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LIZARD IN MY ATTIC!! PLEASE HELP!: |
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SARAHR Member Joined: 11 Oct 2007 No. of posts: 2  View other posts by SARAHR |
Posted: 11 Oct 2007 Hi, please can someone help me as i feel very alone in this matter! we have lived at our house in north dorset for 5 years now. above my bedroom i always heard scratching and funny noises but my parents always dismissed it as birds in the roof. i knew it wasnt. this week my dad has been building an extension and had to clear out the cavity in the roof above my bedroom before he patches the holes up where the birds have been getting through it. two men who were working for him starting clearing out and found old bird nests and bird skeletons and then they caught site of a stone coloured lizard, about 6-8 inches long. looking at other peoples photos on this forum i think it is a sand lizard. when my dad told me i thought it was amazing and we have to get a better look but he wants to finish the job in the roof and over the weekend plans to fill in all holes in the roof which could be detrimental to the lizard. nobody else thinks its a big deal but i do because this lizard has been living above my bedroom for at least 5 years, living on goodness knows what and now his home will be completley blocked in. if for example he is living on insects he will starve to death after the work has been done as no insects will be able to fly/crawl into the roof anymore. please someone help me!! i need something to convince my dad to investigate this furthur instead of just sealing the lizard in his tomb!!! im very alone on this and my family think i am making a big deal about nothing but i feel its up to me now to save this poor creature. please somebody help, i dont know where else to turn. the work is being done this weekend so i need to act fast. i look forward to any responses. thankyou |
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Alan Hyde Senior Member Joined: 17 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 1416  View other posts by Alan Hyde |
Posted: 12 Oct 2007 Hi Sarah, Hmmmm, Living in an attic for five years sounds a bit strange to me for a sand lizard. Do you know anything about the previous owners of the house as I reckons your lizard may be an escaped gecko. Geckos are largely nocturnal , run up walls and have no need for natural sunlight. It's great that you care so much though. Now, the only thing I can think of is going up there with a torch and trying to catch the little guy. Sometimes if you shine a powerful torch on lizards they will freeze as they are dazzled, then you can catch them. Maybe someone else here will have better advice Best regards, Alan O-> O+> |
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SARAHR Member Joined: 11 Oct 2007 No. of posts: 2 View other posts by SARAHR |
Posted: 12 Oct 2007
Thanks Alan for your reply. I agree the chances of it being a gecko do sound more likely. i have already checked and the lady who lived there before us definatley didnt own a gecko but there was a family living there previous to her. if this is where the little fellow came from then he must be at least 9 years old. the only other way of it getting there (even though it seems very unlikley) is back in a suitcase with me from the Maldives! there were lots of geckos in my room and my suitcase was left open on the floor for 2 weeks. when i got back home my suitcase ended up open on my bedroom floor for another two weeks while i took ages to unpack. so the holes in the roof are now closed up. if he was living on insects hes going to find food a bit short so is there anything i can put up there for him to try and entice him into a trap so that we can safely get him down and then identify him properly? the roof has no support beems meaning i cant walk up there to catch him so its going to have to be traped. any advice would be fantastic as i am afraid if we dont do anything he will starve to death. thanks |
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Alex2 Senior Member Joined: 16 Dec 2006 No. of posts: 266 View other posts by Alex2 |
Posted: 12 Oct 2007 Hello Sarah, Perhaps you could PM David Bird on this forum, he lives near your part of the world (I'm in South Dorset myself), he may possibly be able to help or advise you. |
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phillip Member Joined: 08 Sep 2007 No. of posts: 29 View other posts by phillip |
Posted: 16 Oct 2007 it certainly sounds like it could be one back from thre maldives. |
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David Bird Forum Specialist Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 515 View other posts by David Bird |
Posted: 20 Oct 2007 I have known of geckoes brought back in suitcases and ending up in rooms or in lofts. They do tend to go in gaps between the wall and furniture or the ceiling including any gaps around pipes. I am close to Blandford and if you are not too far away I could come and have a look for you if you want. Give me an e-mail on drbird.herp1@virgin.net. David British Herpetological Society Librarian and member of B.H.S Conservation Committee. Self employed Herpetological Consultant and Field Worker. |
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Mátra Man Member Joined: 15 Jan 2008 No. of posts: 1  View other posts by Mátra Man |
Posted: 16 Jan 2008 Hello Sarah & David This is a message from Colin in Hungary (just joined the forum this week !). I was intrigued by this story, and wondered what the outcome was ! Best wishes, Colin. Experience the wildlife, landscape, and culture of Hungary in the company of an English local guide. Accomodation and airport transfers are included in our reasonably-priced tours. |
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David Bird Forum Specialist Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 515 View other posts by David Bird |
Posted: 16 Jan 2008 Nothing to report, I never heard anything back but it is winter here so in an unheated attic I would expect any lizard to be hibernating somewhere. British Herpetological Society Librarian and member of B.H.S Conservation Committee. Self employed Herpetological Consultant and Field Worker. |
- LIZARD IN MY ATTIC!! PLEASE HELP! |
