Gecko question

[The Snark]

The animal, a Tookay, the large Asian Gecko.
In the midst of a termite mating spree with thousands of the bugs flying around our carport, a massive 12 inch long gecko paused in the feeding frenzy. A smaller, 8 inch gecko crawled up the wall in front of it (him?) and nuzzled it's (her?) head to his. He tolerated the show of affection stoically. She actually crawled part way onto his back.

Is this overt show of affection common for geckos?

 

[OrdoMallus]

Depending on the species of gecko it can be. Often tokays display those behavoirs. As well as most Phelsuma's (day geckos) are even more so. Going up to partners, cooing, whining and vibrating as well as licking each other. But dpending on the species some show little or no outward socializing.

Layne

 

[The Snark]

Hey OrdoMallus, thanks much. It struck me as strange, after observing these geckos for over 10 years, this unique (to me) open show of affection. While the tookay undoubtedly has a sex life, the only interactions I have ever observed are them trying to kill each other. They are fantastically belligerent and I have suspected the potential mate might often end up a feast. Seeing two locked in a death grip bite on each other is very common.

 

[Formerphobe]

Neat observation.

Seeing two locked in a death grip bite on each other is very common.

Yeah, don't let them lock on a finger!

 

[The Snark]

Neat observation.


Yeah, don't let them lock on a finger!

I heard that one. A friend caught one, not all that big, and it bit him on the calloused underside of his finger. He couldn't get it to let go until he stuck his hand in a bush and blasted the gecko with a hose. 16 sutures. That bony ridge is worse than a serrated knife!

 

[Formerphobe]

I always wore gloves to handle them. One bit down on the glove, so I left it with him in his new enclosure. Three days later it was still 'attached' to the glove... :?

 

[LeilaNami]

I always wore gloves to handle them. One bit down on the glove, so I left it with him in his new enclosure. Three days later it was still 'attached' to the glove... :?

We've had that happen. My female latched onto the glove and we just set the new gecko/glove organism on the table and stepped back. She remained attached to the glove even after half an hour when we were done with cleaning the cage. The entire time she had just been sitting on the table too

 

[Lolita]

it is actually breeding behavoir i have a breeding pair and they do that so maybe the ones you saw fighting all the time were just males? males can be fairly territorial although i've found if they grow up together and are given enough space you can house males together so who knows

 

[The Snark]

I don't think this was a situation of joyous affection. While we are on the subject, what is the correct name of these?

(To give some scale to this shot, the dots on the wall are normal sized black ants. I caught the pair, the one on the right measuring just over 12 inches).

 

[Lolita]

tokay geckos are what they're called and judging from the colors they're both male (sometimes females will look male though)

 

[Mez]

Aye, Today or Gekko gekko