Probably not everyone has heard of such a creature as a leaf-tailed gecko. But if you see him at least once live, for example, in a terrarium at an exhibition of exotic animals or just with a friend, you will certainly never forget. This is a truly amazing animal that deserves to be told more.
Appearance
In the wild, and just in a large terrarium, a person may well pass by such a gecko several times or even glance at it, but not notice it.
The fact is that the leaf-tailed gecko, the photo of which is presented in the article, is a real master of disguise. Yes, yes, you need to be a very attentive person and know how he looks in order to notice him in his natural habitat.
Their size can vary significantly - from 8 to 30 centimeters. But usually they do not grow larger than 10-12 centimeters. Moreover, about a third of the body length falls on a wide tail. The color range is simply huge. There are individuals of brown, gray,red, orange, and all possible shades. Much depends on the habitat in which this or that genus lived.
The body is slightly flattened - when walking on a tree, the gecko almost scratches the bark with its stomach. Thanks to this, it becomes even less visible and practically does not cast a shadow by which predators could detect it.
The tail is not only wide, but also has irregularities along the edges - exactly like a crumpled dry leaf. By the way, it is the tail that is often attacked by predators. However, this is not scary for a gecko - it will easily leave it in the teeth of the enemy, after which it will quietly slip away into a suitable slot or hollow.
Pronounced veins run along the back of many individuals, additionally giving a resemblance to dry or living leaves.
What's interesting is that geckos don't have eyelids. And on top they are protected by growths that prevent sunlight and drying out. Since the gecko cannot blink, moistening its eyes, it has to use … language for this. Yes, these amazing creatures lick their own eyes to keep them warm in the heat.
It is the growths on the eyes that give geckos an unusual and even slightly sinister look. Perhaps because of them, a subspecies with a particularly prominent name appeared - the satanic leaf-tailed gecko.
Habitat
Most representatives of the species live in Madagascar, as well as numerous small islands located nearby. They live in trees, but some individuals have adapted well to life.on the rocks. Especially among them stands out the mossy leaf-tailed gecko. When it lies on the layer of moss that covers many rocks, it is almost impossible to see it, even if you know where it is approximately.
Alas, in recent years, the number of these amazing animals is rapidly declining. The fact is that they multiply relatively slowly. And predatory catch for sale in terrariums around the world further reduces the livestock. Yes, and predatory deforestation leads to the fact that there are fewer and fewer places where the leaf-tailed Madagascar gecko could live and breed normally. If humanity does not change its attitude towards the environment, then it is possible that these amazing creatures will completely disappear from the face of the Earth.
Lifestyle
Geckos are most active at night. Which is not surprising - in his native Madagascar it is too hot during the day to run in search of prey. Therefore, during daylight hours, they prefer to hide in some kind of hollow or just thickets in order to wait for the night and go hunting.
By the way, they are just perfect for the nightlife. Large eyes with a special structure allow geckos to see in the dark 350 times better than humans!
But still, nights are not only a cooler time of day, but also safer. There are significantly fewer nocturnal predators in Madagascar than daytime ones. By the way, dropping the tail is not the only tool for protecting the gecko from opponents planning to feast on it. In criticalmoments he opens a huge bright red mouth and sticks out his tongue. Smaller opponents with weak nerves often prefer to retreat than to rush at such strange prey.
Food
Geckos feed exclusively on insects. And they have no special preferences. With the same appetite, they eat butterflies, grasshoppers, worms and almost any prey - the main thing is that it be smaller than a predator and not be too agile.
When kept at home, terrarium lovers usually use crickets. Geckos enjoy eating them, eating several pieces at a time. Moreover, you can either slip insects right under your pet’s nose, for example, with tweezers, or simply release them into the terrarium. Then your pet will have the opportunity to hunt them in conditions close to his usual ones. Of course, this will keep him in shape.
In general, like most other animals, geckos live much longer in captivity than in the wild. In their natural habitat, not every one of them lives up to 15 years. But when kept in a terrarium, especially if you follow the feeding conditions, monitor the appropriate temperature and humidity, most pets reach the limit of 20 years.
Reproduction
In general, leaf-tailed geckos live alone. Males meet with females only for a brief moment of mating. After that, the female finds a secluded place and lays her eggs.
However, she may well do this without the participation of the male. True, in this case, the eggswill be infertile and will not hatch. You can determine their quality by color. Fertilized eggs are white, while unfertilized eggs are yellow. They have a fairly even spherical shape. Almost always, the number of eggs in a clutch is two.
At home, geckos, alas, practically do not breed. It is not possible to determine the reason for this - maybe they do not have enough physical activity, or maybe they do not have free space. But the fact remains - almost all individuals sold in stores were born in the wild, after which they were caught by poachers.
Conclusion
This concludes our article. Now you know more about such an amazing creature as leaf-tailed geckos. And at the same time read about their features, lifestyle and nutrition.
