Geckos are wild creatures that are commonly found in tropical, mountainous, and even desert landscapes. They can also be found in captivity as pets in many households around the world. These reptiles are small and easy to care for, but special accessories like heating lamps are required to keep them happy and healthy.
There are many different types of pet geckos to choose from, so deciding which to bring home can be a challenge. We have put together a list of the 11 best pet geckos to help make your search for the perfect gecko easier on you. Hopefully, you will fall in love with one or more of these interesting types of geckos!
The 11 Best Types of Geckos to Have as Pets
1. Leopard Geckos
This is one of the most popular land gecko pets in the lizard world. They have interesting colorations that vary from one gecko to another. In the wild, they sleep in the burrows of Pakistan during the day and come out to hunt for food during the night. When in captivity, they still do a great deal of sleeping during the day, but they tend to make several appearances throughout the day to greet their family members.
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2. Tokay Geckos
Originating from Asia, the Tokay Gecko features gorgeous orange spots on their bodies. When their mouths are closed, they look like they have big white teeth, like a human’s. These little reptiles are known for being a bit aggressive, so they are not the best choice for novice reptile owners. Once used to their environment in captivity, these geckos will warm up to their owners and start interacting regularly.
3. Crested Geckos
These little geckos don’t need extra heating, making them the perfect option for those who want to raise a pet in a bio-active terrarium. The Crested Gecko doesn’t mind being handled and will hang out on their owner’s arm all day if they have the opportunity. These geckos tend to come in colors of orange, beige, yellow, and red.
4. Lined Leaf-Tailed Gecko
These striking geckos look like wood when they remain still. Their eyes and body are designed to camouflage in with trees found in Madagascar rain forests. Although their home habit is diminishing due to deforestation, they are still numerous in the wild and captivity. Therefore, they aren’t usually hard to find and are one of the more affordable pet reptile options on the market.
5. Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko
This is another gecko from Madagascar, and their true talent is camouflaging with their surroundings. They have an extraordinary penchant for turning just about any color necessary to become part of the terrain so predators won’t find them. They can also flatten their bodies on various surfaces and show off their red mouths to try and scare predators away.
6. Giant Day Geckos
The Giant Day Gecko is a brightly colored species that is lively and friendly. These lizards typically have bright green skin with yellow or orange markings. They are fast and will try to run away from prying hands until they become tame. Once tame, they will typically allow their owner to handle them. They are never aggressive but can become shy when too much action is happening around them.
You might also be interested in: Giant Leaf-Tailed Gecko
7. Fat-Tailed Geckos
These are one of the rarer types of gecko on our list, yet they are a popular pet option around the country. They look like leopard geckos but have larger eyes and shorter tails. The Fat-Tailed Gecko is easy to care for but needs a moss box in their terrarium to help create humidity and comfort. These smart reptiles aren’t highly active, which makes them easy to observe during their waking hours.
8. Turquoise Dwarf Gecko
These gorgeously colored geckos are on the endangered species list because they naturally live in an area of Tanzania that is aggressively logged by humans and they are extremely popular on the pet-trade market. The Turquoise Dwarf Gecko is sleek, active, and prey driven, which makes them an interesting pet to observe throughout the day.
9. Frog Eyed Geckos
These are great pets for a household in cooler weather climates, but they do enjoy a humid habitat to live in. They aren’t as hardy as many of the other reptiles on our list, though, so they need consistent monitoring and daily maintenance to thrive. These aren’t the geckos to own if handling is desired, as they would prefer to be seen rather than touched.
10. Gargoyle Geckos
These interesting looking geckos look serious but are more playful than many other types of geckos on the market. They tolerate handling and attention well, but they sleep during the day, which can make it tough for the average person to observe them. They come in many different colors, including pink and yellow, but they most commonly have brown bodies.
11. Namib Sand Gecko
These geckos have extremely large eyes and limber legs that allow them to dart back and forth throughout their environments. They love to hunt for beetles and termites in their natural habitat and would prefer live prey but will accept processed food in captivity. They have a body of translucent skin that looks pink and sometimes orange in the sunlight.
- Related Read: What Do Geckos Eat in the Wild & as Pets?
Final Thoughts: What Are the Best Types of Geckos to Have as Pets?
There are many lovable geckos on this list to choose from! Most don’t want to be bothered with other reptiles in their habitats, so if you plan to own more than one gecko, make sure you have a different habitat available for each of them. They all require different levels of care too, so do your homework before deciding which of these exciting reptiles to adopt.
This is a starting point to help you decide which types of geckos might be the best fit for your household so you don’t have to spend hours researching which types of geckos make good pets in general. Which geckos on our list are you most interested in? Let us know in the comments section below.
Related Articles:
- William’s Dwarf Gecko
- Crested Geckos vs Leopard Geckos: Which Pet Should You Get?
- 6 Best Gargoyle Gecko Breeders in US, UK & Canada
Featured Image Credit: BLFootage, Shutterstock
