Bibron's gecko

Bibrons thick-toed gecko ( Chondrodactylus bibronii )

Bibrons thick-toed gecko ( Chondrodactylus bibronii, syn. Pachydactylus bibronii ) counts within the family of geckos ( Gekkonidae ) to the genus Chondrodactylus. Was scientifically described the species in 1846 by the Scottish scientist Andrew Smith. The scientific name honors the French zoologist Gabriel Bibron.

Features

Bibrons thick-toed gecko reaches up to 18 cm body length. It has a strong, slightly stocky physique with a rounded and slightly thick tail and wide head. The eyes are large, shiny gold with vertically slit pupil, the legs are long and wide toes have well-trained friction mount. On the back of the head and back light and dark Tuberkelschuppen are recognizable. Males on the one hand differ by a slightly bulkier head of the females, on the other hand by the bright Tuberkelschuppen, ranging in males up to the base of the tail, in females only to about the middle of the body. The base color ranges from brown and gray to dark transverse bands are emerging across the entire back and tail.

Way of life

Bibrons thick-toed gecko is a night and twilight Active, mostly climbing lizard, who is staying in the branches of trees and bushes or between stones and rocks. Often the kind hidden under bark or burrows under rocks in the bottom one. Water is leaking in the form of drips and condensation. After mating, a female lays two round, white and hard-shelled eggs, which are attached for example to a tree. The young hatch after 8 to 9 weeks. Chondrodactylus bibronii chasing various insects, such as crickets, cockroaches, darkling beetles and their larvae but also spiders. In captivity, the average life expectancy is up to 10 years.

Dissemination

The distribution area of Bibrons thick-toed gecko is in southern Africa in the Cape Province of South Africa and southern Namibia, where preferably semi-arid savannas and steppes are populated with trees. Synanthropic he penetrates into human settlements, where he often resides on house walls.

Terrarium

Bibrons thick-toed gecko should at temperatures 22-28 ° C ( locally up to 35 ° C, at night about 22 ° C) and a relative humidity of about 60 % (rising at night) are maintained in a high terrarium with sufficient climbing and hiding places.