Giant Gecko Chronicles: Our Adventures with New Caledonia’s Muppets!

The Muppet Cast:

We swear, Leachianus geckos are like living, breathing Muppets. Imagine a creature with a chunky, soft body wrapped in loose, velvety skin, all decked out in a palette of mossy greens, earthy browns, and playful grays. Their expressive, almost cartoonish faces and oversized, adorable eyes give them a puppet-like charm that’s utterly unreal. You can’t help but grin every time you see one!

Our discovery was only amplified when a familiar ball python breeder – Mythical Exotics - the same one behind our lovely young Wanda pickup (more on her in another blog!) - posted a slew of photos showcasing different New Caledonian island locales for these incredible geckos. Before we knew it, we were hooked. Enter Grogu, our Grand Terre High Color baby boy, who stole our hearts with his spunky little charm. Kiley wanted to name him Dairy King, but it was Daddy’s turn, who is also a Star Wars nut, and hence forth we shall call you Darth… Um, no, no, no - just Grogu.

(Baby Grogu - Male Leachianus Gecko Grand Terre High Color)

But why stop there? A couple of months later, summer rolled in, and so did our next addition - a stunning Grand Terre High Color baby girl. The moment we laid eyes on her, Kiley couldn’t resist naming her Dairy Queen, a sweet nod to her all-time favorite summer treat spot. And let’s not overlook the fact that she still refers to Grogu as Dairy King, so we now have a royal pair. These baby Muppets are impossibly adorable, waddling around their enclosures with their oversized eyes and squishy little bodies, like tiny puppets brought to life. When we take them out, they just perch in our hands and take in their surroundings – I am sure with a bit of apprehension as even know they are known as Giant Geckos – us Humans are the real Giants in their cute little eyes!

Now, don’t let their playful appearance fool you. Leachianus geckos pack a big personality along with their impressive size. These Muppet-like critters grow quite large, and with that comes a mighty bite. Trust us when we say that an adult Leachianus gecko’s chomp can pack quite the punch so early, gentle handling is a must if you want to avoid raising a feisty fiend with an ill temperament.

(Baby Dairy QUeen - Female Leachianus Gecko Grand Terre High Color)

And here’s one more thing you won’t learn until you do your own research: these geckos can POOP like nobody’s business. Seriously, if you think bearded dragon poop is an ultimate stinker, prepare yourself - the Leachianus gecko’s messy deposits are in a league of their own. Peeeeeee... Ewwwww!

So, whether you’re in it for the adorable, puppet-like charm or the thrill of keeping such a unique, sizeable reptile, take it from us - our adventure with Leachianus geckos has been wonderfully wild and sometimes unexpectedly messy. They’re not just pets, they’re a quirky, captivating journey into the unexpected, and we’re here for every minute of it. Stay tuned for more tales from our terrariums, including the saga of our very own Wanda and the trials and triumphs of gecko parenting. Until then, enjoy our own personal Muppet movie magic!

How we keep our Royal Leachies:

1. Enclosure: At some point, when they grow larger, we will house them in something like a PVC or glass 24”x24”x24” (or 36”) front opening enclosure. Currently, while they are smaller – although they are growing FAST – we house them in the same simple tub setup that Potato is in. Just a Sterlite 12-quart tub, with holes drilled into the sides and top. Simple paper towel substrate, multiple cork bark hides, and some fake plants. All this to ensure they are eating healthily, pooping regularly, and to introduce handling. They each have their very own tub setup as it's not kosher to house them together at a young age.

Fun Fact:

Leachianus Geckos can be paired up once they come of age for breeding. You have to be extra careful and watch them to learn whether they will tolerate each other or not. The situation of pairing can be quite violent, and that is typical even while breeding. However, if you observe them be overly violent you must separate them ASAP! If they do bond and mate, they typically become monogamous with each other. Heck it's not uncommon for a female to freak out on a male if she detects another female scent on him in the wild! Leachies may as well have their own version of the show Cheaters!

2. Heating & Lighting: Most say Leachies do not require much. Just room temperature around 70-80 degrees, and a normal day/night cycle with whatever room you are in whether its ambient room light or shades open windows. We stick a 10-gallon Zoo Med under the tank heat mat to one side, on a thermostat, to create a basking zone in the mid-80s. You must be careful as Leachies can overheat! Eventually we will place them in Bioactive larger enclosures as mentioned above, and we will provide LED light, a basking Deep Heat Project, and a low level UVB bulb. They require around 60-70% humidity so this is handled by misting once a day currently.

3. Diet: Simple – they eat Crested Gecko Diet. Which is the same fruit puree that Potato eats. We also feed them a selection of small Dubia roaches once a week as a treat. A simple water bowl is also added, but they generally choose to lick water from the sides of their tub or fake plants after misting.

Great Resources:

Bioactive Supplies – The Bio Dude or NEHERP.

Care Guides - ReptiFiles and Dakatoh Blue Exotics.