Golden gecko, Baden's pacific gecko
The golden gecko (Gekko badenii), also known commonly as Baden's Pacific gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to Vietnam.
The specific name, badenii, refers to Núi Bà Đen (Black Lady Mountain where Bà Đen is Black Lady ), to which this species is indigenous.
An insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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starts withThe golden gecko gets its common name from the gold-colored scales on its body. Males grow to around 7 to 8 inches (18 to 20 cm) in total length (including tail), while females stay around 5 to 6 inches (13 to 15 cm). Males have a longer tail base, with fleshy knobs at the base of the tail. Pores appear on the insides of the legs. Females have none of these.
G. badenii has been reported from the Tây Ninh Province and Kon Tum Province of southern Vietnam (the latter following the recognition of Gekko ulikovskii as a synonym of this species).
The preferred natural habitat of G. badenii is granite rocky areas including those in lowland rainforest, at altitudes from sea level to 986 m (3,235 ft).
The golden gecko is primarily an insectivore but will also take some fruit. The golden gecko hydrates by drinking water from rainfall collecting on leaves.
G. badenii is oviparous.
The golden gecko is not very popular in the pet trade, so most specimens are wild caught. It requires a terrarium of a minimum of 20 US gallons (about 80 litres) for an adult, though a vertical 18 in x 18 in x 24 in (about 45 cm x 45 cm x 60 cm) Exo Terra tank could accommodate an adult due to the greater space. Two golden geckos of the same sex should not be housed together because they will fight. Captive hatchlings feed daily, and adults only need food every 5–6 days. Juveniles and adults will eat crickets and meal worms, wax worms, and fruits, such as bananas and mangos, which are rich in calcium.
