house 0.2 miles away, my wife happens to come across it coming home from a neighbors house, and it is the same gecko as 11 months ago. This poor girl released at least twice and found it's way into a home. Evading cats and everything else and surviving.

We will either keep it or find it a forever home, but so crazy! Maybe I need to play the lottery?

Attached are photos from last August of the gecko on the pool wall, after it was caught last year, and a comparison of the heads from the pic last year and the one I took last night (background of rainbow is my daughter's beautiful art).

Also, my wife has been eyeballing leopard and African fat tail geckos for quite some time. It almost seems like a set-up, but it isn't. I guess the powers that be work in mysterious ways. Now I am reviewing the newest and greatest on Leopard geckos and realize no different than many other reptiles, what I once knew of them is not the same anymore. They actually like humid hides, are not "desert" species, etc. I actually found out that their range extends into wooded areas with quite a bit of rainfall. So now, much like tortoises, trying to find the right sources of knowledge to set up a naturalistic enclosure.

 

[zovick]

Last night my wife came home, rushes in the door, and says, "Hurry, come outside, you need to see this." By the time I got out there, there was nothing to see. My wife goes on to explain that there was a lizard, like the ones she holds at the reptile show. I am like no way. She describes it and tells me it is a Leopard Gecko. I tell her no, she probably saw a Mediterranean House Gecko and they do not get that large. She was convince and explained that it was most likely in the garage as it scurried over to the corner. So I open the garage and start gazing around thinking, heck I'll never find this gecko. Low and behold, a leopard gecko scurries across the floor and under some stuff. My wife held the light on my cell phone as I remove the stuff and capture the leopard gecko. It was quite feisty, I suppose from being out in the "wild."

But there is more to the story. So last August, a neighbor knew I am into wildlife and more knowledgeable than an average Joe, sends me a picture of a lizard hanging on his pool wall. I zoom in and I said that appears to be a Leopard Gecko. Advised him it is not native and is someone's pet that either got away or was released. I suggested he catch it and either I come get it from him, or his kids can keep it. I shared some quick links for reference. He decided to let his son keep it.

Well, when I caught this Leopard Gecko, I am like this is odd to be another leopard gecko found in the same general area. I am not aware of any "colonies" existing/established in the area. The Neighbor lives 0.2 miles from my house and they moved away a month or two ago. I text him and asked if they still had the gecko. He replied, "No, my son wanted to release it back into the wild."

I snapped a photo and compared the spots on the head and it appears to be the same gecko. I am not sure how long ago they released this girl, but what are the odds that this gecko is released, came to my house 0.2 miles away, my wife happens to come across it coming home from a neighbors house, and it is the same gecko as 11 months ago. This poor girl released at least twice and found it's way into a home. Evading cats and everything else and surviving.

We will either keep it or find it a forever home, but so crazy! Maybe I need to play the lottery?

Attached are photos from last August of the gecko on the pool wall, after it was caught last year, and a comparison of the heads from the pic last year and the one I took last night (background of rainbow is my daughter's beautiful art).

Also, my wife has been eyeballing leopard and African fat tail geckos for quite some time. It almost seems like a set-up, but it isn't. I guess the powers that be work in mysterious ways. Now I am reviewing the newest and greatest on Leopard geckos and realize no different than many other reptiles, what I once knew of them is not the same anymore. They actually like humid hides, are not "desert" species, etc. I actually found out that their range extends into wooded areas with quite a bit of rainfall. So now, much like tortoises, trying to find the right sources of knowledge to set up a naturalistic enclosure.

Good luck with the newfound gecko. That is a really great story, and the gecko definitely does appear to be the same gecko your neighbor found last year.

 

[wellington]

Wow that's crazy. It's for sure the same one.
But I can't believe the neighbor thought it was okay to let his kid let it go. That's why they had it to begin with, cuz it's not suppose to be left in the wild.
Glad it was found again and will get a proper home yet again.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Great story!

 

[jsheffield]

My sister lives in Brooklyn, in a row house, and every year or so a baby gecko shows up somewhere in her house, and she gives me a call at some ridiculous hour with questions about care for the poor thing.

I always give her generic reptile short-term safe storage directions, and the thing generally dies by morning and she feels sad.

None of her neighbors along the row of houses keeps geckos, or even admits having ever seen the little ones that my sister gets annually... my theory is that there's an established population in an attic in one of the houses, eking out an existence on filtered UV, rainwater, and roaches; my sister finds the ones that wander too far from the colony, or are too sick to hide or move fast enough to escape when she comes into the room.

Jamie

 

[EricW]

My sister lives in Brooklyn, in a row house, and every year or so a baby gecko shows up somewhere in her house, and she gives me a call at some ridiculous hour with questions about care for the poor thing.

I always give her generic reptile short-term safe storage directions, and the thing generally dies by morning and she feels sad.

None of her neighbors along the row of houses keeps geckos, or even admits having ever seen the little ones that my sister gets annually... my theory is that there's an established population in an attic in one of the houses, eking out an existence on filtered UV, rainwater, and roaches; my sister finds the ones that wander too far from the colony, or are too sick to hide or move fast enough to escape when she comes into the room.

Jamie

I can see it happening in Brooklyn being much more concentrated. I could understand it here if it was an apartment or closely clustered housing complex or something like that, but I live in the suburbs. Are they leopard geckos? or random types of geckos?

 

[jsheffield]

I can see it happening in Brooklyn being much more concentrated. I could understand it here if it was an apartment or closely clustered housing complex or something like that, but I live in the suburbs. Are they leopard geckos? or random types of geckos?

I don't know geckos, but I shared a picture of one and somebody here said it was a house gecko, I think.

J

 

[PollyAda]

What a little survivor! Gecko is looking a little underweight, but sounds like that's to be expected. A few months in your care and I'm sure they'll gain a little. They may be off their food due to the season, but seeing as they've been fending for themselves, they may eat straight away. Best of luck with him/her!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

My sister lives in Brooklyn, in a row house, and every year or so a baby gecko shows up somewhere in her house, and she gives me a call at some ridiculous hour with questions about care for the poor thing.

I always give her generic reptile short-term safe storage directions, and the thing generally dies by morning and she feels sad.

None of her neighbors along the row of houses keeps geckos, or even admits having ever seen the little ones that my sister gets annually... my theory is that there's an established population in an attic in one of the houses, eking out an existence on filtered UV, rainwater, and roaches; my sister finds the ones that wander too far from the colony, or are too sick to hide or move fast enough to escape when she comes into the room.

Jamie

Here in south Florida, HOUSE GECKOS are common.
There is usually one in the house at any given time. Usually on the living room wall. Behind the television. Looking for I have no idea what. (Of course there isn't one right now)
They also hang out on the houses exterior walls. Mostly by the entrance doors and my garage doors.
They're considered good luck.
We leave them alone because of the many insects they eat.
A Mediterranean house gecko and a Leopard gecko are separate species. But it looks like they are drawn to our houses because insects are also drawn here.

 

[Moozillion]

Last night my wife came home, rushes in the door, and says, "Hurry, come outside, you need to see this." By the time I got out there, there was nothing to see. My wife goes on to explain that there was a lizard, like the ones she holds at the reptile show. I am like no way. She describes it and tells me it is a Leopard Gecko. I tell her no, she probably saw a Mediterranean House Gecko and they do not get that large. She was convince and explained that it was most likely in the garage as it scurried over to the corner. So I open the garage and start gazing around thinking, heck I'll never find this gecko. Low and behold, a leopard gecko scurries across the floor and under some stuff. My wife held the light on my cell phone as I remove the stuff and capture the leopard gecko. It was quite feisty, I suppose from being out in the "wild."

But there is more to the story. So last August, a neighbor knew I am into wildlife and more knowledgeable than an average Joe, sends me a picture of a lizard hanging on his pool wall. I zoom in and I said that appears to be a Leopard Gecko. Advised him it is not native and is someone's pet that either got away or was released. I suggested he catch it and either I come get it from him, or his kids can keep it. I shared some quick links for reference. He decided to let his son keep it.

Well, when I caught this Leopard Gecko, I am like this is odd to be another leopard gecko found in the same general area. I am not aware of any "colonies" existing/established in the area. The Neighbor lives 0.2 miles from my house and they moved away a month or two ago. I text him and asked if they still had the gecko. He replied, "No, my son wanted to release it back into the wild."

I snapped a photo and compared the spots on the head and it appears to be the same gecko. I am not sure how long ago they released this girl, but what are the odds that this gecko is released, came to my house 0.2 miles away, my wife happens to come across it coming home from a neighbors house, and it is the same gecko as 11 months ago. This poor girl released at least twice and found it's way into a home. Evading cats and everything else and surviving.

We will either keep it or find it a forever home, but so crazy! Maybe I need to play the lottery?

Attached are photos from last August of the gecko on the pool wall, after it was caught last year, and a comparison of the heads from the pic last year and the one I took last night (background of rainbow is my daughter's beautiful art).

Also, my wife has been eyeballing leopard and African fat tail geckos for quite some time. It almost seems like a set-up, but it isn't. I guess the powers that be work in mysterious ways. Now I am reviewing the newest and greatest on Leopard geckos and realize no different than many other reptiles, what I once knew of them is not the same anymore. They actually like humid hides, are not "desert" species, etc. I actually found out that their range extends into wooded areas with quite a bit of rainfall. So now, much like tortoises, trying to find the right sources of knowledge to set up a naturalistic enclosure.

This is SUCH A COOL STORY!!! Good luck and have fun with your new gecko!!!