The Common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) is a small lizard native to Southeast Asia. They are named so because they are often seen climbing walls of houses and other buildings in search of insects attracted to porch lights and are immediately recognizable by their characteristic chirp. These small geckos are non-venomous and not harmful to humans.
Appearance
The body of the common house gecko is covered with small seeds and varies in color from pale yellow to greyish white. They are endothermic (“cold-blooded”) species and exhibit multiple modes of thermoregulation through behavior. Like many geckos, this species can lose its tail when alarmed. In parts of Australia and Papua New Guinea, they are often confused with a similar native lizard, Dubious dtella.
Allotment
The ommon house gecko is native to Southeast Asia and the Indo-Australian Islands. Due to recent introductions, they are now appearing in many other countries including the United States, countries in South and Central America, Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East. These lizards prefer to live in urban environments, near city and village boundaries. Inaccessible to urban landscapes, they live in eucalyptus forests, rainforests, open fields, savannas and deserts. They are commonly seen beneath rotting rocks or logs, in trees and around bushes but are most commonly found on buildings.
Habits and Lifestyle
Common house geckos are solitary and territorial creatures. They can best be defined as quinodiurnal. This means they thermoregulate (bathe in the sun) during the day and feed at night. During the colder months, they fall into a state of bruising. Common house geckos are not dangerous but can bite if distressed; however, their bite is gentle and does not pierce the skin. When threatened they will hide in their shelters. These geckos communicate using a series of distinct communication calls. Long chirping is rarely used and only in aggressive encounters between males. The only cry was related to the animal’s level of distress. It has been detected in men more often but has been seen in adults, adults and adolescents. Much chirping is a defense of territory and ideology. This is the most common sound and there are many intensities that it can occupy. This call is usually made more often by an aggressive male and less often by a female. After this call, the females will produce a weak response and move.
Diet and nutrition
Common house geckos are carnivores (animals that eat insects). Their diet includes cockroaches, termites, certain species of bees and wasps, butterflies, moths, flies, spiders, and several groups of beetles.
mating habits
Common house geckos have a polygamous (messy) mating system in which both sexes have multiple mates during a single breeding season. They mate from March to July. Females usually lay 2 eggs in crevices to protect them from predators. The incubation period lasts about 46-62 days. The young are independent at birth and will become sexually mature within a year.
Population
population threat
There is currently no threat to common house geckos.
population
According to the IUCN, the house gecko is locally common and widespread throughout its range, but an overall population estimate is not available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) in the IUCN Red List and their numbers are stable today.
