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Decatur High School

Asian Flat-tailed Gecko

Asian Flat-tailed Gecko

Size

They grow to be only 3 inches from head to tail. Males are more slender than the females.

Appearance
They have skin flaps along the sides of their stomach. Females have calcium sacs on the sides of their necks. Females are a light, almost translucent, tan with dark diamond shaped spots. Males are a dark brown, almost gray, with darker diamond shaped spots. Their stomach is very light tan and you can see their organs and eggs inside the females. They have really thin silky skin. The tale is flat and has saw-like edges.

Diet
They live off of insects. In captivity they eat small soft-shelled crickets.

Habitat
In the wild these geckos are found amongst the trees. They are native to Asia and have been introduced in Florida.

Behavior
Males are territorial. Any males who trespass will be kicked out or even killed. Flat-tails can change colors to show their fear. The only colors they can change to are dark and light browns.

Reproduction
When the male encounters the female, he makes courting movements and jumps at her. When she stops running away he bites her neck and they mate. The female can store enough sperm to fertilize eggs. She can hold up to two eggs inside her till she is ready to lay. Two weeks after mating she builds a nest in the soil, and buries the hard-shelled eggs, two weeks later she lays again. The eggs are only the size of your pinkie nail. She can lay eggs for a few months in two-week intervals. The eggs hatch within three months if unharmed.

Written by: Wendy Plank

(geschreven door)

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