What Geckos Have Sticky Pads?

Geckos are the largest family of lizards and are defined by their lack of eyelids. Unlike human toes, geckos' toes bend up instead of down, and most geckos have sticky pads on their feet that allow them to climb and stick to surfaces. The leopard gecko, a popular lizard in the pet trade, is one of only a few gecko species that does not have sticky toes.

  1. Tokay Geckos

    • Tokay geckos are nocturnal with brightly colored purplish blue bodies and spots. They are popular in the pet trade but are known among hobbyists for their aggressive disposition. They are named for their distinctive vocalizations, which sound like the lizard is exclaiming, "Tokay!" The pads on their feet are made of microscopic filaments that attach to tiny indentations in glass and other surfaces.

    Day Geckos

    • Day geckos are differentiated into about 25 different subspecies, all of which have stick pads on their feet. They have strong legs and can latch tightly onto objects. They are typically bright green, with squat bodies and large, round eyes. Unlike many other species of geckos, all day geckos are diurnal, which means they are active during the day. These lizards tend to be friendly and are increasingly popular pets.

    House Geckos

    • The house gecko genus is large and includes several species of tropical geckos. These geckos are friendly and readily adapt to human contact. Small, brown anole-like house geckos are frequently sold as inexpensive pets. All house geckos have sticky pads on their toes and some house geckos have claws.

    Cyrtodactylus

    • Cyrtodactylus is a genus of geckos encompassing all geckos with bent toes. All Cyrtodactylus species have long, slim toes with sticky sections on the tips. These geckos are typically brightly-colored and live in tropical climates. They are not popular pets.

    Web-Toed Geckos

    • Web-toed geckos have webbed feet for gripping surfaces as well as sticky pads on the tips of their toes. They have long claws and live in a variety of warm, moist climates. Though typically drab-colored, some web-toed geckos have brightly colored spots and stripes.