The Crested Gecko (Rhacodactylus ciliatus) is a species of gecko native to southern New Caledonia (located in the Southwest Pacific, about 750 miles east of Australia). The species was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1994 after a tropical storm. The name Rhacodactylus is Greek in origin: Rhakos, meaning “spine” andDactylus meaning “finger”. The specific name, ciliatus, is Latin: Cilia means “fringe” or “eyelash” and refers to the crest of skin over the gecko’s eyes that resemble an eyelash.

Like all Rhacodactylus geckos, Bindi has webbing on her legs and digits. Crested geckos are a mostly arboreal species, preferring to inhabit the canopy of the New Caledonian rainforests, and because of this they can jump considerably well. Bindi loves to jump from one thing to another, and she is especially fond of sitting on your shoulder or your head!

Bindi is primarily nocturnal, and will generally spend the daylight hours sleeping in a secure spot in her home. The Crested Gecko, unlike many other species, will NOT re-grow its tail once lost. The cells around the base of the tail are brittle, allowing the tail to break away when threatened or caught by a predator. Bindi lost her tail quite some time ago, so you won’t see it!

Crested Geckos can be very long lived, possibly 7-10 years or more. They are usually fed crickets and a crested gecko supplement such as Repashy’s Crested Gecko Diet. Bindi enjoys her Repashy’s Crested Gecko food, although every once in a while she’ll get a cricket for a treat!

Keep watching for our posts about Bindi’s big adventures inArizona, swim tips for the week, fun activities she’s involved in, and more interesting stuff!