Noisy Lizzard

[PhilC]

This lizzard has woke me up maybe three or four times a night for the last week. It's not really bothering me too much yet, but I know it will eventually.

Last night I got the tourch out and spotted it on the outside wall close to the eaves of the roof. It measures about 10 inches in length, is green and has yellowy orange spots. It screeches about the noise level of a saw going through alluminium. It makes a sound like UGH OHH, and always five times.

Is it trying to attract a mate?

Or making a territorial claim?

At least I now know where the dollops of white s**t I have to clean up every day are comming from. I suppose the fact it is making the mess means it's a least eating other nasties I might be plagued with if it wasn't there.

A good thing to have around or not?

[November Rain]

It's a tock-eh (that's the sound if you listen "tock.....eh") They're harmless. And rather nice. I love them. I always thought they were turquoise with pink spots, but same-same.

Probably trying to attract a mate. Don't worry about him. I think the Thais have a superstition about how many times they cry out. And I have heard they'll eat rodents, so if you have mice, they're good to have around

[cmsally]

A good friend to have around, they kill snakes!

One of my favourite Thai animals, we had one called George that lived in the roof .

[Toni]

It's a tock-eh (that's the sound if you listen "tock.....eh") They're harmless. And rather nice. I love them. I always thought they were turquoise with pink spots, but same-same.

Probably trying to attract a mate. Don't worry about him. I think the Thais have a superstition about how many times they cry out. And I have heard they'll eat rodents, so if you have mice, they're good to have around

a very useful "domestic" animal! Luckily my experience is that he or she only calls a couple of times and not too much!

My friend at this photo seemed to have eaten just before an insect (I think it is not his tongue hanging out).

[draggons]

Yup tock-eh, wife hates them but they're good for keeping vermine down, noisy <deleted> though.

[skipvice]

Good luck to have living in your house, very bad luck to kill one, at least that is what my old GF from Ubon told me many years ago.

[Khonwan]

Simply house pests, that shit mountains. Despite all I've read on many threads on TV, I've never yet found one eating a mouse or a snake (and I live on a farm so have many of all three). I've killed dozens (inside the house) over the years. Thais believe it is good luck should you hear them cry out 7 times (which is not often). Most Thais I know (and all kids) prefer them dead rather than co-tenants. I can provide a constant supply to anyone who wishes to set up a sanctuary!

[skipvice]

http://ecologyasia.com/verts/lizards/tokay_gecko.htm

Just for you guys info.

[Thaddeus]

Good luck to have living in your house, very bad luck to kill one, at least that is what my old GF from Ubon told me many years ago.

To be honest, that varies from region to region.

I can hear one now while I am typing this, as long as it stays away from the house it is safe..... if it comes close, wifey will beat it to a pulp...... that's what they think in this region.... they are not lucky and they eat human babies.

One thing I do know for sure is that they don't eat snakes, snakes eat them ..... that, in itself, is a good reason to keep the tock-eh population down.

[kankaroo]

Yes mate they are noisy creatures indeed, but I do admit I miss the sound of them in the middle of the night as I am back in the UK

I always thought that you can get used to almost any sound disturbance in Thailand (apart from the bloody soi dogs !) but that is another subject altogether.......

[qwertz]

Give him a girlfriend, they're awful quiet when they're banging to! And they work well in pairs, like little sheepdogs, rounded up the roaches in my pad and obliterated them. Geriatric geckos are their favourite starter.

[srifah]

This lizzard has woke me up maybe three or four times a night for the last week. It's not really bothering me too much yet, but I know it will eventually.

A good thing to have around or not?

It's a nuisance animal, especially in the middle of the night the sound seems to echo very loud. I never heard the good thing to have around when I was growing up. People used tobacco (elderly people chewed with betel nuts) wrapped around the long pole to feed them, eventually they would drop and be taking away. That was the way the Thais catched them long ago, don't know what you would find the trap cage that big and hang up high since I've never seen them at floor level.