The RSPCA reminds people to check their luggage for secret stowaways
A stowaway gecko, who came to the UK from Barbados after hiding in luggage, has been safely caught by the RSPCA after being on the run in the holidaymaker’s house for around two months!
A Knutsford holidaymaker first saw the tiny critter (who is 2.5cm long) in her house on Stanley Road in Knutsford on Sunday 9th December.
The gecko scurried away but was spotted again on Tuesday 11th December, and the RSPCA was then informed.
It turns out that the house gecko was from Barbados, where the woman had been on holiday back in October.
RSPCA inspector Jenny Bethel said: “We can only assume that this little gecko has been living in her house for two months after hiding in her luggage.
“He is a very fast-mover so it is not surprise that he was hard to catch!”
Jenny added: “It isn’t the first time the holidaymaker saw the gecko, as when they were in Barbados they saw the gecko in their hotel room.
“He is tiny and he was also emaciated, as it is likely he was struggling to find anything to eat in the house.
“The poor thing isn’t used to the temperatures over here either, he is more used to the hot climate of Barbados, so he is lucky to be alive.”
The gecko is now with a specialist reptile keeper, where he will live in a special large enclosure which mimics the conditions he is used to in the Caribbean.
Inspector Bethel continued: “It is a timely reminder to anyone who is jetting off for some Christmas sun to check their luggage when packing to come home – and if you do accidentally bring a stowaway home with you, call us on 0300 1234 999.”
The animal charity advises people to treat any unidentified animal with caution until identified accurately and not to try to handle them.
The RSPCA says it is unlikely that it would be able to return accidentally imported animals to their native environments, and therefore they are rehomed with specialist keepers, zoos or wildlife parks who have the necessary knowledge and facilities to care for them.
Geckos, like other reptiles, have specific needs – including controlled temperature, lighting and humidity.
The stowaway gecko found in Knutsford would be very unlikely to survive temperatures in the UK, and it is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to release it, or to allow it to escape into the wild.
