What Do Geckos Look Like?

With over 1,000 species of geckos in the gecko family Gekkonidae, it's not surprising many of these reptiles share common physical characteristics. From their special toe adaptations to enable vertical climbing to their ever expanding tails, the features of a gecko have significant purposes.
    • Geckos come in a variety of colors to camouflage into their environment.

    Eyes

    • Sleeping during the day is the norm for nocturnal geckos, which have long slit-style pupils that resemble a keyhole. Activity during the day is common for geckos with round pupils, similar to humans' pupils.

    Toes

    • Covered in dozens of flaps of skin, geckos' toes are covered with many tiny hairs. Attached to the hairs are tiny pads that enable many species of geckos to climb vertically, hang upside down and adhere to smooth surfaces.

    Tail

    • Used to store fat and nutrients, geckos' tails change size and shape. Puffy, thick tails indicate healthy geckos, while slender tails are common for geckos without much stored fat.

    Skin

    • Covered in skin that helps them camouflage into their environment, geckos come in shades of brown, green, yellow and black.

    Size

    • Geckos vary in length depending on their type, ranging from just a few inches at birth to up to 12 inches as an adult.