Mediterranean house geckos (Hemidactylus turcicus) are predominantly nocturnal lizards and can live up to nine years with proper care.
Geckos are insectivores and feed on crickets, mealworms, waxworms and roaches for sustenance. Be sure to dust each insect with vitamin and mineral supplements prior to feeding it to your gecko.
Their various squeaky vocalizations vary by age and gender.
Contents
Insects
Mediterranean house geckos are nocturnal creatures and typically seek shelter in cracks and crevices during the day before emerging at night to gather near porch lights to defend themselves against predators with high-pitched calls or squeaks.
This species has become a favorite pet due to its relatively simple care in captivity. A small lizard that requires only minimal space, this reptile should be kept with other reptiles in a common enclosure as it rapidly grows. However, for maximum growth potential it would benefit from being kept alone with enough room.
Cohabitation (keeping multiple males and females together) can work well for this species; however, a large enough enclosure will be required to prevent fighting and injury due to territoriality. Furthermore, this species often acts like an adhesive and adheres to surfaces it can hide behind for protection.
Supplement the gecko’s diet with live feeder insects dusted lightly with multivitamin and mineral powder before offering to the gecko – this process is known as gutloading – Repashy CalciumPlus LoD is an ideal product.
Mealworms
Mediterranean house geckos hide during the day in cracks and crevices or behind curtains and wall coverings to escape predators, while at night they move between hiding places in search of insects attracted by lights. This species is one of the most widely distributed non-native lizards in North America and considered invasive due to competing with native species, birds, mammals, and insectivorous reptiles for food resources in anthropogenically altered habitats.
They can grow up to five inches long, featuring various colors and patterns. Their features include large lidless eyes with vertical pupils and bumpy skin with sticky toe pads.
Geckos feed on various insects found in nature such as crickets, grasshoppers, moths, butterflies, isopods, flies, snails, beetles, ants and spiders. When feeding insects to your gecko for feeding or gut loading purposes it is a good idea to use vitamin and mineral supplements prior to giving them to him or her for extra nutrition.
Reptile Diet Supplements
Mediterranean house geckos can often be seen basking near exterior lights at night waiting for insects such as moths or beetles to pass by, sheltering in crevices around homes and gardens or waiting in their crevices for sheltering in crevices nearby.
These lizards have developed incredible natural camouflage to blend in with their surroundings and avoid being detected by predators. Furthermore, their skin’s brightness can adjust depending on light levels in their environment.
Male and female geckos may cohabit, although it is wiser to keep only one gecko per enclosure to prevent fighting and egg gluing. Also avoid handling these reptiles when stressed as their tails may drop unexpectedly.
To keep your Mediterranean House Gecko healthy, provide them with a variety of insects such as crickets, mealworms, waxworms and roaches as feeder insects. Dust these feeders with vitamin and mineral supplements before feeding them to your gecko. Furthermore, daily misting their cage should help elevate humidity as well as providing water droplets as drinking sources.
Water
Geckos are insectivorous creatures, drawn to light sources in the evening in search of moths and other invertebrates such as moth caterpillars. When kept captive, provide your gecko with both live insects (crickets, mealworms and waxworms) as well as dried insects like cockroaches as feed options. A calcium/magnesium supplement may also aid their health – particularly young geckos.
These lizards usually hide during the day, coming out at night to hunt. Their high-pitched call sounds similar to that of birds chirping. Additionally, they use their sharp teeth for defense or territorial marking and may produce loud squeaks of aggression or to signal their territory.
In the wild, they face predators such as snakes, birds, feral cats and larger lizards as their main threats. Unfortunately they have also been known to become invasive in certain areas and compete for food with native lizard species; breeding typically occurs from April through August; females typically produce two to four clutches each year while males can cohabit but will fight over territory if housed together.
