Seipp's day gecko facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Seipp‘s day gecko |
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Phelsuma
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seippi
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Seipp's day gecko (Phelsuma seippi) is a special type of lizard. It is active during the day, which is why it's called a "day gecko." This gecko lives in the rainforests of northern Madagascar. It spends its life on trees and eats insects and sweet nectar. Sadly, this beautiful gecko is an endangered species.
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What's in a Name?
The "seippi" part of this gecko's name honors a German scientist. His name was Robert Seipp, and he studied reptiles and amphibians. Scientists often name new species after people they want to remember.
What Does Seipp's Day Gecko Look Like?
Seipp's day gecko is a medium-sized gecko. It can grow to be about 14 centimeters (5.5 inches) long, including its tail. Its body is usually green or yellowish-green. This gecko is slender and has a long snout.
You might see small red or rust-colored spots on its back. These spots can sometimes form lines. A rust-colored stripe goes from its nose to just above its ear. Some geckos also have a red V-shape on their head. A cool thing about this gecko is the V-shaped stripes on its throat. Its belly is a light pink color.
Where Does Seipp's Day Gecko Live?
This gecko lives in the northwest part of Madagascar. You can also find it on two nearby islands: Nosy Bé and Nosy Komba.
What is Its Home Like?
Seipp's day gecko prefers to live in natural forests. It can be found from sea level up to about 400 meters (1,300 feet) high. This gecko mostly stays in native rainforests. It avoids very bright sunlight.
It lives on trees, both deep inside the forest and along the edges. It really likes bamboo forests. Because of this, losing its bamboo home is a big problem for this species.
What Does Seipp's Day Gecko Eat?
Seipp's day gecko eats different kinds of insects. It also enjoys other small creatures without backbones, called invertebrates. Besides that, it loves to lick soft, sweet fruit. It also eats pollen and nectar from flowers.
How Does Seipp's Day Gecko Behave?
You can often find Seipp's day geckos living in pairs on a single tree. Young geckos, called juveniles, usually live in the low bushes nearby.
Reproduction
Female Seipp's day geckos lay two eggs at a time. They hide their eggs on the ground under leaves or wood. Sometimes, they lay their eggs on trees under loose bark.
If the temperature is around 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 degrees Fahrenheit), the baby geckos will hatch. This usually happens after about 45 to 50 days. When they hatch, the young geckos are about 40 millimeters (1.6 inches) long.
Seipp's Day Gecko as a Pet
If you keep Seipp's day geckos as pets, they should be housed in pairs. Their home, called a terrarium, should have lots of plants. The temperature in their terrarium should be between 25 and 28 degrees Celsius (77 and 82.4 degrees Fahrenheit). The air should be quite humid, between 75% and 100%.
In captivity, these geckos can eat crickets, wax moth larvae, fruit flies, mealworms, and houseflies.
