I found this little gecko in a bucket… sadly he was dead. I must remember to store my buckets upside down. This poor little reptile probably lived a life of ease in the humpy; hunting spiders and insects, basking in the warmth of the wood heater and hiding from the antechinus who eats the occasional gecko.

My plan was to take some photos and see if I could identify him. That has proven to be harder than it should be. I know he is not an Asian House gecko because he doesn’t have little spikes on his tail, but is he a dark version of the Robust Velvet gecko, or a Velvet gecko? We have both here. He could also be a Wood gecko?

No matter who he was, his family will be missing him. Gecko’s, like crocodiles, look after their young for some time after they hatch. Both parents guard the babies and seem to teach them to hunt on windows and near doors. I feel sad to have inadvertently ended this gecko’s life, especially since he seems to have died of dehydration waiting for me to help him. This will hopefully serve as a trigger to remember to store containers upside down in future.