Geckos or Flail-toed Geckos (Gekkonidae) are a large family of very interesting small and medium-sized animals, divided into three subfamilies, which include a total of about 80 genera and more than 900 species.

These amazing ones are most common in tropical climates - Tropical Asia and Indonesia, although they can be found on any continent except Antarctica.

The word gecko itself comes from the cry of one of the common African species.

The size of animals in length ranges from 10–15 mm to 35 cm or more.

These are oviparous.

Most lead a crepuscular and nocturnal lifestyle, and some species lead a diurnal lifestyle.

Geckos feed on all kinds of small invertebrates; large species often eat small lizards and even chicks. There are lizards that willingly feast on sweet fruits.

The delicate, easily damaged skin of geckos is usually covered with fine granular scales. Only representatives of some genera have tile-like scales, reminiscent of fish.

Geckos are interesting with their amazing eyes

The vast majority of geckos are nocturnal or crepuscular. They have greatly enlarged eyes with a vertical pupil that expands in the dark, and lack movable eyelids. Instead of eyelids, they only have a transparent membrane, which they periodically clean with their tongue. The extraordinary structure of the gecko's eyes helps to more completely aperture the field of view in the light during the day, while (which is very important!) allows you to build a clear image in absolute darkness, covering the maximum field of view. In many cases, one or both edges of the slit pupil are saw-toothed in such a way that when the teeth of the opposite sides close, the pupil is divided into a number of small pinholes, each of which focuses an independent sharp image onto the retina. By overlapping each other, these low-light images create the necessary brightness for visual perception while ensuring image clarity.

Geckos are interesting with their amazing paws

And yet, these reptiles are interesting, first of all, for their amazing paws, thanks to which geckos are able to climb a smooth wall at a speed of 1 m per second, climb steep slopes and even run upside down on a polished glass ceiling.

Amazing fact: while on a wall, geckos can support their body weight with just one paw.

The secret of gecko sticking has become the topic of many scientific studies.

The extraordinary ability of geckos has remained a mystery since the time of Aristotle, who observed them as early as the 4th century BC.

These lizards can move in this way thanks to their splayed, palm-like feet. Geckos have small ridges on their toes that are covered with fine hairs (setae). These toes stick to almost any material (wood, glass, metal, granite) under any conditions (even in a vacuum or underwater), and the gecko's toes never wear out, get dirty, or accidentally stick to the wrong places.

The search for the answer to these amazing abilities took almost 100 years.

Ultimately, scientists discovered that due to the close contact of the bristles on their feet with the surface, geckos use short-range interactions between molecules. This force acts only at very small distances (between molecules), when the surfaces approach each other as closely as possible, and decreases sharply as the distance between the surfaces increases.

For such a weak force to hold a gecko on a vertical wall requires a huge area of close contact between the gecko's foot and the surface.

This possibility is provided by the complex structure of the gecko’s paws. Using an electron microscope, scientists discovered that the gecko's toes contain very fine hairs (setae), only 0.1 millimeters long (twice the thickness of a human hair). They are placed very densely - up to 14,400 bristles per 1 mm2 or about 1.5 million per square meter. cm. In this case, each bristle, in turn, at the end diverges into 400-1000 branches. At the end, each branch ends in a triangular spatula. These spatulas are only 0.2 micrometers (2/10,000 of a millimeter) wide. It turns out that each gecko's paw has a contact area of slightly more than 1 square cm. can touch the surface with two billion endings!

To accommodate the same amount of human hair with the density of an average head of hair would require the area of an entire football field!

Researchers from several American universities, using special instruments, found that the surface of a gecko's foot with an area of 1 square. cm is capable of generating a traction force of 10 Newton (which corresponds to 1 kg of weight).

These amazing unusual geckos...

There is a satanic gecko. This gecko has a tail that looks like a fallen leaf. There are individuals with red eyes. It lives in fallen leaves in dimly lit places.

The Turkish gecko has a belly that is almost as transparent as glass. If you put it on a transparent glass table and look from below, you can see its entire internal structure,

The Madagascar day gecko is so named because it was first found in Madagascar. However, such geckos are also found in Hawaii. In the photograph there appears to be a battle for territory between two individuals of this species.

They are distinguished from other lizards by three red stripes on the lower back and blue circles around the eyes.

New Zealand green geckos have a body that is entirely green, while their mouths and tongues can be red, blue, orange, black, pink or yellow!

The skink gecko or “Miracle Lizard” has a body that is practically unprotected. Its skin can peel off with just one touch, but the reptile can absorb oxygen directly through its skin! Skink geckos are active only during pitch darkness at night; the rest of the time they travel underground, at a depth of about 80 centimeters. The eyes of these lizards have some similarities with frogs - for this they were even nicknamed “frog-eyed geckos.”

The cat gecko is so named because of its habit of sleeping with its tail wrapped around it, just like a cat. This gecko does not have Velcro pads on its feet and uses its prehensile claws and tail to climb trees.

The blue-tailed gecko lives only on the island of Mauritius. The bright blue back with red dots distinguishes the males of this species from the completely green females.

An interesting species is the New Caledonian banana-eater gecko, which uses its tail to climb trees. It is also called the Crest Gecko because of the comb with a “fringe” that stretches from the eyes to the tail.

Gecko lizards live and die on all continents of the Earth except Antarctica. Geckos are a headache for owners of semi-wild tropical motels and lodges. Because at night, geckos crawl along the ceilings of stuffy rooms and bark at white gentlemen underfed by mosquitoes. Moving in three-dimensional space, these reptiles use van der Waals forces. These are the same forces that keep the dust and pebbles that make up the rings of Saturn in unity of beauty and harmony.

Geckos have no eyelids on their eyes, because they are covered with a protective film, which the lizard periodically licks clean.

There are over 900 species of these creatures capable of talking to each other and crawling on glass. Twelve of them are those that are worthy of pages with their habits, riddles and a completely “Saturnian” appearance.

It is also called Turkish. This lizard is the cutest little creature, “usi-pusi”, no longer than a human little finger. The house gecko is active only at night, and during daylight hours it hides in the most secluded places of the house, for example, between the false ceiling and the real one.

It has an almost transparent belly, often stuffed to the gills with cockroaches and moths. Therefore, the Mediterranean gecko is a very useful animal and must be loved, which is what the Turks and Italians do among themselves in front of the geckos at night.

These little ones, captured in the photo, fight among themselves for territory. Endemic to Madagascar, they stand out among their fellow members of the order with three oblong spots on their back and the charming blue glow of their eyes.

Phelsumas reach 20 cm in length, are awake during the day and practice omnivory, consuming everything from flower nectar to smaller lizards.

Brontosaurus among geckos, Madagascariensis is proud of its dimensions - up to 30 cm in length. It can easily be found sitting in trees on the edges of the Malagasy forests (what is left of them).

Madagascariensis loves insects and fruits, distinguishing its own by a characteristic pattern of colored dots at the base of its tail.

These midgets of the reptile world live in small flocks in the bamboo forests of Tanzania. Yellow-headed geckos love to bask in the sun, but when it gets too hot, they hide in cracks in tree trunks.

With their vocal abilities, the little ones look like frogs, not lizards. They croak and click like green warblers from Russian lakes. The size of a dwarf gecko is no more than 5 centimeters.

2. Green geckos

"Citizens" of New Zealand lead a diurnal lifestyle. Green on the outside, these lizards are fashionable with mouth and tongue colors that can be orange, black, pink, blue or yellow.

New Zealand geckos spend their entire adult life on trees, using their tail, like a fifth leg, a path that is not as sticky as the first four.

He or ? Naturalists' opinions were divided. Skink geckos are found in the deserts of the Middle East. They have very delicate, thin skin, through which the teratosyncus breathes, and awkwardly large heads, similar to those of a frog.

These lizards run in search of food only on the darkest nights; the rest of the time they spend in burrows a meter deep, where the sand is already quite wet. When shedding, skink geckos eagerly eat their own old skin.

Did you know that the nighttime barking of geckos in a Thai hotel room can be easily stopped by suddenly turning on the light. As a trophy, you will get a gecko's tail, which itself is not capable of barking or meowing.

So, who is the tiny little guy at number six who is purring?

This homely white-brown gecko is as small as a coat button. He sleeps curled up into a ball, which is why he is called a cat. It is found in Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and Cambodia and is considered a relic because it is very similar to the ancient, primitive gecko from the era of dinosaurs.

The cat gecko does not have “suction cups” on its feet, so it must actively use its claws and restless tail.

It is customary for us to first introduce a cat into a new home, and in shocking Asia - a house gecko, because it actively eats mosquitoes and other synanthropic evil spirits, winged and creeping. It is also called the sugar lizard, because this friend of man also loves sweets very much. House geckos have a voice that resembles the insistent rondo of a cricket. But the “owners,” tired of working on rice or tea, usually sleep soundly and do not grumble in response to the reptile.

This handsome guy is a native of Mauritius. He doesn't care when to hunt, day or night. Males have intense blue tails with red spots, females usually look much more modest, they are just green. “Down” boys also fade in color. That dude in the photo above is strong and powerful in his habitat.

Unlike most of the cutest species of geckos, lizards from Mauritius are aggressive, dragon-like creatures, and very often fight, forgetting to eat lunch.

In third place among unusual geckos is one of the most slender, lean of them. There is practically no hint of fat under the skin of the beaded gecko, and its tail is weak.

Apparently, this is why these reptiles are very nimble runners across the dry deserts of Australia, and very little is known about their lifestyle.

2. Rhacodactylus - crested gecko

This inhabitant of the island of New Caledonia has a delicate fringed mane growing on his head and back. And above the eyes there are touching eyelashes. Rhacodactylus is stocky and has a very strong tail for its size, on which the animal can hang for hours, waiting for the most delicious mosquito in Oceania.

The population of crested geckos is in severe decline due to deforestation, but this type of reptile is easy to keep in a home terrarium, fed with worms, cockroaches and fruits, but not with baby food, as many have tried, but then regretted.

1. Tokay - pit bull style gecko

Number one on our list of beautiful bastards has nothing to do with Tokaj wine, even though this drink is not bad to eat with stewed frogs. “Tokay!” - this is the favorite phrase of this gecko when communicating with the rainforest. It sounds beautiful, they say.

The tokay gecko lives in Hindustan, Southeast Asia and New Guinea. He loves rocks and has a stubborn disposition. Having bitten someone, the tokay holds the victim under the pressure of its jaws for almost an hour, for which it has earned the nickname “pit bull” among reptile breeders. In order for the tokay to unclench his teeth and run away, you need to drop a little... vinegar on his nose.

The Tokay gecko is a creature amazing in its coloring. His skin is completely covered with spots and dots of the most incredible color combinations. This is what computer scientists call “true color.”

Gecko lizard is the name of a large family of reptiles that vary in shape, color and size, and habitats. Not long ago it became popular to keep these animals at home. They are quite whimsical in nutrition and maintenance, but they are very exciting to watch.

general characteristics

Botanists are still changing the classification of these reptiles. They were united into 52 genera, of which 905 species are distinguished. It is impossible to create a general description of the gecko lizard, since all representatives of this genus are too different, depending on their habitat. Most species can change their appearance.

All of them belong to the cold-blooded family; accordingly, they live in regions where the atmospheric temperature does not drop below +25 degrees. Reptiles can stay awake even at night.

Animals make sounds that are quite loud and slightly reminiscent of the croaking of frogs.

What is the difference between a gecko and a lizard?

It is very difficult to answer this question; all lizards are classified as the largest group of reptiles. Geckos are only representatives of one family from the order of prehensile-tailed lizards. The group does not include snakes and two-year-olds. Although according to its cladistic principles, the snake is a descendant of the lizard, although it is placed in a separate order.

The most noticeable feature of all representatives of this family is scales on the skin and all representatives are cold-blooded. As of 2017, The Reptile Databse lists 6,332 species.

Appearance

Reptiles have a slightly flattened body and a large head. The limbs are short, and the tail is not very long and thick.

The largest representative is the South Asian toki, reaching a length of 360 millimeters, and the smallest barely reaches 18 mm in length.

The tail can tell a lot about the health of an animal. If it is too thin, then most likely the reptile has been starving for a long time and suffers from a lack of water; it is in this part of the body that fat deposits accumulate. In addition, the gecko lizard can shed its tail at a time of danger in order to distract the predator from itself. It will grow back later, but will no longer look as beautiful as before.

Vision

The reptile has an almost perfect organ of vision. From a long distance, it can see both small prey and large predators. The eyeballs themselves are quite large when compared to the size of the head. However, the eyes do not have eyelids, but only a special shell that cleans them. If this is not enough, then the animal uses its tongue. Accordingly, what gecko lizards cannot do is blink.

Another interesting feature: the lizard's pupil has several pinholes, each of which can independently focus on a separate object, transmitting a clear image to the retina. Then the pictures are connected and a full picture is reproduced.

Color

It is impossible to imagine a description of the gecko lizard without a photo. In such cases they say that God did his best. There are individuals with a color that imitates tree branches or leaves and even sand. And some can change color depending on the situation, like chameleons.

All animals have granular, scaly skin, the rows of which may be randomly arranged or may be distinct.

By the way, the bearer of the most unique color is considered to be the leaf-tailed and satanic gecko (lizard). It lives in the forests of Madagascar, but it is difficult to see it. His skin is as close as possible to fallen dry leaves. The reptile has huge and beautiful eyes. The animal is small in size, up to 14 centimeters in length. Color varies from dark yellow to dark brown. Representatives of this species are nocturnal. There are small growths above the eyes that protect from sunlight.

The riddle of the gecko

An amazing feature of the gecko lizard, which other reptiles cannot do, is to stay on a vertical or other surface. Moreover, even when climbing a smooth wall, the animal develops a speed of up to 1 meter in 1 second. And another unique feature is that the gecko is able to support the entire weight of its body with one paw.

This feature was studied back in the time of Aristotle, and subsequently it was the topic of no scientific work. Research has shown that the reptile's legs have small ridges covered with thin bristles. This allows the animal to stick to any surface, even in water or in a vacuum. The hairs on the paws never get dirty or even worn out, and at the same time, they never stick to unnecessary objects and places. It was also possible to find out that the reptile does not have glands that would secrete a special secretion, so the theory about the sticky substance was completely refuted.

Subsequently, many theories were put forward that the paws work like suction cups, perhaps they are held in place by friction or electrostatic voltage. As a result, they came to the conclusion that the animal uses van der Waals forces, that is, the closest interaction of molecules. But this force acts exclusively at short distances.

Reproduction

Most species of gecko lizard are oviparous reptiles. However, the egg shell can be either hard or soft. There are representatives of this family that are viviparous animals. Everything depends entirely on the environment, but not on the season. As usual, there are no more than three eggs in a clutch. Oviparous mothers usually have no feelings for their young. And viviparous green geckos living in New Zealand give birth to lizards that are completely ready for independent existence, so it is almost impossible to see a caring mother in reality.

Area of residence

Most of the representatives of the gecko lizard species live in tropical and subtropical forests. But there are also those that live in cooler areas, all the way to the southwestern United States. The largest population is observed on oceanic islands. Some species are even found in the Caucasus, Crimea and southern Kazakhstan.

Eating in a natural environment

Gecko lizards do not catch fish or eat them, this is a fact. One can definitely say about these reptiles - they are very voracious. If an animal overeats, then all the fat is deposited in the tail. In nature they use:

worms;
larvae;
cicadas;
butterfly caterpillars;
cockroaches;
small midges.

Large animals can consume scorpions, small mice, frogs and young snakes, even small chicks.

The only thing reptiles do not eat is vegetation, as they are predators. In cities with a subtropical climate, geckos even settle in houses and apartments; they noticed that the light emitted by electric lamps attracts insects, therefore, you can eat well, the main thing is to find a good wall.

And in South America, reptiles learned to live in caves with bats. In the habitats of mice there is a lot of droppings, which attract cockroaches, which are then eaten by geckos.

You should handle the animal very carefully and do not allow it to bite your hands. You should not touch the tail, otherwise he may throw it off, scared.

The diet should be as close as possible to that of the animal in its natural environment:

crickets;
cockroaches;
wax moth larvae, preferably live;
worms;
cicadas.

The amount of food is selected individually, depending on the size of the lizard.

Five most popular species for home breeding

Some species of gecko or snake lizard require special conditions of detention, especially in terms of temperature. But in most cases there is no need to purchase expensive equipment, and a beautiful terrarium can be bought for little money.

Eublefar gecko, or leopard gecko. It is believed that these are the most unpretentious and friendly pets. Today, many species of various colors have been bred. They are very clean and will not disturb the owner with loud croaking sounds. They can live up to 30 years. They can be left at home alone for quite a long time, as they can withstand up to several weeks without food or water.

Banana eater. Unlike most members of this family, these lizards are omnivorous, but very shy. Very often, even at home, the tail is discarded and never grows back. The animal has very delicate skin and has eyelashes. Loves to jump. On average, they live up to 20 years.

Currents. Photos of a gecko lizard of this species can be found on almost every website dedicated to these animals. They are quite large and have a bright color. It is recommended to handle the reptile only with gloves, as there have been many cases of severe injuries after a bite. In such cases, vinegar is often used, dripping onto the lizard's nose.

It should be understood that currents are nocturnal inhabitants and produce very loud sounds reminiscent of the word “currents,” which is why this name appeared. And males prefer to scream at night. But, as a rule, no difficulties arise when maintaining them.

Felzuma. These are diurnal lizards and have the most beautiful colors. However, they are completely uncommunicative and will never acknowledge a person. But it is very interesting to watch their movement on a vertical surface. When taking such an animal home, you should remember that it will need to install an ultraviolet lamp in the terrarium, you will have to constantly monitor the humidity level and even give it vitamins and calcium.

Hemiteconix. According to the description and photo, the gecko lizard of this species is very similar to the leopard lizard. Peak activity occurs in the evening and at night. A completely non-aggressive creature, calm and slow. But he will not be friends with a person like a leopard gecko. The animal's eyelid is very mobile; its paws have claws that do not allow it to move on vertical smooth surfaces.

Flying individuals

There is such a unique species from the family of lizards - Kühl's lobe-tailed or flying gecko. The peculiarity of the species is that the animal practically floats from one tree to another. The reptile lives only in trees and is found on the islands of Indonesia and the Malay Peninsula. The animal's paws are webbed, and its tail is very long, up to 20 centimeters, which allows it to easily jump from tree to tree.

Some more interesting facts

Another unique feature of the gecko is that it does not need to take baths. All dirt, dust and debris fall away under the influence of atmospheric moisture. After a series of studies, it was found that they have small hairs on their skin that create air pockets, as a result of which moisture washes away all the dirt from the body. Such a hydrophobic surface is characteristic exclusively of insects and plants, and among vertebrates only the gecko has it. Despite such unique features, gecko lizards still do not know how to fish. By the way, this question was asked in the program “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” (broadcast on 12/30/17).

At the same time, scientists use a “water gun” to catch this reptile. After getting wet (what can’t gecko lizards do?) - they practically cannot move until the water drains.

Due to their craftiness, lizards quickly spread throughout the world. In the suitcases of travelers they came from Turkey to Central America and to the USA, by the way, they took root perfectly and formed large populations. However, not all species can boast of such vitality; some individuals are already listed in the Red Book. And there are such unique species that only a couple of individuals have been caught in history. Back in 1956, a reticulated ground gecko was discovered in the United States; the second representative of this species was caught only in 1971.

Lizards are able to run along smooth walls and hang from the ceiling on one leg without effort. This behavior is considered normal for geckos. Cute creatures have many amazing abilities. They are arranged in a complex and quite unique way. All this becomes the reason for choosing them as a pet, even though they need to be fed with larvae and cockroaches.

Geckos can safely walk on walls and ceilings

Gecko habitat

Many species live in regions with subtropical and tropical climates. In total, 56 genera of geckos have been recorded - that's 1103 different species. Some of them inhabit the territory up to the western part of the United States. Huge populations can be found on oceanic islands. There are also those that are common in Kazakhstan, the Caucasus and the Crimean Peninsula.

The diversity of the species is currently observed in the jungles of Madagascar and tropical Asia, as well as in Australia and arid Africa. A special feature of geckos is their geographic variability. They are quite strongly attached to the conditions in which they live, to the types of stones, soils and trees.

Most geckos live in tropical climates

Classification and characteristics

Geckos are eukaryotes (organisms whose cells have a nucleus). They belong to the order of squamates and the class of reptiles. In natural conditions they live on average 15 years, and in captivity life expectancy reaches 20 years.

Geckos are many-sided animals. Due to the varied habitats across the planet, their features have taken on a unique appearance. There are also record holders in the family. The body length of the tiniest reptile on earth is 18 cm. Moreover, it has all the organs and skeletal elements, which are characteristic of larger representatives of this family. The largest gecko size reaches 35 cm.

Absolutely all reptiles, despite their size and habitat, have the following anatomical features:

large head;
flattened dense body;
thick tail of medium length;
short legs.

External features

The gecko looks different. Coloring depends on the living environment. Its skin is covered with small scales, among which there are larger rows of plates. There are varieties of quite bright colors: yellow, red, blue, green. It is believed that some lizards have the ability to change their color to protect themselves from predators. The skin color of desert species is brownish-orange, making them difficult to notice when stationary.

A gray tint with dark dots is characteristic of gecko species that live among rocks. Amazing are those individuals that are able to imitate leaves, moss or tree bark. They are simply impossible to notice in the natural environment. cat gecko, for example, looks like a dry leaf, black is active at night, so this color is an excellent camouflage for it.

The color of geckos depends on their habitat

Not only the body, but also the eyes of the animal can have a characteristic camouflage coloring, which complements the image. The organ of vision stands out due to its size against the background of the head. It is believed that gecko lizards have full-color vision. This allows you to see both prey from a great distance and predators. They do not have eyelids; instead, they have a shell to cleanse the eyes; if this is not enough, the animal can remove dust or dirt with a long tongue. This organ is quite remarkable, it is wide and forked at the end. It has many suction cups to hold the victim.

The limbs of reptiles differ depending on their living environment. But absolutely all individuals have five toes on each foot. They are spaced widely apart. On the inside there are combs with bristles. They work like a plunger, with the help of which the gecko is attached to the surface. The bristles cling to rough surfaces, so the animal does not risk falling, even if it hangs on one leg.

Geckos are cold-blooded, so they choose warm regions

The gecko is a cold-blooded animal and chooses the area where the temperature does not fall below 24 degrees, which allows it to be active at night. You can judge the health of an individual by its tail. Fat accumulates in it, which allows you to survive the cold. A thin tail indicates that the animal has not received sufficient food and water for a long time. A reptile can also shed this part of its body during times of danger; in the future it will grow back, but will no longer become as attractive.

Nutrition and behavior in nature

The creatures have a very good appetite. If there is such an opportunity, then they will eat a large amount of food during the day, and part of the energy will be deposited in the fat layer on the tail.

In nature, the diet of animals is very diverse:

midges;
larvae;
cicadas;
various caterpillars and cockroaches.

Large species prefer scorpions, in small quantities even frogs, small snakes and mice, as well as chicks and eggs of birds. Plant food is not for them, since geckos are predators.

The gecko's diet is very varied.

They are well adapted to different habitats. In cities, for example, which are located in tropical regions, every house has a population of animals. Geckos have long realized that artificial lighting attracts insects and moths. And all the lizard needs to do is climb onto the wall with the lighting element and wait for the victim.

In the caves of America, reptiles got along well with bats. There is a lot of droppings on the floor of such niches, which cockroaches feed on. Namely, they attract lizards. The tiniest geckos can only live on the forest floor. Their diet consists of creatures that cannot be seen without a magnifying glass.

When arranging a home for an animal that loves trees, you need to put thick branches in it. And put stones and small plants in a terrarium for geckos that prefer plains. Every home should have a container of water.

To keep geckos at home you need a terrarium

In captivity, geckos are fed:

moth larvae;
small cockroaches;
cicadas;
mealworms;
crickets.

The daily amount of food depends on the type of reptile. You need to pick them up very carefully, without touching the tail and head, otherwise the animal will cling to your hand and you will have to wait for the grip to loosen. If you touch the tail, the pet will drop it out of fear and become less attractive.

You should not touch the gecko's tail - the reptile will drop it

Reptile breeding

Most geckos are oviparous. The season does not affect reproduction. Females become sexually mature after a year of life. The offspring is born in a soft and hard shell. Usually there are two eggs in a clutch, but sometimes three to five. The incubation period lasts 50−200 days, it depends on the ambient temperature.

An interesting fact is that the female does not have maternal feelings. As soon as she lays her eggs, she immediately forgets about them. Lizards do not pick at the laying site. Quite often, several females lay eggs in one place. And only some individuals return to warm future offspring. Seeing a flighty mother with her children is also rare.

Thanks to its beauty, the gecko can become a decoration for your home. Even though there are many nuances in its content, it will be an excellent choice for lovers of the exotic.

Geckos, maintenance, gecko food, gecko photo, current gecko, gecko breeding - 4.3 out of 5 based on 40 votes

Geckos

Geckos, or claw-toed ones (lat. Gekkonidae) are a large family of lizards. All geckos, based on certain characteristics, in particular the shape of the vertebrae and the structure of the eyes, are divided into three subfamilies, uniting a total of about 80 genera and more than 600 species of geckos in tropical, subtropical and partly in temperate zones. These climbing lizards live mainly in the trees of tall forests, on rocks, cliffs above rivers, and in caves. In tropical countries, geckos live right on the walls of houses and other buildings.

For terrarium maintenance, the following species of this type of lizard are quite suitable: Toki gecko, spotted leopard gecko, comb-toed, banded, semi-toed, lobed-tailed, prehensile-tailed, skink geckos, as well as Madagascar, steppe, gray gecko and squeaky gecko.

The body length of these lizards can be from 3.5 to 30 cm. Life length can reach 25 years. In a number of species, body color changes at different times of the day and depending on the physiological state of the animal. On the head of geckos there are numerous granular or small polygonal scutes; large eyes without eyelids, covered with a fixed transparent membrane, with vertical pupils that look like thin slits during the day and dilate at night; wide tongue, with a small notch in front, covered on top with small papillae. The delicate, easily damaged skin of geckos is usually covered with small granular scales, among which larger smooth, keeled or warty scales, often in the form of conical tubercles or spines, can be located in disorder or in regular rows. Only representatives of some genera are characterized by tile-like scales, reminiscent of fish. Most gecko species are crepuscular or nocturnal.

A characteristic feature of geckos is their extended toes, covered below with horny plates, thanks to the special structure of which, lizards can easily rush along vertical surfaces, and can also sit on the ceiling with absolutely no effort. Their tail is brittle, but quickly regenerates.

Another feature of geckos is their loud “singing” and a large set of various sounds that constantly accompany their life activity: chirping, croaking, squeaking, and clicking.

The word “gecko” comes from the cry of one of the varieties of African species of these animals - Toki (or tokei) geckos, the males of which make the sounds “Ttt-tt-to-ke!” especially loudly during the mating season. or “Tt-to-kkay!”

Geckos are easy to keep in captivity. Most come to the ground only to feed, so they need a vertical or cubic terrarium. In nature, they live in large colonies, and each gecko gets a very small territory, which it vigilantly guards. In this regard, they do not need large terrariums.

In captivity, geckos are best kept in pairs. Male geckos jealously guard their territory, so there should only be one male in the terrarium. The female can be kept next to him, either one or up to three individuals. But under no circumstances should you introduce a second male, since the rivalry of these animals is extremely pronounced, and in nature, during the mating season, geckos fight until the death or severe injury of one of them. You can determine the sex of a gecko at 3 months of age by examining the underbelly. Males have large preanal openings placed in a "V" shape near the base of the tail; females do not have them. In addition, males are more plump and have larger heads.

Peat, coconut shavings, and gravel can be used as soil. But you should not use sand, since when eating food, sand can enter the digestive organs and cause various unfavorable phenomena there: poor digestion of food, stagnation and obstruction. It is necessary to ensure that the soil is slightly moist.

The daytime temperature should be about 28-35°C, and at night 5-8°C lower. Most geckos do not need ultraviolet light. The exception is daytime species. In the terrarium you need to place a drinking bowl and several branches and shelters, for example, pieces of bark, shards of pots. Geckos do not need wintering. You can put live plants in the terrarium directly in pots; they will help maintain the necessary microclimate inside. The following plants are suitable for natural landscaping: scindapsus, dwarf creeping ficus, various philodendrons, white-veined arrowroot - which, in addition to maintaining the required level of humidity, will also make the interior beautiful. It is better to bury pots with plants in a layer of fine gravel or high peat. Plants should be watered regularly and provided with bright lighting (for example, using a fluorescent lamp).

When you turn on daylight, you will get both a good spectrum for plants and warmth for lizards, which will only benefit all the inhabitants of your little tropical world. The more the terrarium is equipped with vegetation and various decor, the more comfortable your charges will feel, the more comfortable their home, their fortress will be, and the less stressful situations will be created for them.

The terrarium should be sufficiently humid, and for this it is necessary to spray it with warm (40-50°C) boiled water once or twice a day, avoiding waterlogging of the soil.

The soil should be slightly moist. The optimal air humidity should be at the level of 70-80%. Spraying also promotes the formation of dew on the glass walls of the terrarium and on the leaves of plants, which geckos sometimes use as a drink. With such humidity, it is necessary to ensure good ventilation inside the terrarium. Therefore, slits in the ceiling and in one of the end walls, covered with a fine mesh, will fully cope with this function.

The teeth of these reptiles are very sharp, the jaws are strong, and it is very difficult to unclench them without damaging them. In moments of aggression, the gecko swells greatly, hisses, opens its mouth wide, makes frightening croaking sounds and makes sharp lunges, trying to attack the troublemaker. Therefore, do not try to pick up a lizard at first if you are barely familiar with it. You should not handle reptiles too often as this can cause stress and never pick up a gecko by the tail as it can easily come off.

Like other reptiles, geckos can carry salmonellosis bacteria if kept in poor conditions, so personal hygiene is very important when coming into contact with them and care items. Disinfect and keep your gecko's cage clean regularly, but do not clean it in the kitchen or bathroom. Wash your hands before handling your reptile and after handling it.

Gecko food

It is very important not to overfeed animals. The larger the gecko, the less often it needs to be fed: lizards measuring 20 cm or more should receive food 2 times a week or 5 times every two weeks. The food should be as varied as possible and contain all the necessary minerals and vitamins.

With a lack of ultraviolet radiation, the production of vitamin D is disrupted, which means that calcium metabolism is also disrupted. This is especially scary for babies and females during the breeding season. Therefore, in the terrarium there should be bowls with “bird stone” powder, and food insects should be rolled in ground calcium and dry vitamins for reptiles. The vitamins from Tetra (ReptoCal, ReptoLife) and LM (Calcium, Vitamins) have proven themselves to be the best. Once a week, animals should be irradiated with ultraviolet light for several minutes and given liquid vitamins. This is convenient to do with a soft squirrel brush: a drop of vitamins is applied to the eyes or the tip of the lizard’s muzzle, which immediately licks it off with its tongue. Although this method is quite troublesome, it allows you to accurately dose vitamins.

Most geckos eat only live food: spiders, flies, crickets, cockroaches, locusts and other insects, all types of worms (mealworms, zooworms) are the main food mass. Before feeding the insects, they are given special food for iguanas, vegetables and fish - they become more nutritious. Large geckos can be fed baby mice and baby rats, as well as quail eggs. Some species enjoy eating bananas. Make sure your pet has enough drinking water.

Day geckos prefer animal foods, but they will still happily eat sweet fruits (finely chopped bananas or oranges). Their weakness is marmalade or honey.

Breeding geckos

Almost all geckos are oviparous. Lizards can mate throughout the year, except for the winter months. In nature, they lay eggs in tree hollows, sticking them tightly to the wood. Usually this is 5-8 clutches with a frequency of 15-40 days, with the number of 1-2 eggs per clutch. The incubation period lasts from 3 to 7 months, depending on conditions.

In a terrarium, to create more natural conditions, the female can be provided with vertical pieces of bark, stems with hollows and other decorative elements for laying. The more suitable objects for laying eggs, the more offspring can be obtained. For full hatching and further development of cubs from eggs, it is necessary to maintain a temperature of 28-30 degrees Celsius in the terrarium. At an even, without changes, temperature, incubation takes place in the shortest possible time - in 134 days. During the egg-laying period, the female must be provided with a sufficient amount of minerals in the form of ordinary chalk or calcium glycerophosphate tablets. You can also use a bird rock purchased from a pet store for this, placing or hanging it inside the terrarium. If the female lacks calcium, she may eat the shells of her eggs.

The eggs have an almost regular spherical shape and, unlike the eggs of other lizards, are enclosed in a dense and fragile calcareous shell, which hardens some time after laying, absorbing carbon dioxide from the air. Therefore, they often retain the initially adopted irregular shape, determined, for example, by the configuration of the crack or crevice where the deposit was made. For the same reason, the eggs glued to trees by some geckos have the shape of a hemisphere.

Gecko parents are useless, as they eat their newborn babies without a twinge of conscience. During this period, children simply need decent shelter, but since it is difficult for them to hide from their hunting parents in a small “native” terrarium, it would be better if you put the youngsters in a separate apartment. Small geckos (8-10 cm long), as soon as they are born, can begin to hunt flies and small crickets. It is better, without waiting for the young to hatch, to transfer all the decorative elements with eggs glued to their walls into a specially equipped incubator, for which you can use an old aquarium or something similar.

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