Cheese & Pickle

Cheese and pickle are leachie geckos, they are adult and are about 3/ 4 years old, they are native to New Caledonia, they live in the tropical rainforests and often in the canopies where they find shelter in tree hollows. They can grow to about 12-15 inches and are one of the biggest species of gecko. In captivity, leachie geckos can live about 15-20 years.

By Lola Watts (Student Volunteer Ranger)

Key Facts

Nocturnal

Leachie geckos are nocturnal, so they naturally come out more at night, they are also a territorial species, so it’s recommended they are housed separately to avoid any aggression.

Frugivores

Leachie geckos are frugivores, which means they only eat fruit, they can have banana, mango, papaya, fig and apricots, they like to have exotic fruits but nothing with acidic or citrus.

Enclosure requirements

Their temperature should be around 24-28c during the day and 18-22c during the night, leachie geckos don't need to bask so they don't need a warmer/cooler side like most other reptiles. Leachies thrive in humid environments like 60-80%.

We speak!

Leachies are also one of the few reptiles that have vocal cords, if they feel frightened or threatened, they can chirp as a warning then it can evolve into a bark.

Did you know?

Did you know that alongside regenerating their tails, leachies can also regenerate lost skin? While it's known that some reptiles can regrow their tails, leachie geckos (along with other species) can also regrow lost skin too. If a leachie experiences damage to its skin, the damaged area will start to begin to heal by developing new tissue, unlike mammals that typically form a scab, a gecko's skin will regrow directly from the edges of the injury site, eventually covering the damaged area with fresh skin.

We have hairy toes!

Thats right...we are one of the only reptiles to have hair. Hair is usually a mammal trait. Our hairs, called setae and spatulae, are on our toes. They generate and electrical charge and help us stick to surfaces.