If you’re dealing with an unwanted salamander presence around your home or garden, it’s important to know how to catch a salamander in your house to get rid of them. Salamanders, amphibians with porous skin, are often attracted to areas with moisture and standing water, such as basements, lawns, and gardens.
To address this issue, you can take preventative measures to control their population and eliminate access points. First, identify the root cause of the salamander problem. Check for entry points in your home’s exterior, like cracks, holes, or gaps, which may allow these creatures to enter.
Seal openings to drain pipes to prevent their entry. Remove any standing or stagnant water, leaf litter, and moist hiding spots, as they are ideal habitats for salamanders and their food sources.
You can use a lizard or a simple homemade trap to catch a salamander in your house. Alternatively, you can catch them manually by carefully placing a container over the salamander and then sliding a piece of cardboard underneath to trap and release them outdoors. (Read How To Get Rid Of Mice Under Deck)
What Do Salamanders Look Like?
With their fascinating and diverse appearances, salamanders have captured the attention of nature enthusiasts and researchers alike.
Here you can inspect some of the most intriguing salamander species alternatives, like the Common House Gecko, the Carolina Anole, Alligator Lizards, and Western Fence Lizards.
Traits of Salamanders:
Salamanders and lizards are very different. Lizards are reptiles, but salamanders are amphibians and more closely about frogs and toads. Salamanders and frogs are cold-blooded and have moist, porous skin, while lizards have dry, scaly skin.
Most salamanders have four small legs on their sides and long, slender bodies and tails. Depending on the species, adult salamanders are 4–8 inches long.
There are around 400 salamander species and colors. Some are brightly colored with stripes and dots, while others are olive or black. It can take several years for salamanders to complete their larval stage.
Common House Gecko: Masters of Camouflage
The Common House Gecko, scientifically known as Hemidactylus frenatus, is a species of salamander widely distributed across various tropical regions worldwide. The House Gecko’s coloration varies significantly, ranging from pale gray to vibrant green, yellow, or brown shades.
The Carolina Anole: Masters of Color Change
The Carolina Anole, or Anolis carolinensis, is a captivating species in the southeastern United States. These agile lizards have adhesive toe pads, enabling them to quickly climb vertical surfaces and navigate their arboreal habitats.
Alligator Lizards: Masters of Defense
Alligator lizards, belonging to the genus Elgaria, are a group of striking salamanders primarily found in North America. Alligator lizards have impressive regenerative abilities, allowing them to regrow lost tails or entire limbs.
These carnivorous salamanders have a diverse diet, feeding on various invertebrates, small vertebrates, and other salamanders. (Learn How To Kill Mushrooms In Mulch)
Western Fence Lizards: Masters of Disease Control
The Western Fence Lizard, also known as the Blue-belly, is a common sight in the western United States. Besides their striking appearance, Western Fence Lizards play a significant role in controlling disease transmission.
These lizards are natural hosts for the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. When ticks feed on the blood of infected lizards, the bacterium is eliminated, reducing the chances of ticks transmitting the disease to humans.
This crucial ecological service has earned Western Fence Lizards recognition for protecting human health.
Where Are Salamanders Found?
Salamanders inhabit various habitats across the globe, including North and South America, Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. The Appalachian Mountains and the Pacific Northwest are renowned hotspots for salamander biodiversity.
European salamanders are also prevalent, with the Alps and other mountainous areas providing ideal habitats for these amphibians. Asian countries like Japan and China are home to various salamander species, showcasing the global presence of these fascinating creatures.
In the garden, you’ll find these cold-blooded animals in damp, dark areas like between patio slabs, piles of leaves and wood, or other shelter plants.
The Ecological Role of Salamanders
Salamanders play important ecological roles within their respective habitats. Predators regulate invertebrate populations, including insects, spiders, worms, and small crustaceans.
By controlling the abundance of these prey species, salamanders help maintain ecological balance within their ecosystems.
Are Salamanders Destructive?
There is a common misconception that salamanders are destructive creatures. However, this is unfounded. While some species may burrow or dig in leaf litter and soil as they search for food or shelter, their environmental impact is minimal.
Salamanders often have positive effects on their ecosystems. As mentioned, they contribute to the control of invertebrate populations, which can prevent outbreaks of pests and help maintain the ecosystem’s overall health.
Salamanders serve as a food source for many predators, including birds, snakes, and larger amphibians, creating a vital link on the food web.
Do Salamanders Bite?
One question frequently asked by those encountering salamanders is whether these amphibians bite. While salamanders possess teeth, their biting behavior is rare and typically only occurs in self-defense when they feel threatened or cornered. Salamanders are docile creatures and prefer to avoid confrontations.
Note: in some species, chemicals found in the skin are like that of newts (Tetrodotoxin) and puffer fish, which can harm humans. (Read Goathead Stickers Guide)
How to Get Rid of Salamanders: A Comprehensive Guide
Salamanders, those lizard-like creatures that often find their way into our yards and homes, can be a nuisance. Here, we’ll provide a simple answer comprehensive guide on effective methods to remove salamanders from your property. So let’s dive in and discover the best solutions!
1. Clean up Rotting Logs and Debris
Salamanders are attracted to areas with ample hiding spots and sources of food. Removing these potential hiding spots can significantly reduce the salamander population in your vicinity.
Regularly cleaning up fallen leaves, decaying wood, and other debris may provide shelter for salamanders.
2. Get Rid of Standing Water
Salamanders require a moist environment to thrive, and standing water is an invitation for them to stay. Ensure to eliminate any sources of standing water in your yard.
Addressing the moisture issue makes your property less attractive to salamanders and reduces their chances of settling in.
3. Seal Cracks in Your Home
Salamanders can find their way into your house on the hunt for bugs through tiny openings and cracks in your basement floor or foundations.
Inspect your home’s exterior and foundation to identify any potential entry points or places they hide while waiting for bugs and insects. Seal these cracks using caulk or weatherstripping to prevent salamanders from infiltrating your living space.
4. Relocate Salamanders
If you come across salamanders on your property, it’s possible to relocate them to a more suitable habitat safely. Use a gentle approach when handling salamanders to avoid causing harm.
Prepare a container with moist soil and leaf litter and carefully transfer the salamander. Then, release the salamander in a nearby suitable natural area away from your home.
5. Use Glue Traps
Glue traps are an effective tool for capturing and removing salamanders. Peel off the wax paper and place traps where salamanders are seen, like near fences, garden beds, or entry points into your home.
The sticky surface of the glue traps will catch the salamanders as they move around, preventing them from roaming freely. Adding roach pheromones can attract them. Check the traps regularly and dispose of them properly to remove the captured salamanders safely.
6. Get Rid of Insects and Eggs
Salamanders primarily feed on insects and their eggs, so reducing the insect population around your property can help deter salamanders. Implement integrated pest management techniques to control and eliminate flies and other insect pests they eat.
By reducing the availability of salamander food sources, you make your property less appealing to these creatures. In the home, ants, roaches, and other insects can be found around dirty dishes. So, chances are you can have a salamander or lizard problem where they quickly find food besides the insect problem.
With these steps, you can effectively address your salamander problem and create a salamander-free environment. If possible, consider coexisting with salamanders by creating suitable habitats in non-problematic areas of your yard. Otherwise, use a natural salamander repellent to keep them from certain areas rather than kill them.
In addition, natural solutions are better for your pets. Ensure you only use a spray repellent like a hot sauce water mix as pest control that will get rid of salamanders from your lawn rather than kill them. (Read Fungus Tree Stump Guide)
How to Get Rid of Lizards in Your Yard
If you have a lizard problem in your yard, you can try the following methods:
Use Homemade Deterrents:
One effective homemade deterrent is pepper spray. Mix cayenne or Tabasco sauce with water and spray the mixture in areas where you’ve noticed lizard activity.
Plant Outdoor Plants that Repel Lizards:
Certain plants have scents that lizards dislike, so incorporating them into your garden and landscaping can help keep lizards away. Some examples of plants that repel lizards are peppermint, eucalyptus, and pencil trees.
Keep Your Landscaping Tidy:
Lizards often seek shelter in cluttered and overgrown areas. By keeping your yard tidy, grass short and dry, and sweeping porches and decks, you can reduce cool hiding spaces for lizards.
Contact a Pest Control Expert:
If your DIY approaches are ineffective or you have a severe lizard infestation, it may be best to consult a professional pest control company. They can assess your yard, identify the species of lizards, and develop a comprehensive and effective plan to get rid of the lizards.
Remember, it’s important to approach lizard control humanely and avoid harming or killing them.
What to Avoid When Dealing with Lizards:
Regarding finding solutions for getting rid of lizards, there are many myths and home remedies to lead to false hope and wasted efforts. Two commonly mentioned methods use baking soda and eggshells. However, it’s important to understand that these methods are not effective and should be avoided. Let’s inspect why.
Baking Soda:
Some people claim that baking soda can repel lizards because of its odor. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this claim. The scent of baking soda does not deter lizards, and using it as a repellent is unlikely to yield any positive results. It’s best to focus on proven methods rather than relying on baking soda as a solution.
Eggshells:
Another popular belief is that lizards dislike the smell of eggshells and will avoid areas where they are present. Unfortunately, this is also a myth.
Lizards do not perceive eggshells as a threat or deterrent. They may even view them as a potential food source.
Placing eggshells around your property is unlikely to have any effect on deterring lizards. Instead of relying on ineffective methods like baking soda and eggshells to fix a lizard problem. It’s recommended to focus on more practical approaches for managing lizards, like using the methods used for getting rid of salamanders.
