Ocelot gecko

The ocelot gecko, Paroedura picta, is a small ground-dwelling gecko native to the forests of Madagascar, where it lives in the leaf litter. It is crepuscular, meaning it is most active at dusk and dawn, and it feeds exclusively on insects. In the wild it is brown with black markings, and some individuals carry a white stripe down the back. Captive breeding has produced several colour forms, including hypo, orange, anerythristic and amelanistic yellow animals. Adults usually reach four to six inches in length, and a few well cared for males grow to about eight inches, which makes the species smaller than the average gecko. It is not a true climbing gecko, although it can scale some surfaces. The species is also a popular pet that does well in captivity, dislikes handling and may bite if frightened, and it can live six to ten years under human care. It is also called the pictus gecko, panther gecko, fat-headed gecko, Madagascar ground gecko and Malagasy fat-tailed gecko.