If you have spotted a lizard that resembles a snake in your house, it could probably be a skink. Now it may seem like they can harm you, but the creatures are not dangerous.

However, even if one can find a place to stay in a house, it can multiply fast and grow in numbers. In such a situation, you may wonder how to get rid of skinks. There are quite a few ways to do so but to apply them effectively, it is better to learn how they live and survive.

What Are Skinks?

Skinks are reptiles found in coastal areas of the United States. They do not have distinct legs or neck, which is why they might appear as snakes and seem to slither like one. They are mostly attracted to areas with vegetation and are particularly attracted to humid environments with many hiding spots.

They have different appearances and some might appear quite exotic as well. The creatures can sometimes bite if they feel threatened but this is usually not harmful or poisonous. Skinks usually eat bugs and are, therefore, helpful in pest control. They can help improve the quality of your harvest too. However, if the creatures find their way inside your home and start multiplying, then it could cause some problems.

How Can You Find Them?

In order to get rid of skinks, you need to find them first and in a short span of time. You will be able to spot them around more during the day as during the night they usually find somewhere warm and safe and hide there till daylight.

There are a few signs that may indicate that the lizard-like creatures are present on your property. While a physical sighting is usually confirmation, you can also detect them through poop. Skink poops have a distinct appearance and can be used to identify their presence.

You might even come across their nests around your house. They usually set up nests in secure and warm areas such as wall voids, door gaps, and places where joints meet. Since the creatures prefer quiet, secure, and warm places, the most common places one might find them include garages, basements, sheltered corners, and underneath porches.

Ways to Get Rid of Skinks

Once you know what the skinks are, where they live, and what they eat, the answer to how to get rid of skinks becomes easier. There are quite a few ways to get rid of these creatures.

Get Rid of Their Food Sources

Since the main reason for skinks to invade your property is the availability of ample food resources, that is the first thing you should get rid of. If you have a bug problem then that is what invited the skinks in. They love to eat bugs and actively look for them to hunt.

You might want to take a stroll around your house and see what kinds of bugs are there that the skinks might be feasting on. Once you exterminate the bugs, the skinks will migrate to another place themselves.

Dim the Lights

Skinks prefer places that are lit well and warm as well. This is one reason why you might spot more of them during the day; during night, they go into their little secure and warm retreats that they have found for themselves.

Turning off the lights not only discourages skinks to come over as invited guests but also keeps away insects such as flies. This way, you will be reducing the bugs on your property too and also eliminating the food source for skinks.

Keep Your House Clean at All Times

One of the simplest ways to keep these lizards out of your house is to deep clean regularly. Spiders, roaches, and all the other kinds of insects are attracted to trash. Make sure to take out the trash regularly so it does not accumulate and become an attraction for bugs and eventually skinks.

Also, if you work from home, make sure to throw useless papers and old books away as that is one favorite hiding place for skinks and lizards. They also like to hide inside and under trash around your property. So, sweep those porches, clean those balconies, and keep your trash cans clean to get rid of skinks.

Get Rid of Their Water Sources

Skinks come inside in search of water too and the smallest amount of water is enough for them to survive and stay around your property. By keeping your place dry and draining puddles around your property, you will be able to decrease the chances of skinks staying at your place.

The presence of moisture is not an invitation for skinks only but also to other bugs and insects that will only increase the food source to skinks. This makes controlling skinks in an area with high rainfall quite hard. The people living in drier areas are at an advantage.

Replace or Fix Old Windows

Another way of getting rid of skinks from your house is to stop them from coming in. These snaky lizards usually come in through the cracks and crevices inside and around the windows of your house. Therefore, it would be a good choice to take a stroll around your place and find cracks around the windows.

You can seal them with any kind of sealant available or if the windows are broken, then it is best to get them replaced. One more thing you could do is to cover your windows with a net. This way you will get all the fresh air you need without providing skinks with an open place to come in.

Get a Cat or Any Other Predator

It might happen that even by taking all the measures above, you are still not able to get rid of skinks. In that case, you can get a predator that preys on skinks. Now don’t worry; you won’t have to get a lion. A cute cat would be just perfect.

Cats not only are good for company but they prey on skinks. So, upon sighting a cat on your front porch, skinks will naturally stay away. Those who fail to do so will eventually face a terrible fate at the hands of your cat. However, it is not usually recommended to let the cat feed on all types of skinks.

All in all, if you want to know how to get rid of skinks, it is much easier than you think. Skinks seem scary because of their appearance but they are not very harmful to humans. If you do live in an area where a skink invasion is a common problem or have spotted them in your house, you can easily get rid of them by taking the above measures. Just keep your house clean, sealed, and not excessively warm!