Western banded gecko

Appearance

Western banded geckos are terrestrial lizards, ranging in length from 4–6 inches . Hatchlings measure 1 inch . The body is sandy coloured with dark bands broken into patches. The tiny scales give its skin a silky texture. Unlike typical geckos, it has prominent eyes with movable lids.

Behavior

The western banded gecko is secretive and nocturnal, foraging at night for small insects and spiders, and is one of the few reptiles that control scorpion populations by eating baby scorpions. If captured, they squeak and may discard their tail. As a defense mechanism, they can also curl their tails over their bodies to mimic a scorpion. Females lay up to three clutches of one to two soft-shelled eggs in the spring and summer. Emerging on warm nights around 80 degrees F, they can be seen around porch lights looking for an easy meal, retreating if the temperature rises too high or drops too low. Eggs hatch after six weeks.

Habitat

Western banded geckos are found in a wide range of habitats, including creosote bush and sagebrush desert, pinyon-juniper woodland, and catclaw-cedar-grama grass associations in the eastern part of its range and chaparral areas in the west. Their elevational range extends from below sea level to about 1,520 m asl.