Geckos: The Animal Answer Guide

Contents

Acknowledgments xi Introduction xiii 1 Introducing Geckos 1 What are geckos? 1 Where does the name “gecko” come from? 2 Why are geckos important? 2 Why should people care about geckos? 4 Where do geckos live? 4 What is the difference between geckos and other lizards? 6 How many kinds of geckos are there? 8 What is the current classification of geckos? 10 What characterizes the major groups of geckos? 10 When did geckos evolve? 11 What is the oldest fossil gecko? 14 Where have fossil geckos been found? 15 What did extinct geckos look like? 16 2 Form and Function 18 What are the largest and smallest living geckos? 18 When are geckos active? 19 Do geckos sleep? 23 Why do geckos have big eyes? 24 Can geckos see color? 24 Do geckos have eyelids? 25 Why do geckos lick their eyes? 25 What are the bulges on the necks of some geckos? 26 Are some geckos limbless? 27 How do geckos climb? 28 How fast can geckos run? 31 Can geckos run upside down? 32 What are flying geckos? 32 How strong is a gecko’s grip? 33 Can geckos hang on when they are dead? 33 Can geckos swim? 34 Can all geckos lose and regrow their tails? 35 Contents Why do geckos shed their skin? 38 At what temperatures are geckos most active? 38 3 Gecko Colors 41 What colors are geckos? 41 What causes the different skin colors of geckos? 42 What color are a gecko’s eyes? 44 Is there a reason for specific patterns on a gecko’s skin? 44 Are male and female geckos colored differently? 45 Do a gecko’s colors change as it grows? 47 Can geckos change color? 47 Is there much geographic variation in a single gecko species? 48 4 Gecko Behavior 50 Are geckos social? 50 Do geckos fight? 52 Do geckos bite? 52 How smart are geckos? 54 Do geckos play? 54 How do geckos communicate? 55 How do geckos make noise? 57 Do geckos have good hearing? 58 How do geckos avoid or escape predators? 59 5 Gecko Ecology 62 Where do geckos sleep? 62 Which geographic regions have the most species of geckos? 63 Do geckos burrow? 63 How do geckos survive in the desert? 65 How do geckos survive the winter? 66 Do geckos bask? 67 What animals eat geckos? 68 Do geckos get sick? 69 How can you tell that a gecko is sick? 70 6 Reproduction and Development 72 How do geckos reproduce? 72 How can you tell the sex of a gecko? 73 Do all geckos lay eggs? 74 How long do gecko eggs take to hatch? 76 Where do geckos lay their eggs? 77 Why do geckos lay hard-shelled eggs? 78 viii Contents Do geckos only lay eggs once a year? 80 How many babies do geckos have? 81 How is the sex of a baby gecko determined? 82 Are some gecko species all female? 83 Do geckos care for their young? 84 How fast do geckos grow? 85 How long do geckos live? 85 7 Foods and Feeding 88 What do geckos eat? 88 How many teeth do geckos have? 90 Do geckos chew their food? 90 Why do geckos’ eyes sink in when they bite? 90 How do geckos find food? 91 Can geckos taste? 92 Are any geckos cannibals? 93 Can geckos store energy from food? 94 Do geckos drink? 95 8 Geckos and Humans 96 Do geckos make good pets? 96 How do you take care of a pet gecko? 96 Are geckos venomous? 99 Do geckos feel pain? 100 How can I see geckos in the wild? 100 Do people eat geckos? 101 Are parts of geckos used as medicine? 102 Can gecko-style adhesion be useful to humans? 103 9 Gecko Problems (from a human viewpoint) 105 Are geckos pests? 105 Do geckos have diseases and are they contagious? 106 How do I keep geckos away from my house? 107 10 Human Problems (from a gecko’s viewpoint) 108 Are any geckos endangered? 108 What is the rarest gecko? 108 Have any geckos become extinct because of humans? 109 Are geckos protected by law? 112 Will geckos be affected by global warming? 113 What are the greatest threats to geckos? 113 Contents ix 11 Geckos in Stories and Literature 115 What roles do geckos play in religion and...