Common House Gecko Facts for Kids – The Lizard That Lives with Us

Scientific Name and Classification

• Common Name: Common house gecko
• Scientific Name: Hemidactylus frenatus
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Chordata
• Class: Reptilia
• Order: Squamata
• Family: Gekkonidae
• Genus: Hemidactylus
• Species: H. frenatus

🦎 Introduction

The common house gecko is a small lizard that lives near people. It hunts insects around lights at night. It has spread to many warm places worldwide.

🦎 Appearance

Small, soft body 3–5 in (7–13 cm) long. Pale gray to brown with small spots. Large eyes with vertical pupils. Toes have pads for climbing walls and glass.

🌍 Habitat

Houses, gardens, sheds, and city walls. Warm tropical and subtropical regions. Hides in cracks by day and hunts at night.

🍽 Diet

Eats moths, mosquitoes, flies, and small roaches. Helps control pests. Uses quick bursts to grab prey near lights.

🔄 Life Cycle

Females lay two small, hard-shelled eggs. They hide eggs in crevices. Eggs hatch in 1–2 months. Young grow fast in warm weather.

🐾 Behavior and Social Structure

Nocturnal and active on walls and ceilings. Males call with chirps. Can drop the tail to escape and grow it back.

🛡 Conservation Status

Not threatened globally. In some areas it is invasive and competes with native geckos. Avoid releasing pets outdoors.

🎭 Cultural Significance

Familiar urban lizard in many countries. Often welcomed for eating bugs. Its chirps are a common nighttime sound.

✨ Fun Facts

• Can cling to smooth glass with toe pads.
• Eyes have no eyelids; it licks them clean.
• Makes chirping calls at night.
• Tail can detach and wriggle to distract predators.

📌 Key Takeaways

• Small nocturnal gecko found near people.
• Great at pest control around lights.
• Lays two hard-shelled eggs in cracks.
• Toe pads allow wall and ceiling climbing.
• Sometimes invasive; protect native species.

🐾 Kid-Friendly Summary

House geckos are tiny lizards that hunt bugs at night. They climb walls and make little chirps. They are helpful but should not be released in new places.

📚 Vocabulary Words

• Nocturnal – Active at night.
• Invasive – A non-native species that causes harm.
• Crest – A raised ridge (some geckos have small ones).
• Crevice – A narrow crack.
• Pest – An animal that bothers people or crops.
• Regenerate – To grow back a lost body part.
• Vertical pupil – A pupil shaped like a slit.
• Toepad – A sticky pad that helps grip surfaces.

🧠 Interactive Quiz: Test Your House Gecko Knowledge

1. When is the house gecko most active?
   • A. Morning
   • B. Noon
   • C. Night
   • D. Winter only
2. What does it eat?
   • A. Leaves
   • B. Insects near lights
   • C. Fish
   • D. Rocks
3. True or False: House geckos have eyelids.
   • True
   • False
4. How many eggs are in a typical clutch?
   • A. One
   • B. Two
   • C. Ten
   • D. Fifty
5. What special skill helps them climb?
   • A. Suction cups
   • B. Toe pads
   • C. Magnets
   • D. Spikes