Geckos are among the world's smallest lizards. Most species measure 1.2 to 6 inches (3 to 15 centimeters) in length, including the tail. Many geckos have tails that can be broken off easily. If this happens, the animal can usually grow another one.Geckos have short, stout bodies and soft skin. Most are gray, brown, or dirty white in color. A few kinds are a more colorful bright green. Unlike other reptiles, most geckos have a voice. Their sounds range from soft clicks or chirps to sharp cackles or barks.Females of a few gecko species give birth to live young. Most, however, lay eggs. Gecko eggs are white with a hard shell. Eggs are laid beneath the bark of trees or attached to the underside of leaves. Although most kinds of lizards produce many eggs at a time, geckos often lay just two.
Some people keep geckos as pets. One of the most popular is the large tokay gecko, which is gray with red and whitish spots and bands. It is possible that a gecko may live 20 or more years when kept by people.The small lizards known as geckos are fun creatures to watch move about. A gecko can climb up smooth surfaces and even run across ceilings. Each of its long, flat toes has thousands of tiny hairs. At the end of each tiny hair are hundreds of even smaller hairs. These hairs fan out to create a strong sticking power that lets the gecko move along areas where many other animals would slip.Geckos are members of the scientific family Gekkonidae. There are about 750 species, or kinds, of geckos. They can be found in warm areas of the world, often living in rain forests and deserts. Geckos usually come out at night and feed on insects.
