Interesting! This looks like a
Southern Spiny-tailed Gecko (Strophurus intermedius), a relatively
slow-moving, semi-arboreal gecko I wouldn’t usually associate with fly-screens.
Steve
From: Geoffrey Dabb [
Sent: Thursday, 4 November 2010 5:59 PM
To:
Subject: RE: [canberrabirds] OT: Geckos in Canberra
Snaps from Oolambeyan a few years ago of a gecko waiting
for insects on a fly-screen. Reminded me of the pinkish ones in PNG where
you could have half a dozen running up walls and even across the ceiling
chasing moths. Chonk-onkle-onk-onkle. They were best regarded as household
pets. Every now and then you would experience a faint smell of something dead
which could usually be traced to a squashed and decaying gecko that had chosen
the crack between an open door and the frame on the hinge side for its daytime
resting place. All different with air conditioning now, I suppose.
-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Holliday [
Sent: Thursday, 4 November 2010 5:14 PM
To:
Subject: OT: Geckos in Canberra
Hi Paul
Marbled Gecko is by far the more likely species, judging
from the number of
people I know who have seen them they seem quite common
in some parts of
Canberra. They are regular at our place in Ainslie.
Stone Gecko is less likely to be in gardens, I have only
seen them in rocky
areas in hilly country in the north of the ACT, although
they have also been
recorded on Black Mountain and Red Hill. They are
strictly terrestrial,
unlike Marbled Geckos which happily cling to windows and
walls, and even
upside down under eaves.
Marbled Geckos don't habitually call, I think it is
mainly tropical species
that have this ability - the Asian House Gecko for
example is a rather noisy
little thing.
cheers
Steve
