For more information
on other animals found at Cub Creek Science Camp visit our
animal page.
Tokay Gecko
Tokay geckos have
a wide range and are native to Northeast India, Southeast
Asia, Indonesia, New Guinea and the Philippines. The Tokay
gecko has also been introduced as an invasive species to
Belize, Florida, Texas, Hawaii and some Caribbean islands.
The natural habitat of this arboreal gecko
is the trees and cliffs of the tropical rain forest. They
can often be found dwelling in and around human settlements
where they can find easy shelter and are often valued for
their insect pest control.
The Tokay gecko is the second
largest gecko in the world. Adult males can reach 12-14" in
total length. Female Tokay geckos are slightly smaller
averaging 8-10" long. An adult tokay gecko averages 5-7
ounces in weight, but particularly large males may achieve
weights closer to 11.5 ounces. Hatchling tokay geckos start
life at 3.5"-4" and reach breeding age in 9-12 months, but
it may take up to 2 years for a tokay gecko to reach is full
adult size. Male tokay geckos are a blue-grey body color
with spotting that varies in color from reddish-orange to
whitish-yellow. Females tokays are a grey body color with
the same spotting and generally not as brightly colored as
the males. Both sexes have the ability to lighten and darken
their skin to some degree to help them blend into their
surroundings.
At Cub Creek Science Camp we
have a Tokay Gecko. Tokay Geckos can live up to 20
years in captivity so we hope to have ours for a long time.
They are a feisty lizard that are known to be aggressive.
They are nocturnal so don't appreciate being disturbed in
the day time. Tokay Geckos are very beautiful lizards
and interesting to watch. Our Tokay Gecko loves to eat
crickets and meal worms dusted with lots of calcium. She
lives in the reptile room of the Animal Learning Center.
