Common House Gecko Natural History
Size
The Common House Gecko grows to lengths between 3- 6 inches (7- 15 cm)
Habitat and Distribution
These reptiles are tropical and native to South and Southeast Asia living in countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore. They are found in forests, scrublands, rocky areas and savannahs but they seem to show a preference for inhabiting urban areas using the lights to help them hunt.
Age
They have a lifespan of around 7 years.
Diet
They are insectivores feeding largely on invertebrates such as spiders and insects. They spend a lot of time travelling through rotting wood to find their food.
Groups and Breeding
Females lay no more that two hard-shelled eggs per clutch after mating. Females can store the male’s sperm for as long as 36 weeks until she is ready to lay her eggs. Although, the longer she holds it the less viable it can become.
Threats
This gecko is listed at Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. They are more robust than many other reptile species and therefore it is unlikely that they face any major threats currently.
Interesting Facts
This gecko is known by a number of names including, Asian House Gecko, Wall Gecko, Pacific House Gecko, Tayoto, House Lizard, Chipkali and Moon Lizard.
They are easily identified by the unique chirping noise they make which resembles the sound of ‘gecko gecko’.
In some countries they are considered a good omen- in the Philippines a geckos ticking sound is thought to indicate the imminent arrival of a guest or letter.
The Common House Gecko During Your Day Out in Kent
The Common House Geckos can be found in our Reptile House alongside a variety of other reptile and amphibian species including Blue-tongued Skinks, Green Iguanas and Dwarf Crocodiles.