My animal rescue of the day... a House Gecko on a glue trap

[Tig]

I posted this on another forum about my experience today, but I'm too tired to type it out again, so I copy/pasted it. Enjoy

I went to the pet store to get some crickets, and I happened to look in the garbage pail for some strange reason. I felt compelled to. I saw some dead Goldfish, some aspen, etc etc. Then I saw a glue trap with some crickets on it. Then I saw a big House Gecko. I pointed it out to the employee, who said it was dead. I poked it, and it twitched! I told him about it, and he said that I will never get it out of the trap. I asked him if I could keep it, and he said yeah, go ahead. I got the trap home with the Gecko on it, put it on a snack tray in my room, and went to work. I used the dull end of a pocket knife blade to separate his skin from the glue, and the sharp end to cut the strings of glue that stretched from the paper to his skin.

And guess what?

And hour later, HE'S FREE

I'm soaking him in warm water to dissolve the tiny bit of glue residue off his belly and feet, and then I'll put him in a tank or something. One of his front feet, his toes are stuck together, and he lost some skin off one of his back legs, but otherwise, he looks GREAT, he's actually climbing up the container I'm soaking him in

Update: The glue residue is almost gone thanks to the warm water soak, and he actually darkened his color to match the tupperware container I'm soaking him in. And his front toes seem to be unstuck

 

[Indlovu]

If this was a facebook post I would have liked it

 

[Tig]

Haha, thanks I'll get some pictures of up the little guy in a bit.

 

[chizlit]

That's a real nice story, hope all goes well with the little guy, but a big fat zero for the uncaring swines at the pet store.
I guess I would have done the same, even if I see something like a bee or bufferfly in water, I will try to get them out, I can't stand to see animals suffer.

 

[Tig]

Haha yeah, I have been known to make mosquitoes in my house bite me so I can walk outside with them on me and then flick 'em off so no one in my house kills 'em

Here are pictures taken as I freed him from the trap
MonsterFishKeepers.com - View Single Post - My most intense rescue ever: House Gecko on a glue trap

And afterwards. He actually jumped into my hand when I went to check on him
MonsterFishKeepers.com - View Single Post - My most intense rescue ever: House Gecko on a glue trap

Linked from the other forum.

 

[chizlit]

Well it looks like you got a friend for life there, hope he does well.
But really mozzie rescues! I have to draw the line with them and also wasps!
Plus if a fly gets in the window he doesn't stand a chance with my cats!

 

[Tig]

Aww man... he didn't make it... I just checked on him, and I'm pretty sure he's dead...

I tried so hard, I spent all day working on him, and I thought I had given him a future...


Oh well, I always knew it was an option


Sorry little buddy... I did everything I could for ya

 

[Indlovu]

Such a shame

 

[chizlit]

I'm so sorry to hear that, but at least you cared enough to give him a chance, you're still a hero.

Aww man... he didn't make it... I just checked on him, and I'm pretty sure he's dead...

I tried so hard, I spent all day working on him, and I thought I had given him a future...


Oh well, I always knew it was an option


Sorry little buddy... I did everything I could for ya

 

[Javan Rhino]

Gutted, but you did the best you could. Well done for trying, which is more than can be said for the pet shop.

 

[Tig]

Thanks guys. It means a lot.

 

[JerseyLotte]

Hiya Tig, bless you for trying to do what you felt was right for that little gecko.

The problem is that in spending time trimming down the glue trap, then working him off it with a knife, then washing him down to remove the residues. He's undergone massive stress and trauma on top of his initial exhaustion (and likely dehydration) from being trapped.
The chance of him surviving through this additional shock was always going to be incredibly small.

For reference, for anyone who ever encounters similar in the future, with the whole card intact (more leverage and a firm handhold for the job) simply get some washing up liquid or squirty hand soap on a gloved finger, rub it at the edges of where the gecko is stuck and using just this and your index finger you should be able to release a well stuck gecko in no more than a minute or two, with the least skin damage.

Rest in Peace little guy