How to Identify Geckos
Geckos are small lizards found throughout the world. They have certain characteristics that make them easy to identify, such as their size, color and feet. They make great pets since most geckos adapt well to new surroundings and have easy-going temperaments. In the right habitat, a gecko can live a long healthy life in captivity. There are about 2,000 different kinds of geckos in the world, but it can be rather easy to identify the various types.
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Instructions
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Search for geckos in humid and warm temperatures no cooler than 70 degrees. They are frequently seen crawling on rocks, buildings and mountainsides in areas with high humidity levels. The moisture provides geckos an easier time gripping to various surfaces with their toe pads (for those that have them). Plus, their bodies need moisture to survive.
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Check its feet. There are many geckos that have toe pads that allow them to easily move around on walls and even upside-down on ceilings. Others, such as the leopard gecko, have claws that they use to grip but which limits their mobility.
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Consider the variety of colors of geckos. Some, such as day geckos, are brightly colored in red, blue or yellow, or a combination of those colors, which helps camouflage them from predators. Others, like the leaf-toed gecko, have darker colors, including brown and gray with brown patches. Some geckos have markings too, such as the fat-tailed gecko, which is identified by the white stripe down its back; and the crest gecko, which has a beige-colored crest down the middle of its body, from head to tail. The leopard gecko has black spots on its body.
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Measure the size of a gecko. Tokay geckos, which are among the biggest geckos in the world, are generally about 12 inches long. One of the smallest is the house gecko, which is about three inches in length.
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Take note of the eyes of the gecko. Most geckos are nocturnal, which means they do not have eyelids and work mostly during the night. Also, their pupils are vertical. However, the day gecko has round pupils and is considered diurnal, which identifies the gecko as one that works mostly during the day and has eyelids.
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Watch what geckos eat. They prefer different kinds of insects, including crickets, mealworms and grasshoppers. A gecko can also digest a small mouse. However, it is not recommended as a regular diet as it can cause obesity.
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Tips & Warnings
Geckos store fat in their tails.
A gecko can grow another tail if it happens to get cut off.
