A few weeks ago, I posted my dilemma on my Facebook status and asked friends to recommend a solution.
My dilemma? I wanted to know how to get rid of house lizards (geckos) using natural methods.
I received a few suggestions from some friends, so I started by trying the first one on the list: using eggshells.
The next week or so saw me placing eggshells at strategic locations, mostly in the kitchen, where I really didn’t want those icky reptiles to be. I replaced the eggshells with new ones whenever I cooked eggs. I placed them on the kitchen counters, near the sink, near the stove and on the window sill.
After a week of placing those eggshells in the kitchen, I am very pleased to note that I haven’t seen a single lizard AT ALL in my kitchen. Before this, I would sometimes find lizard droppings on the kitchen counter, sometimes near our cups and sometimes IN our cups (ewww!) But it has been a few weeks now, and nothing 🙂
Well, a few days into putting those eggshells around the kitchen, I caught one lizard hiding behind the curtains. So I placed two more eggshells in the dry area (near the curtains). I had to be careful to put these eggshells at locations where my kids would not trample on them.
So it looks like I found a solution to my problem.
But now, I am left with a kitchen that has eggshells strewn at certain spots. It’s really an eyesore, and I would love it if that would not be the case, but I am afraid that if I took away those eggshells, the lizards would reappear. What should I do now, guys? Should I start decorating these eggshells? How long should I keep these eggshells there in order to ensure the lizards are gone forever?
Little Miracles
Our Journey of Love
the eggshells no need to wash first and place it in the kitchen like that? or can the washed eggshells work??
The Giddy Tigress says: I rinsed the eggshells first, because I didn’t want my kitchen to smell bad. I’m not sure if unwashed egg shells will smell bad, but I rinsed mine out. Looks like it works that way 🙂
any remedy for ants and those tiny tiny flies?
The Giddy Tigress says: I don’t know of any natural remedy for ants, but I did use the *unnatural* remedy of the King Kong Ant Killer which I bought from the stores. It’s highly poisonous though, but very effective. You should be very careful if there are kids around. As for the tiny fruit flies, the best way is to get rid of ALL wet rubbish every day. 🙂 All the best!
What about those baby cockroaches? You have any good tips as well?
The Giddy Tigress says: Find the eggs and discard them…and keep the house clean! That will drive cockroaches away! Oh, and I just remembered…I’ve heard that using screwpine leaves (pandan) drives cockroaches away. Err…but why are you concerned only about baby cockroaches? Don’t you wanna get rid of adult ones too? 😛
How come after placing eggshells the lizards wont come again? Any (scientific) reasons to that? I’m bemused.
The Giddy Tigress says: I dunno why, but here’s my hubby’s *engineering* reason: Lizards come from eggs. So when they see the shell of the chicken egg, which is far larger than a lizard’s, they will become intimidated and run far far away. Does that make sense? 🙂
GT..Thanks for the tip. I need something child-safe though. Will continue to “trial n error”
Btw, my dad once caught a lizard. He purposely broke one leg. I cant remember he left the lizard or threw the lizard. But from that day onwards, no more lizards came to our house. This was like 30+ yrs ago…ehehhehe
The Giddy Tigress says: Eggshells are child-safe, as long as the eggshells are kept out of reach of the kids 🙂
Errr…I am definitely SURE I will never do what your dad did!
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