Are Geckos Poisonous? A Guide to Keeping This Four-Legged Animal

Geckos are reptiles we see fairly often in the countryside. Because of their distinctive body shape and the speed with which they scurry on four legs, they are also called four-legged snakes, wall-climbing geckos and so on in many regions. Geckos generally live in tropical areas, and the hot summer is their most active season; in winter, they choose to hibernate because of the low temperatures. So are geckos poisonous? How should they be kept? Many folk rumors say that geckos are poisonous and can harm the human body. Let's take a look below!

I. A Brief Introduction to Geckos

1. Geckos are generally quite small and have extremely strong clinging ability. They move about on walls at home that are surrounded by greenery, and they also scurry quickly across ceilings or floors with plenty of green moss. There are many species of geckos, and each varies slightly in size, but they all share one thing in common: no matter where they crawl, they never leave behind dirty slime. This is also a puzzle that has long baffled experts who study these animals.

2. During the day, geckos lie on wall crevices or ceilings, neither moving nor crawling, as if they were slacking off. But at night, when it is dark and the lights are out, they come out and appear on every wall or under every eaves where there is light.

3. Geckos usually feed on small moths, spiders and mosquitoes, so many farmer friends have a good impression of them and will not harm or drive them away. When a gecko is suddenly attacked by people, it will automatically drop its tail; dropping the tail is a “self-protection” behavior for it, allowing it to escape quickly. A gecko that has dropped its tail is not seriously harmed, because the nerves in the tail are still functioning and it can keep crawling.

4. Geckos mainly reproduce by laying eggs, and they live relatively long lives; five to ten years is quite normal.

II. Are Geckos Poisonous?

Geckos are not poisonous.

1. Geckos are reptiles and are relatively small. They basically do not come into conflict with people, let alone attack on their own initiative, and the harm they do to the human body is very slight.

2. If a child comes across a gecko and keeps playing with it, it will bite when pushed too far, but geckos have no teeth, so they cannot cause injury. Children growing up in the countryside have lived alongside these animals since childhood and are not afraid of them.

3. Although geckos are not poisonous, if your hand directly touches their urine, you still need to wash it immediately. The urine contains unhealthy substances, and sensitive individuals may develop symptoms of swelling and bleeding, so be sure to wash it off thoroughly in time.

III. Gecko Keeping

Gecko keeping is a topic many friends are paying attention to now. Here is a summary of the following points for you:

1. When keeping geckos, you generally do not need to worry about lighting. UV lamps and incandescent lamps can be added appropriately, because geckos are mainly active at night. Creating a nighttime atmosphere for them during the day would take up their rest time, so this method is not recommended.

2. For a gecko's drinking water and feed, you can prepare two small bowls: put clean fresh water in one bowl and feed and small insects in the other. Geckos like humid environments, so you can spray some water in their small enclosure to create moisture for them. Or place some green moss to maintain humidity; this way the gecko will also grow faster.

3. Geckos may have problems with poor digestion. If this happens, do not panic; it may be because the type of food was suddenly switched, or because their droppings have changed. You can observe the gecko's droppings; if there is undigested food, it is most likely caused by the pieces of food being too large. Vitamin A and ginger water can both help regulate digestive function, and feed that geckos can eat is also available for purchase in specialty markets.

The above is the gecko-related knowledge summarized for you. Winter is now here, so if you want to keep geckos, be sure to pay attention to the temperature.