Cosmopolitan House Gecko

The tropical house gecko, commonly known as the Afro-American house gecko or cosmopolitan house gecko, originally hails from sub-Saharan Africa. Due to human activity, it has now also spread to North, Central, and South America, as well as the Caribbean. These small nocturnal creatures can grow up to about 12.7 cm in length and possess large eyes that enhance their ability to spot prey in low light. Remarkably, they can slowly adjust their coloration to blend into their surroundings.

Their diet is quite varied, encompassing spiders, scorpions, cockroaches, moths, small lizards such as anoles, and even other geckos. They particularly favor insects from the Orthoptera order, which includes crickets and grasshoppers.

One fascinating aspect of tropical house geckos is their ability to vocalize. They can produce a range of sounds, from soft peeps to rapid, short squeaks. As nocturnal hunters, they often congregate near outdoor lights, which attract the insects they love to eat.

In some Caribbean cultures, having a tropical house gecko in your home is considered a good luck charm because they help control pest populations. However, their droppings can sometimes stain surfaces, which is a minor drawback.

Despite being harmless, these geckos have a bit of an undeserved bad reputation in places like Trinidad & Tobago. Some people mistakenly believe their touch is poisonous and consider them bad omens. In reality, they are quite beneficial for managing pests like spiders and cockroaches, and their little chirps and squeaks can be quite endearing.