If you’re asked to picture a gecko, what do you see? The friendly leopard gecko at the pet store? The green lizard who stars in the insurance commercial? The truth is that there are hundreds of gecko species, many of which are incredibly bright and full of color. We’ve gathered a whole rainbow of species from all around the globe.
Here’s our list of the world’s most colorful geckos:
1. Tokay Gecko
- Latin name: Gekko gecko
- Habitat: Tropical parts of Asia and some Pacific islands
- Size: Up to 16″ long
- Diet: Insects, various plant materials, fruit, and even small vertebrates
- Colorful feature: The Tokay gecko is especially bright and beautiful. It has a base color of pale powder blue and is covered in orangish spots. The exact shade will vary from gecko to gecko. Males are usually brighter than females.
The beautiful tokay gecko is sought after in the pet trade thanks to its striking colors. But it isn’t a great pet for beginners, as it is aggressive and has a powerful bite. While its wild population is not classified as endangered or vulnerable, it is threatened by poaching for medicinal use. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that the gecko will nourish the lungs and kidneys, so some practitioners will collect the geckos from the wild.
2. Electric Blue Gecko
- Latin name: Lygodactylus williamsi
- Habitat: Parts of the Kimboza Forest in Tanzania
- Size: Usually around 2.5″ long
- Diet: Mostly insects and nectar
- Colorful feature: The males of this species are almost blindingly bright! They are intense blue with bright orange bellies. Females are usually closer to being bronze in color.
The name “electric blue gecko” is almost exclusively used in the pet trade. This small, incredibly bright lizard is more properly called the William’s dwarf gecko or the turquoise dwarf gecko. It is critically endangered because of illegal collection for the pet trade. To help combat the issue, residents of the EU need special paperwork to legally keep one of these geckos.
3. Gold Dust Day Gecko
- Latin name: Phelsuma laticauda
- Habitat: Mostly trees and houses in northern Madagascar, though it has been introduced to other Pacific islands
- Size: Up to about 5″ long
- Diet: Mostly insects and small vertebrates, though it also will eat fruit, pollen, and nectar
- Colorful feature: These lizards are bright in color and have interesting markings. The base color is very bright green with accents of bright blue and a few reddish spots and bars.
If this little lizard looks familiar, you just might have seen it on TV! The popular mascot of a certain insurance company was based on the beautiful gold dust day gecko. The main character of Gex, a series of video games, was also based on the same species. But despite its popularity in the media, the gold dust day gecko is only occasionally kept as a pet.
4. Smooth Knob-Tailed Gecko
- Latin name: Nephrurus laevissimus
- Habitat: Most arid or semi-arid habitats across Australia
- Size: About 3″ to 4.5″ long
- Diet: Mostly spiders, insects, and smaller vertebrates
- Colorful feature: There is no singular color pattern for the smooth knob-tailed gecko. Most of these lizards have white bellies and bodies that are patterned with orange and brown. Some of them are very bright!
Some lizards have knob-like tails because they have lost their natural tails to predators, but the smooth knob-tailed gecko was born that way. As you can see in the picture, they have proportionally large eyes that make them look like cartoon characters.
5. Vieillard’s Chameleon Gecko
- Latin name: Eurydactylodes vieillardi
- Habitat: Shrublands and forests on the island of Grande Terre in New Caledonia
- Size: About 1″ to 2″ long
- Diet: Insects, fruit, and nectar
- Colorful feature: This interesting species has scales that look much different from other geckos. The scales themselves are large, and they range in color from mossy green to bright green.
New Caledonia is a place with countless bright and exciting animal species, and this gecko is no exception! It can be found only on one island in New Caledonia. However, it can be bred in captivity, and many breeders and reptile specialty stores offer it for sale. The Vieillard’s chameleon gecko has a laid-back personality similar to that of a crested gecko, so it makes a good pet.
6. Northland Green Gecko
- Latin name: Naultinus grayii
- Habitat: Usually in trees in New Zealand’s Northland Region
- Size: Up to about 8″ long
- Diet: Mostly insects and fruit
- Colorful feature: These lizards have a bright, spring-green base color with patches of gold or white. The insides of their mouths are also especially colorful; they are bright blue with bright red tongues.
Rare lizards can get expensive when you find them for sale. The Northland green gecko is a prime example of this phenomenon. Because of its relative scarcity, it commands high prices; it’s not uncommon to pay thousands for a pair. Europe is probably where most captive-bred individuals come from, although it is still rare on the continent. It’s an occasional target for smugglers, too. In 2001, a German tourist was caught trying to smuggle a pair in his underwear!
7. Golden-Tailed Gecko
- Latin name: Strophurus taenicauda
- Habitat: Forests and shrublands in eastern Australia
- Size: Females are about 6″ to 7″ long; males are about 7″ to 8″ long
- Diet: Largely insects, although they may also eat plant material
- Colorful feature: This unusual lizard has one of the most striking patterns on the list! Most of the body is mottled with dark spots on an off-white base color. It has red eyes, and there is a wide yellow-orange stripe going down the center of the tail.
Unlike most gecko species, the golden-tailed gecko has a smell-based defense mechanism. When threatened, it can spray predators with a bad-smelling liquid excreted from its tail. Despite its beauty and the fact that its wild population does not seem to be threatened, the golden-tailed gecko is not commonly kept as a pet.
8. Leopard Gecko
- Latin name: Eublepharis macularius
- Habitat: Dry grasslands and deserts in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Afghanistan and Iran
- Size: Females are about 7″ to 8″ long; males are about 8″ to 11″ long
- Diet: Mostly invertebrates
- Colorful feature: In the wild, leopard geckos have a yellow-tan base color with dark, irregular blotches like the coat of a leopard. But breeders have developed countless morphs through captive breeding. As you can see in the picture, some of these morphs are very intensely colored!
The leopard gecko is one of the world’s most popular reptile pets. In fact, some people, consider them to be domesticated. They are relatively easy to care for, and when handled from a young age, they seem to tolerate and even enjoy human interaction. Unlike many other species of pet geckos, leopard geckos don’t have lamellae on their feet. This means that their feet aren’t “sticky,” so they can’t climb up smooth walls.
9. Border Beaked Gecko
- Latin name: Rhynchoedura angusta
- Habitat: Grasslands and floodplains in parts of Australia
- Size: Up to about 4″ long
- Diet: Mostly termites
- Colorful feature: Like many desert-dwelling geckos, this one has a bright white belly. Its upper body ranges from rust red to reddish brown, and it’s marked with white to off-white stripes.
The name of this species might make you wonder whether it actually has a beak. The answer is no; it just has a short, tapered snout that looks a lot like the beak of a bird. The border beaked gecko, like other beaked geckos, is small enough that it can hide in burrows dug by spiders to avoid being eaten during the day. At night, it emerges to hunt termites.
10. Crested Gecko
- Latin name: Correlophus ciliatus
- Habitat: Rainforest canopies in the South Province of New Caledonia
- Size: About 6″ to 10″ long
- Diet: Insects, fruit, and various types of plant matter
- Colorful feature: In the wild, crested geckos can be tiger striped, white-fringed, or patternless. They also come in several naturally-occurring colors: yellow, red, orange, brown, and gray.
Though not quite as popular as the leopard gecko, the crested gecko is another species that is often kept as a pet. Despite its popularity in captivity, it is considered to be vulnerable to extinction in its natural habitat. In fact, it was thought to be extinct for years until it was rediscovered in 1994. Though the exportation of these geckos from New Caledonia is now banned, there are more than enough captive crested geckos in other countries to ensure there are more than enough pets.
11. Northern Velvet Gecko
- Latin name: Oedura castelnaui
- Habitat: Savannas and forests on the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia
- Size: Up to about 6″ long
- Diet: Mostly insects, although they may sometimes eat fruit or plant matter
- Colorful feature: The northern velvet gecko’s coloring rivals some captive-bred morphs of other species. As you can see in the picture, it is usually banded with orange, black, and pale gray. However, the exact shading of the pattern may vary by individual.
Though these lizards are plentiful in the wild, they can often be hard to find. They are secretive and very skilled at hiding, largely because they can flatten themselves to fit under tree bark, in rock crevices, and more. Though they can sometimes be kept as pets, they aren’t as common as some other gecko species.
12. Peacock Day Gecko
- Latin name: Phelsuma quadriocellata
- Habitat: Many different habitat types in coastal eastern Madagascar
- Size: Up to almost 5″ long
- Diet: Usually a mixture of insects and fruits found in the forest
- Colorful feature: Like most day geckos, the peacock day gecko has a base color of very bright green. The tail is often a bright blue color that is close to turquoise. It has small reddish markings on the upper body. As its name suggests, it has between two and four eye-like spots on the side. These look similar to the spots found on a peacock’s tail.
Madagascar is known for its incredibly bright plants and animals, so it’s no surprise that this is where you’ll find the peacock day gecko. You might think that this especially bright creature would be a popular choice of pet, but it’s found very rarely in captivity. That’s a good thing for the wild population; it’s not currently classified as being near threatened or vulnerable to extinction, and the collection of wild individuals for the pet trade is very limited.
13. Trinidad Gecko
- Latin name: Gonatodes humeralis
- Habitat: Tropical forests in northern South America
- Size: Up to about 3″ long
- Diet: Mostly small arthropods
- Colorful feature: Though not all Trinidad geckos are quite as bright as the one in the picture, many wild individuals have stunning coloration. Males have mottled midsections with red spots. Their faces and throats are usually bright yellow with a few bright reddish stripes. In some cases, the midsection has a bluish tint.
You don’t often hear much about this species despite the fact that it’s one of the most magnificently colored geckos in the world. Notably, brightly-colored individuals can change color when needed. When stressed or during certain interactions with other lizards, they may dull their colors so they appear to be brownish.
14. Yellow-Headed Day Gecko
- Latin name: Phelsuma klemmeri
- Habitat: Bamboo plants in forests of northwestern Madagascar
- Size: Usually between 3.25″ and 3.75″
- Diet: Insects and nectar
- Colorful feature: These bright lizards have bodies that are mostly turquoise, although some individuals are brighter than others. Their heads are an energetic yellow.
If you have only a passing familiarity with day geckos, you might think that they all are bright green with red and/or blue markings. But the yellow-headed day gecko looks remarkably different. With its very bright coloring, it’s no wonder that it is also sometimes called the neon day gecko or the cheerful day gecko. Unfortunately, it is considered to be an endangered species in the wild.
15. African Fat-Tailed Gecko
- Latin name: Hemitheconyx caudicinctus
- Habitat: Various habitat types across West Africa and Cameroon
- Size: Usually between 7″ and 9″ long
- Diet: Mostly insects
- Colorful feature: Wild-type African fat-tailed geckos are usually brown or beige, sometimes with a white stripe down the back. However, as with many other captive-bred species, it also comes in breeder-developed morphs including tangerine, albino, and black. The one in the picture is a tangerine variant with an especially striking white stripe.
If you’re familiar with geckos in the pet trade, you may have seen that some breeders sell African fat-tailed geckos. However, these lizards are not as popular as the leopard gecko. They do make good pets and they are easy to care for. With the proper husbandry, they can often live to be 15-20 years old!
16. Cameroon Dwarf Gecko
- Latin name: Lygodactylus conraui
- Habitat: Tropical forests of West Africa and Central Africa
- Size: Up to about 2.5″ long
- Diet: Mostly insects and fruit
- Colorful feature: The males of this species are especially bright. They usually have sky-blue midsections, green heads, and yellow throats and tails. Sometimes the tails are even tipped in red. The colors seem to blend into one another, making the lizard look like it’s been airbrushed.
If you like the look of the electric blue dwarf gecko above but are looking for a non-endangered species to keep, the Cameroon dwarf gecko is a great choice! They are just as bright, but they breed readily in captivity. Like other dwarf geckos, their small size means that they don’t require very large enclosures to thrive.
17. Yellow-Headed Gecko
- Latin name: Gonatodes albogularis
- Habitat: Tropical forests in South America, Central America, Cuba, Jamaica, and Hispaniola
- Size: Between 2.7″ and 3.5″
- Diet: Mostly spiders and insects
- Colorful feature: Only the males of this species are bright in color; females are more drab in order to camouflage. The males have mottled bodies that have an overall bluish tint. Their heads are very bright reddish-orange, and they have splashes of pale bright blue around the lips.
Not to be confused with the yellow-headed day gecko, this colorful creature has a head that usually appears more orange than yellow. Despite its stunning coloration, it’s not usually kept as a pet. Part of that is due to the fact that males are extremely aggressive and territorial. Through the 1950s, many people in the Antilles believed that if it climbed onto you, it would become latched on to the point that it needed to be burned off.
18. Madagascar Giant Day Gecko
- Latin name: Phelsuma grandis
- Habitat: Subtropical and tropical forests in northern Madagascar
- Size: Usually between 9″ and 11″ long
- Diet: Insects, other invertebrates, some small vertebrates, fruit, nectar, and pollen
- Colorful feature: These large day geckos are primarily bright leaf green in color. They have dark red stripes on the head and a few dark red dots on the body.
As the name suggests, this species is a lot bigger than most other day geckos. It’s also one of the most common day geckos in captivity. It is generally slow-moving and easy to handle, but it’s very good at escaping enclosures. Just like many other gecko species, the Madagascar giant day gecko does not have eyelids. Instead, its eyes are covered by a protective membrane. It frequently licks its eyes in order to keep them clean.
19. Brilliant South American Gecko
- Latin name: Gonatodes ceciliae
- Habitat: Forests of Trinidad and Venezuela
- Size: Up to about 5.5″ long
- Diet: Almost exclusively small arthropods
- Colorful feature: As the name suggests, males of this species have brilliant coloring. Males have bright red heads marked with yellow and black. The lower body is patterned with darker red, black, and yellow. There also is a collar-like marking at the bottom of the neck; it is yellow and bordered in black.
Like other members of the Gonatodes genus, this lizard does not have lamellae on the feet to assist in climbing. Rather, it has claws like many other types of lizards. This is one of the many species that is not as popular in captivity as leopard geckos and crested geckos. However, if you are determined enough to find one, you will likely be able to locate a specialty breeder.
20. Common Wonder Gecko
- Latin name: Teratoscincus scincus
- Habitat: Arid parts of Asia
- Size: Up to about 6.3″ long
- Diet: Mostly insects and other small invertebrates
- Colorful feature: The common wonder gecko isn’t the absolute brightest species on the list, but its coloring is quite striking. It has a base color that is yellowish-buff. Its dark markings are usually in the form of stripes, splotching, or both.
The wonder gecko is one of the cutest species around thanks to its enormous eyes, short head, and mouth that appears to be smiling. As a desert-dwelling species, it also has feet that are uniquely adapted to running on sand. The bottoms of its feet have comb-like scales that help it more efficiently move through sand just as webbed feet help aquatic animals swim faster.
21. Namib Sand Gecko
- Latin name: Pachydactylus rangei
- Habitat: Deserts of Namibia, South Africa, and Angola
- Size: Up to about 5″ long
- Diet: Small spiders and insects
- Colorful feature: This delicate-looking gecko has skin that almost looks translucent. Its color varies slightly by individual, but it often has pink sides and yellow markings at the top of the body.
This little gecko’s unique coloring is remarkably effective in helping it camouflage in the desert. It also has webbed feet that enable it to move very quickly through its sandy desert habitat. It’s one of the thinnest-skinned of all geckos. Just like a glass frog, its skin lets you see some of the lizard’s internal organs through it!
22. Bynoe’s Gecko
- Latin name: Heteronotia binoei
- Habitat: Many different habitat types across Australia
- Size: Usually between 4.3″ and 4.7″ long
- Diet: Many types of invertebrates, especially moths and grasshoppers
- Colorful feature: The exact coloring of the Bynoe’s gecko will vary depending on the color of its surroundings. It is usually dark brown to red with irregular white bands across the body. In many cases, this pattern gives the lizard a mottled look that helps it to camouflage.
Many geckos on the list require a specific habitat in order to thrive. Not so with the Bynoe’s gecko! It can be found in almost any habitat type in Australia, including in urban areas. It’s a nocturnal species that emerges at night to hunt prey. It also has vocal cords that are more developed than those of most other gecko species, so it is capable of uttering a wide range of different calls.
23. Mediterranean House Gecko
- Latin name: Hemidactylus turcicus
- Habitat: Inside dwellings and other buildings in the Mediterranean and countries with similar climates
- Size: Up to about 6″ long
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: Like many species on the list, this one has coloration that is somewhat variable. It usually has pale skin with darker spots. Some of the more colorful ones have an orange hue like the lizard in the picture.
You might sometimes hear this cute little gecko called the “moon lizard.” The name is a nod to the fact that the species is completely nocturnal; you’ll almost never see one during the day. You might think this lizard would be considered to be a pest because it lives in homes. But in some countries, killing or harming them is considered to be taboo. They are often kept as pets.
24. Chahoua Gecko
- Latin name: Mniarogekko chahoua
- Habitat: Forests in the southern part of New Caledonia
- Size: About 10″ to 12″ long
- Diet: Insects, fruit, and sometimes smaller lizards
- Colorful feature: Many individuals of this species have patterning that is colorful in a subtle sort of way. They are colored to look like moss so they can easily blend into surroundings. Many are mottled with brown and lichen-like green. But as you can see in the photo, some are more colorful than others!
This interesting species goes by a variety of names. You might hear it called the New Caledonian gecko, mossy prehensile-tailed gecko, Bavay’s giant gecko, or short-snouted New Caledonian gecko. Though it is considered to be vulnerable to extinction in the wild, it is often bred in captivity and can be found in the pet trade.
25. White-Lined Gecko
- Latin name: Gekko vittatus
- Habitat: Forests in Palau, Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, and New Guinea
- Size: Between 4.5″ and 6″ long
- Diet: Mostly various types of insects
- Colorful feature: This gecko’s most defining feature is the Y-shaped white stripe down the back. Some individuals have brighter colors than others; the cheerful yellow gecko in the photo is especially eye-catching!
Though you may not hear about them as often, white-lined geckos make good pets for those new to geckos or reptiles in general. They aren’t usually aggressive or temperamental, and their care is relatively easy. However, they can move quickly if they want to, so they can be somewhat challenging to handle.
26. Thick-Tailed Gecko
- Latin name: Underwoodisaurus milii
- Habitat: Various habitat types in western Australia; it can tolerate colder habitat types than most geckos can
- Size: Usually between 4.7″ and 5.5″
- Diet: Insects and smaller vertebrates
- Colorful feature: This lizard’s high-contrast patterning makes it especially beautiful. It is reddish-brown to grayish-brown with white to yellow bands and spots.
Though the name sounds similar, the thick-tailed gecko is different from the fat-tailed gecko. It is also sometimes called the barking gecko, as it uses a harsh, bark-like call as a defensive mechanism. It is not commonly kept as a pet. In some parts of Australia, it can be kept in captivity if the keeper obtains the appropriate license.
27. Centralian Rough Knob-Tailed Gecko
- Latin name: Nephrurus amyae
- Habitat: Rocky and desert areas in parts of Australia
- Size: Up to about 6″ long
- Diet: Various types of insects and spiders, as well as smaller skinks and geckos
- Colorful feature: These interesting geckos range from brown to bright red in color. Their light-colored eyes with slit-like pupils often contrast with their coloring. The gecko in the picture is one of the brighter individuals.
This strange gecko looks almost prehistoric. And unlike many gecko species, its skin is bumpy and rough. But its most interesting feature might be its tail; it is very short and spiky with a tiny “knob” at the end. You can sometimes find this species in captivity; it’s a great choice if you like geckos but want one that looks a little different!
28. Golden Gecko
- Latin name: Gekko badenii
- Habitat: Rocky, granite-rich areas in southern Vietnam
- Size: Females are 5″ to 6″ long; males are 7″ to 8″ long
- Diet: Mostly insects, but it will eat some fruit
- Colorful feature: As you probably gathered from the name, the golden gecko is a uniform gold in color. In some individuals, that color starts to become orangish.
The golden gecko is considered to be endangered in its natural habitat. It is relatively rare in the pet trade. That means that, unfortunately, most golden geckos sold as pets have been collected from the wild. They do seem to be gaining popularity as pets, so it’s possible that captive-bred specimens will become more common.
29. Ocellated Velvet Gecko
- Latin name: Oedura monilis
- Habitat: Many different habitat types in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia
- Size: About 6″ to 7″ long
- Diet: Primarily different types of insects
- Colorful feature: These lizards usually have a pale base color with plenty of eye-like spots. Some, like the one in the picture, have strikingly high-contrast patterns that look pixelated!
The ocellated velvet gecko has one of the most beautiful and complex patterns of all velvet gecko species. You might be wondering how a reptile came to be described as “velvet.” But if you ever get the chance to touch a velvet gecko, you’ll see why! These creatures have incredibly soft skin that does actually feel velvety to the touch.
30. Standing’s Day Gecko
- Latin name: Phelsuma standingi
- Habitat: Arid thorn forests of southwestern Madagascar
- Size: About 8″ to 10″ long
- Diet: Insects, small vertebrates, pollen, fruit, and nectar
- Colorful feature: Standing’s day gecko is one of the many gecko species whose coloration is extraordinarily variable. Some of these lizards are a dull brownish gray. Others, like the one in the picture, can be a lively green. Some even have bodies that are mostly turquoise.
These relatively large day geckos are very pretty. They also are among the more aggressive species. In many gecko species, males are aggressive toward one another. But female Standing’s day geckos also will attack each other. They are sometimes kept as pets, although the wild population has been adversely affected by collection for the pet trade.
31. Common Flat-Tailed Gecko
- Latin name: Uroplatus fimbriatus
- Habitat: Tropical rainforests on the eastern coast of Madagascar
- Size: Up to about 13″ long
- Diet: Primarily insects
- Colorful feature: This gecko is probably the best at camouflage on the list. Though it has a bright white underbelly, its skin is mottled with various shades of brown, gray and green. Its skin also has a unique “fringed” appearance. When the gecko flattens itself against a similarly-colored environment, it can be almost impossible to notice.
Sometimes growing more than a foot long, this gecko is one of the largest on our list. It also has an unusual adaptation to allow it to hunt at night. Its eyes are incredibly sensitive to light to the point that it can even see color in the dark!
32. Japanese Cave Gecko
- Latin name: Goniurosaurus orientalis
- Habitat: Rocky areas in tropical forests on some Japanese islands
- Size: Up to about 6.3″ long
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: These geckos have a captivating, swirled pattern. Usually, it’s a pattern of black or dark brown mixed with orange or red. Their eyes are a deep and very intense red.
These stunning geckos are currently classified as endangered in the wild. However, Japan has passed laws to help protect this lizard and other endangered species from various threats to its population. You can sometimes find these geckos offered for sale as pets. But they aren’t cheap; many breeders sell baby Japanese cave geckos for upwards of $1000.
33. Smith’s Green-Eyed Gecko
- Latin name: Gekko smithii
- Habitat: Forested areas in Indonesia and mainland Southeast Asia
- Size: Up to about 14″ long
- Diet: Insects, especially grasshoppers
- Colorful feature: The actual bodies of these large geckos aren’t especially colorful; they usually range from brown to dull green. But these lizards have intense, emerald-colored eyes that make them true standouts!
Geckos aren’t known for being large, so these lizards are some of the most massive geckos on Earth. They are not especially popular as pets, but some breeders and reptile supply companies will offer them for sale. Despite their large size and beautiful eyes, they are not usually overly expensive; you can often find them for under $100.
34. Jewelled Velvet Gecko
- Latin name: Oedura gemmata
- Habitat: Rocky areas of Australia’s Northern Territory
- Size: Up to 19″ long
- Diet: Mostly insects
- Colorful feature: These pretty geckos are also sometimes called dotted velvet geckos. As you can see in the picture, they usually have a dark base color with bright orangish spots that look like tiny jewels. Some also have a few white bands interspersed.
As the name suggests, this gecko has an especially lovely pattern. It’s one of the larger geckos on the list, but it isn’t quite as well-studied as some of the other species of velvet gecko. Compared to some other members of its genus, it has a fairly restricted range.
35. Bibron’s Thick-Toed Gecko
- Latin name: Chondrodactylus bibronii
- Habitat: Various habitat types in southern Africa
- Size: Usually between 6″ and 8″ long
- Diet: Mostly insects, although they will also eat smaller reptiles
- Colorful feature: This interesting gecko species usually has a solid base color covered with both darker and lighter spots. The overall color ranges from darker brown to red like the lizard in the picture.
This beautifully patterned lizard is somewhat unique in that it has been used in some very interesting research. It’s been used in studies that evaluate the effects of spaceflight on the development of reptiles. It’s also very adaptable. In addition to being able to survive being sent into space, it also has been successfully introduced to parts of the southeastern United States.
36. Mauritius Lowland Forest Day Gecko
- Latin name: Phelsuma guimbeaui
- Habitat: Trees on the west coast of Mauritius
- Size: Females are about 3.5″ to 5.1″; males are up to about 6″
- Diet: Nectar, pollen, fruit, and insects
- Colorful feature: The Mauritius lowland forest day gecko is another colorful member of the day gecko family. It is usually a mixture of bright green, blue, and red.
These pretty day geckos are especially shy. They stay out of human dwelling whenever possible, and they are especially good at hiding. They are also preyed on by many different species of birds, so they tend to hide to avoid being eaten.
37. Ornate Day Gecko
- Latin name: Phelsuma ornata
- Habitat: Trees and bushes across Mauritius and some surrounding islands
- Size: Up to about 4.7″ long
- Diet: Fruit, pollen, nectar, insects, and other invertebrates
- Colorful feature: As the name suggests, the ornate day gecko just might be the most brilliantly colored of all day geckos. Though its base color is bright green, it has a wide turquoise stripe down the body that is covered in red-orange spots and stripes. Some individuals have yellow markings as well.
The beautiful day geckos seem to be more interested in people than most other species. If a person talks to them, they will often stop and make eye contact. They can run very quickly when they want to, so if you keep one as a pet, make sure you keep a close eye on it!
38. Réunion Island Day Gecko
- Latin name: Phelsuma borbonica
- Habitat: Usually in banana trees on the island of Réunion
- Size: Up to about 6.3″ long
- Diet: Insects, nectar, fruit, and pollen
- Colorful feature: Depending on where on the island they live, these geckos can have different coloration. Their bodies are usually blue-green or dark green. Their backs and tails have rust-colored dots that arrange themselves into bars.
These lovely, arboreal lizards can sometimes be found in captivity. They are happiest in terrariums with plenty of plants. They aren’t usually aggressive, and they do well when housed in pairs.
39. Cat Gecko
- Latin name: Aeluroscalabotes felinus
- Habitat: Relatively cool rainforests in Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Singapore, and Malaysia
- Size: Up to about 7″ long; males are usually smaller than females
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: This gecko is usually reddish brown with white spots. It also sometimes has dark mottling over the body. The most colorful individuals have rich reddish base colors and high-contrast patterning like the gecko in the picture.
You might wonder why this species is called a “cat gecko.” After all, plenty of gecko species have eyes with slit-like pupils like the eyes of a cat. This one’s name comes from the fact that it likes to sleep with its tail curled up around its body.
40. New Caledonian Giant Gecko
- Latin name: Rhacodactylus leachianus
- Habitat: Forested areas of New Caledonia and surrounding islands
- Size: Up to 14″ long
- Diet: Insects, spiders, some small vertebrates, sap, fruit, and nectar
- Colorful feature: These odd-looking geckos typically have mottled coloration that lets them hide in trees. Most have colors that include brown, green, and gray. But as you can see in the picture, some have red mixed in.
This huge gecko is built very differently from most other species. It has a heavy body and unusually loose skin. Some indigenous peoples are afraid of it, as they have a superstition that claims these geckos can latch onto people and steal their souls.
41. East Indian Leopard Gecko
- Latin name: Eublepharis hardwickii
- Habitat: Various habitat types in India and Bangladesh
- Size: Between 8″ and 9″ long
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: As the name suggests, this gecko is similar to the common leopard gecko. It often has a more mottled appearance, with swirling bands of black, orange, and white.
This interesting gecko is also commonly called Hardwicke’s gecko. It can sometimes be kept as a pet. Like the more common leopard gecko, it is usually docile and will tolerate being held.
42. Spiny Knob-Tailed Gecko
- Latin name: Nephrurus asper
- Habitat: Arid, desert areas of Australia
- Size: Usually between 4″ and 5″ long
- Diet: Insects and various types of plant matter
- Colorful feature: These strange-looking geckos are not always very bright. But like the other knob-tailed gecko on the list, they tend to have light eyes in unusual colors that pop against their solid coloring.
The spiny knob-tailed gecko is just as hardy as it looks! It’s built to withstand the often-brutal heat and dry air of the Australian desert. It is not overly common in captivity, but it does well when kept as a pet.
43. Malaysia Parachute Gecko
- Latin name: Gekko cicakterbang
- Habitat: Forested areas of Southeast Asia
- Size: About 4″ to 7″ long
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: These geckos usually have a mossy appearance to help them camouflage. But some, like the gecko in the picture, have striking green marbling. Most of these lizards have captivating eyes with marbled coloring as well.
You’ve heard of flying squirrels. But did you know that there’s a lizard that can glide the same way? The Malaysia parachute gecko has flaps of skin that work like a parachute to help it glide as it jumps from tree to tree.
44. Union Island Gecko
- Latin name: Gonatodes daudini
- Habitat: Dry forests on Union Island in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Size: Usually around 3″ long
- Diet: Many types of insects
- Colorful feature: These small, beautiful lizards have truly exquisite coloring. Their midsections are usually bluish with red, black, and white eye-like spots. Their heads are patterned with symmetrical dark and light green stripes, and their eyes are deep, intense red.
This beautiful, smallish gecko has quickly become a popular pet. It is critically endangered in the wild, and the main threat to its population is collection for the international pet trade. Exporting these lizards from Union Island is not allowed, but many are smuggled and sold, especially in Europe.
45. La Digue Day Gecko
- Latin name: Phelsuma sundbergi ladiguensis
- Habitat: Trees on the islands of La Digue, Cocco, and Felicite in the Seychelles
- Size: Up to about 6.3″ long
- Diet: Insects, small invertebrates, pollen, nectar, and fruit
- Colorful feature: These lizards are an extremely bright, almost neon green. They may sometimes have a few bright blue markings and red spots.
You might think of insects as being the main pollinators of plants. But these geckos play an important role in pollination, too. As they feed, they transfer male pollen to female plants!
46. Ocelot Gecko
- Latin name: Paroedura picta
- Habitat: Forested parts of Madagascar
- Size: Usually 4″ to 6″ long
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: These geckos usually have a brown or red base color with black and white eye-like spots that are similar to those of an ocelot. Captive breeding has resulted in several unique color phases including yellow and orange.
These geckos are very popular as pets. You might sometimes hear them called Malagasy fat-tailed geckos, fat-headed geckos, or panther geckos. Although they do well in captivity, they don’t tend to like being handled. They’re a good choice if you like reptiles but don’t mind if your lizard doesn’t want to interact with you.
47. Gargoyle Gecko
- Latin name: Rhacodactylus auriculatus
- Habitat: Forested parts of southern New Caledonia
- Size: Up to about 5″ long
- Diet: Various plant materials, insects, and smaller lizards
- Colorful feature: These lizards have eye-catching striped patterning. They are usually pale red with broad, irregular stripes of black and rust red. Captive-bred geckos come in a wider variety of colors including red, white, orange, yellow, and gray.
At first glance, this gecko looks a little like a crested gecko without the fringe. Though it is an arboreal species, its feet do not have the traction that most other geckos do. As a result, it will sometimes slip when trying to jump, so it often appears clumsy.
48. Ocellated Gecko
- Latin name: Gonatodes ocellatus
- Habitat: Forested parts of Tobago, Trinidad, and Little Tobago Island
- Size: Females are up to about 4″ long; males are up to about 4.3″ long
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: Lots of geckos have eyespots, but this one has spots that are especially noticeable. Its midsection is a distinctive, hazy blue-gray that is marked with black and white eyespots (usually two on each side). Its head and tail are reddish, and the neck is marked with a collar-like stripe.
These striking lizards are sometimes called “eyespot geckos.” They are arboreal in nature. When kept in captivity, they greatly appreciate opportunities to climb. Their enclosures should have plants, plenty of hiding spots, and vertical cork tiles to climb.
49. Chinese Cave Gecko
- Latin name: Goniurosaurus hainanensis
- Habitat: Caves on the Chinese island of Hainan
- Size: Up to about 6.3″ long
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: These beautiful lizards usually have a grayish base color marked with incredibly bright yellowish stripes. The stripes are lined in black and the body is sometimes mottled with black spots as well. Like other species of cave gecko, they have bright red eyes.
Unfortunately, the demand for these geckos in the exotic pet trade is driving down population numbers and moving the species toward extinction. The main causes of death in captivity are complications from shedding problems. That’s because these geckos need a very humid environment to shed, and keepers don’t always ensure proper humidity.
50. Carrot-Tail Viper Gecko
- Latin name: Hemidactylus imbricatus
- Habitat: Rocky, arid parts of Pakistan, Iran, and possibly India
- Size: Up to about 3″ to 4″ long
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: Though not extremely bright, this gecko has an intricate pattern worth mentioning! Its body is marked by dark vertical stripes that are then crossed by horizontal whitish bands. It also has large, golden eyes.
This interesting little lizard is not especially common in captivity, but its small size and easy husbandry make it a good pet. Breeders have noted that the hatchlings are extremely small and need to be handled very, very carefully.
51. Western Marbled Velvet Gecko
- Latin name: Oedura fimbria
- Habitat: Rocky areas in the western part of Australia
- Size: Around 6″ to 7″ long
- Diet: Mostly insects, though it may eat some fruit
- Colorful feature: This beautiful gecko has a base color of dark gray-brown. It is marked by several horizontal wavy yellow bands that appear to be marbled in.
This is one of the brightest and most recognizable of the velvet geckos. Like many Australian reptiles, it is primarily ground-dwelling, although it will sometimes be found in trees. It is sometimes kept as a pet, but buyers must obtain an appropriate license to ensure the gecko was obtained legitimately and not poached.
52. Auckland Green Gecko
- Latin name: Naultinus elegans
- Habitat: Forested areas of the northern half of New Zealand’s North Island
- Size: Around 7″ long
- Diet: Various types of invertebrates, flowers, and nectar
- Colorful feature: These lizards are bright leaf-green in color. Many have cream-colored blotches across the back, although some do not.
The slender, elegant Auckland green gecko is an arboreal lizard native to New Zealand. Under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, it is considered to be in gradual decline. It can sometimes be kept as a pet, although it is solitary and should not be housed with other geckos.
Nature’s Brightly Colored Geckos
Whether you intend to keep one as a pet or just enjoy seeing them in their natural habitats, geckos certainly add some pizazz to nature’s color palette. Keep an eye out for them wherever you go!
