Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - A question has recently come up about the geckos in Puerto Vallarta and we hope to provide some protection for these adorable little reptiles. Among the lizard groups they are species-rich, with more than 1500 types worldwide. Once indigenous mainly to Asia, geckos have traveled the world and settled in every tropical corner of the planet.

The kinds we see in Puerto Vallarta are nocturnal and have amazing night vision with strength 350 times stronger than a human.

We hear them after the sun goes down. For some people it can be an annoying experience; at times even alarming. Geckos however are completely harmless.

In Puerto Vallarta, we welcome geckos into the home; they are considered auxiliary pets in dwellings where they eat mosquitoes and other stinging insects. Termites and moths are also a staple of their nightly diet.

We usually see geckos on the ceiling where they are safe from more domestic animals, like the dogs and cats who seem to find them either a challenge or a delectable. Our Pup chases them relentlessly, and Kitten leaves their heads behind as evidence of her conquests. A gecko's ability to make his way to the security of heights, moving wall to wall via the ceiling, is due to his adhesive toe pads, which enable him to cling and navigate at perpendicular angles.

The name "gecko" has often been interpreted as the sound they make when they're on their nocturnal journey in the dark; they can be quite loud. The actual noise is more like a chack, chack, chack. Most Mexicans are convinced that geckos are good luck and would never dream of chasing them off. We have friends in Puerto Vallarta who prefer to not be kept awake by these friendly little creatures and have therefore found solutions to keep them away.

Eggshells may or may not be a good solution, sprinkled in areas you prefer to keep free of geckos. Mothballs are also a possibility but we don't recommend them if other pets are present in the household. If you don't mind your house smelling like an Italian café, onions and garlic cloves can be used as a deterrent but they might also attract another beast much less desirable.

We have managed to grow accustomed to the call of the gecko and find great comfort in his welcoming sounds when we return to Puerto Vallarta after a trip away.

Que es cómo es.

Timothy Real Estate Group is a locally-owned and operated real estate brokerage with a strategic location in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta. When you combine extensive local knowledge and a long standing reputation for honesty and sound judgment, you have an unbeatable resource at your disposal. You have Timothy Real Estate Group, a constant leader in Puerto Vallarta real estate.

Timothy Real Estate Group is a full-service real estate sales, rentals and development agency representing some of the most distinguished properties and developments across Puerto Vallarta, Bahía de Banderas and the Riviera Nayarit. For more information, visit TimothyRealEstateGroup.com.

Click HERE to learn more about Timothy Real Estate Group