Origin
The Moorish Gecko, scientifically known as the Tarentola mauritanica, also has other identities such as the Crocodile Gecko. The Moorish Gecko is a petite type of gecko in the geckkonidae family that is found in many countries, mostly in the Mediterranean areas. The name Crocodile Gecko was derived from its body features full of rough scales as those found on crocodiles.
The Moorish Gecko is mostly found in the Mediterranean areas of Greece, Southern France and North Africa, with rare sightings in California. Naturally, these areas are dry rocky fields, have tree trunks, ruins, and large boulders. In the regions of human settlements, the Moorish Gecko is found mostly on stone walls and around construction sites.
Statistics and Characteristics
A typical adult Moorish Gecko can measure up to 15cm (6 inches) including the tail and can live up to 9 years if fed well and taken care of properly. This Gecko is one of the few nocturnal reptiles that are very active during the day. It can be spotted on sunny days, especially at the end of the winter period, basking near their places of refuge hence making it a very hardy species.
Moorish Geckos have a robust, heavily built body bearing a flat pointed head. The legs, tail, and the back have outstanding conic tubercles. However, when it regenerates its tail, it misses the tubercles hence tends to be smoother. It features gigantic eyes with vertical pupils and no eyelids with an obtuse mouth. The limbs are short and possess toes that are well equipped with adhesive pads along the entire length of their toe to aid them in climbing up rocks and steep surfaces.
New Hatchlings are brightly colored with some featuring transverse striping, but as they grow and mature the color fades away. Adult male Moorish Geckos feature grey coloration with a beautiful brown pattern running along the body. It also has four white marks on its shoulders.
The females on the other hand are generally grey. The ventral surface of both the male and females is immaculate white. Note that the female possess a lot of tubercular scales all over their body while their male counterparts have a few of them on the side of their body.
Diet
Moorish Geckos, like any other animal, deserves a good meal. Usually, they actively hunt down their prey especially tiny nocturnal insects that hang around lit areas. As a pet, they can be fed with all types of insects such as crickets and mealworms, which should constitute their main diet. An occasional pink mouse and wax worms for the adults are also advisable.
While feeding the Moorish Gecko, it is advisable you dust the crickets or insects with calcium prior to feeding. You should also feed the Gecko with multi-vitamins at least once a week to maintain a good healthy nutrition for your pet. Moorish Geckos need water too, which should be changed on a daily basis to prevent harmful bacteria or insects from growing in the water which are likely to harm the Gecko.
Note that you should only feed the geckos with crickets that are equal in size to the width of their head. A juvenile Moorish Gecko should be fed on a daily basis while the adults can be fed 4 times a week or also on a daily basis. On the week of hatchling, the juvenile gecko should be fed on fruit flies, pin head crickets and other tiny inspects. Note that Moorish Geckos are cannibalistic in nature; hence the juveniles should be reared on separate areas from the adults during the first few weeks of hatchlings.
Reproduction
It is difficult to sex Moorish Geckos; this is because the sexes are indistinguishable externally. However, they should be kept in true pairs in their enclosures most of the time. The females lay 2 eggs twice a year, around the months of April and June, which should be incubated at 80o F either in vermiculite or dry sand. It is advisable to allow a grace period of 2-4 weeks for cooling down in order to stimulate breeding.
However, due to natural fluctuation of temperatures during winter, it tends to slow down the process. You are therefore advised to bury the clutches of eggs in moist areas of a dampened substrate during the summer and spring. Depending on the temperatures, it may take anything from 2-4 months to have the new hatchlings. For it to mature into an adult Gecko, it may take up to 5 years in captivity and 2 years in home settlements.
Housing
Remember, in captivity, these species, especially the male are very aggressive hence only one male should be kept in an enclosure. The enclosure should not be less than the size of a 10 gallon for juveniles and a minimum of 20 gallon for adults. The surroundings should be outfitted with secure rocks and branches since the gecko is able to climb on the glass of the tank.
Note that the enclosure should be taller instead of wide, since these are an arboreal species; they require more height than floor space. It should also feature a basking spot. Despite the fact that Moorish Geckos are nocturnal, they are active during the day and should have a basking lamp with at least 80-85F and the average humidity of the entire enclosure being at least 65%.
The substrate to use can either be dry, clean sand or simply old newspaper. You can opt to provide a humid shelter or have one corner of the enclosure moist. The moist area is for preventing any shedding problems. Alternatively, you can lightly mist the enclosures in the mornings and evenings using a plant mister.
Conclusion
Moorish Geckos are very hardy hence can survive well as a pet. When kept under good conditions, and fed properly, they are disease and parasite free with only a minimal percentage of shedding problems of the skin on their toes if they aren’t subjected to a well dampened refuge area.
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