These nocturnal reptiles have to be by far one of my very favorite reptiles … even if for the cuteness factor alone. They have big puppy dog eyes and what looks like beauty queen eyelashes! But believe it or not, they can’t blink! They actually have to use their tongue to moisten their eyeballs! yummy! These little guys have actually been nicknamed the “eyelash gecko” due to the ridges that run along the crest of their eyes that are not eyelashes at all, just spiky scales.
Crested Geckos shed on a regular basis and when they shed, it is normal for them to actually eat their shed. Appetizing!
Crested Geckos are tiny little critters and before reaching maturity they can be as tiny as your index finger. They are very frisky and skiddish and tend to jump out of your hand before you know it!
They have a long prehensile tail that allows them to grab onto vines and branches, so if you hold one, sometimes they will wrap their tail around your finger so that they feel secure and stable. But beware would-be Crestie owners, those tails can very easily fall off and they don’t grow back, so it’s not all that uncommon to see Crested Geckos without a tail. Crested geckos that have lost their tails are commonly referred to as, “frog-butts.” …ok stop laughing now.
They come in a wide variety of colors and patterns and no two look alike. Just like a fingerprint, their patterns are 100% unique giving them each distinctively different appearances.
Speaking of cute, have you seen those feet? Their toe pads have teeny tiny rows of ridges that grab and hold on to the imperfections on a surface …they can even walk on vertical glass surfaces! Crested gecko’s toe pads contains thousands of tiny little hairs called setae, which are divided into hundreds of smaller hairs called spatulae. These tiny hair-like structures allow them to adhere to many different types of surfaces. Spider-man move over!
Bonus Fun Fact …Did you know that the Crested Gecko is Double-Jointed! They have double-jointed toes, which allows them to step away from the surface they are on by lifting their toes from the tip inward. Often in photographs of the crested gecko, you will notice their toes curled in an upward position.
If you would like to see Crested Geckos, up close and in person, Book a show today!
This Blog Post was Co-Authored by Emily Erickson!
