Okavango dwarf gecko facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Okavango dwarf gecko |
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Lygodactylus picturatus subsp. chobiensis FitzSimons, 1932 |
The Okavango dwarf gecko is a tiny lizard. It is also called the Chobe dwarf gecko. Its scientific name is Lygodactylus chobiensis. This gecko lives near the Chobe River and Zambesi River. You can find it in the Okavango Delta. It also lives in countries like Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Zambia.
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Meet the Okavango Dwarf Gecko
This gecko is considered a large dwarf gecko. It usually measures about 25 to 30 millimeters long. That's about the length of a small paperclip! Male geckos are a little bigger than females.
What Does It Look Like?
The Okavango dwarf gecko has a blue-grey back. It is covered with light-colored spots. Its belly is a bright yellow. Male geckos can have a black or pale yellow throat. They also have two dark V-shaped marks.
Life Cycle of the Gecko
These geckos grow up quickly. They become adults when they are about 9 months old. They usually live for about 18 months.
Where Does the Okavango Dwarf Gecko Live?
The Okavango dwarf gecko mostly lives in trees. This means it is an arboreal animal. You can often spot it on tree trunks. Sometimes, it might even be found on buildings.
Its Home Environment
It lives in tropical savannas. These are areas with lots of grass and scattered trees. It also lives in flooded grasslands. These are grassy areas that get wet often.
Favorite Trees
This gecko likes to find food high up in trees. It often hangs out on acacia trees. You might also see it on baobab and mopane trees.
What Does the Okavango Dwarf Gecko Eat?
The diet of the Okavango dwarf gecko is quite simple. They mainly eat small insects. Their favorite foods are ants and termites.
Reproduction and Young Geckos
Okavango dwarf geckos can have babies all year long. They lay two eggs at a time. These eggs have hard shells. Each egg is about 5 by 6.5 millimeters in size.
Where Eggs Are Laid
The female gecko lays her eggs every 8 weeks. She hides them in safe places. This can be under tree bark. Sometimes, she uses old termite mounds.
Hatching Time
The eggs take about 125 days to hatch. That's a little over four months! When the young geckos hatch, they are very small. They are only about 30 millimeters long.
