Crested geckos (also known as the New Caledonian crested gecko, Guichenot's giant gecko or eyelash gecko is a species of gecko native to southern New Caledonia.
The crested gecko has hair-like projections found above the eyes, resembling eyelashes. It has a wedge-shaped head and a crest that runs from each eye to the tail.
Crested geckos do not have eyelids and so they use their long tongues to moisten their eyes and remove debris. The toes and the tip of the semi-prehensile tail are covered in small hairs called setae. Each seta is divided into hundreds of smaller (approximately 200 nanometres in diameter) hairs called spatulae. It is believed these structures exploit the weak van der Waals force to help the gecko climb on most solid surfaces. The toes have small claws which aid in climbing surfaces to which their toes cannot cling.
They possess a semi-prehensile tail which they use to assist in climbing. The tail can be dropped as a deterrent to predators. Unlike some other geckos, once they lose their tail it will not grow back; however, this is not as harmful to the gecko as it is in other species, such as the Leopard gecko. In fact, most adults in the wild lack tails.
The crested gecko has many naturally occurring color groups, some of which include: grey, brown, red, orange, and yellow of various shades. They have variable markings, which include spots, straight stripes, and tiger-like stripes. The colors are brighter and more prominent at night.
The crested gecko has distinct structural morphs in head size and crest abundance. Geckos with a head length less than 1.3 times its width are considered "crowned". The numbers and sizes of crests can vary; some geckos have crests that extend to the base of the tail and some lack crests on one side of their body.
This species was thought extinct until it was rediscovered in 1994.
Crested geckos are considered a good beginner reptile because they are relatively inexpensive and easy to care for.
Crested geckos live in humid jungles and forests and therefore like their vivarium (tank) misted with a spray bottle of clean water as the do not drink still water but drink the water from leaves. Their vivariums should be misted twice a day for maximum humidity. They, like leopard geckos need a heat mat, which can be secured to a wall or the floor.
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Geckos.
Non-FictionThis is all about geckos, with two sections on my own lizards. I have tried to lists as many geckos as possible although the chapters are short. Enjoy!
