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The smaller Geckos live for about 15 – 20 years but a larger
Duvaucel’s Gecko has been recorded as surviving to 42 years
of age in the wild.
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Geckos have two transparent eyelids which are permanently
fused together. They cannot blink but use their spoon like
tongues to frequently clean their eyelids.
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Geckos shed their skins (which are made
of small scales) – every six weeks or so in warmer weather.
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A gecko can detach it’s tail if caught by
a predator, although the green tree dwelling geckos are more
reluctant to do this than other geckos because they use
their tail for climbing.
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New Zealand geckos are omnivores but their main diet
consists of small to medium sized insects such as moths,
flies, small crickets, larvae, etc. However, they also eat
some berries and the nectar of some flowers.
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Geckos tend to live alone and are very
territorial. They raise up and open their mouths to scare
away intruders. The Northland Green Gecko with its blue
mouth and bright red tongue would be very intimidating to
other geckos.
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New Zealand Geckos carry their eggs
inside their bodies. The young are born live and are
immediately ready to fend for themselves. They usually
have only one offspring but sometimes two are born.
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Unlike other reptiles Geckos have a range
of vocal sounds from chirping and chattering through to a
loud croaking sound.
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Geckos have superb grasping abilities as their toes are
covered with microscopic hairs which enable them to climb
sheer surfaces and some tropical gecko are even able to walk
upside down across the ceiling.
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Maori folklore tells us that when a war party came upon a
Gecko on the trail they took it as a bad omen that the
fighting would not go well and returned home.
