Common House Gecko

Q: What are the chances of seeing a Common House Gecko in Hong Kong?

With luck. About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common House Gecko sighting in Hong Kong on a given day, based on 41 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 21st most-seen of the 43 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.

Q: When is the best time to see a Common House Gecko in Hong Kong?

April to December. In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common House Gecko in Hong Kong on a given day, against under 5% in January to March, the lowest months.

Q: What time of day is best to see a Common House Gecko?

Between 6 and 9 pm. Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common House Gecko sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.

Q: Is Hong Kong the best place to see a Common House Gecko?

57th of 60. Of the 60 cities where we can rate Common House Gecko sightings, Hong Kong ranks 57th at about 10%. The best odds are in Xiuying District (China, about 60%), Yogyakarta (Indonesia, about 60%) and Cebu City (Philippines, about 50%).

Q: Which relatives of the Common House Gecko live in Hong Kong?

Same genus: Hemidactylus. The closest relatives of the Common House Gecko that you can see in Hong Kong (genus Hemidactylus, House Geckos) are Oriental Leaf-toed Gecko (about 20%), Garnot's House Gecko (about 20%) and Brooke's House Gecko (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Q: Where does the Common House Gecko sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records. It is estimated from how often the Common House Gecko is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Hong Kong (41 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

Hemidactylus frenatus

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassSquamata
FamilyGekkonidae (Typical Geckos)
GenusHemidactylus (House Geckos)
SpeciesHemidactylus frenatus (Common House Gecko)

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

at Hong Kong

In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%

41 Verified sightings at Hong Kong

1,836 In all 73 parks From 2019 to 2026

May Best month

🌅 Crepuscular When it's spotted

Challenge Geckos of Southeast Asian Cities Southeast AsiaEasy

About the Common House Gecko

The Common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) is a gecko native to South and Southeast Asia and Near Oceania. It is also known as the Asian house gecko, Pacific house gecko, wall gecko, House lizard, Tiktiki, chipkali and moon lizard.

The common house gecko is nocturnal, hiding during the day and foraging for insects at night. They can be seen climbing walls of houses and other buildings in search of insects attracted to porch lights, and are immediately recognisable by their characteristic chirping.

They grow to a length of between 7.5–15 cm (3–6 in), and live for about 7 years. They are non-venomous and not harmful to humans. Most medium-sized to large geckos are docile, but may bite if distressed, which might pierce skin. The common house gecko is a tropical species, and thrives in warm, humid areas where it can crawl around on rotting wood in search of the insects it eats, as well as within urban landscapes in warm climates. The animal is very adaptable and may prey on insects and spiders, displacing other gecko species which are less robust or behaviourally aggressive. In parts of Australia and Papua New Guinea they are often confused with a similar native lizard, the dubious dtella. Wikipedia →

Sounds

Recording0:10

Caribbean Netherlands · 2026

Recording0:03

Taiwan · 2025

Recording0:07

Australia · 2025

Global Distribution

Where it is recorded most Known range (GARD, Roll et al. 2017 & Caetano et al. 2022)Our parks where it lives Our cities where it lives

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Taroko National Park	🇹🇼 Taiwan	~50%
2	Tayrona National Natural Park	🇨🇴 Colombia	~50%
3	Ankarafantsika National Park	🇲🇬 Madagascar	~40%
4	Main Ridge Forest Reserve	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	~40%
5	Cuc Phuong National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	~40%
6	Cabo Pulmo National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~40%
7	Ostional Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
8	Braulio Carrillo National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
9	Daintree National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~30%
10	Palo Verde National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
11	Ría Lagartos Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
12	Khao Luang National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~30%
13	Las Baulas Marine National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
14	Raja Ampat	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~30%
15	Cat Tien National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	~30%
16	Tangkoko Nature Reserve	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~30%
17	Kinabalu Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	~30%
18	Wilpattu National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~30%
19	Khao Sok National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~30%
20	Minneriya National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~30%
21	Tenorio Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
22	Danum Valley Conservation Area	🇲🇾 Malaysia	~30%
23	Taman Negara National Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	~30%
24	Soberanía National Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~30%
25	Cabo Blanco Absolute Nature Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
26	Rincón de la Vieja National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
27	Marino Ballena National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
28	Manuel Antonio National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~30%
29	Kakadu National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~30%
30	Pico Bonito National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~30%
31	Bahía de Loreto National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~30%
32	Caroni Swamp	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	~30%
33	Henri Pittier National Park	🇻🇪 Venezuela	~20%
34	Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
35	Masaya Volcano National Park	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	~20%
36	Udawalawe National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~20%
37	Biotopo Cerro Cahuí	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~20%
38	Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
39	Gunung Leuser National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~20%
40	Kaeng Krachan National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~20%
41	Arenal Volcano National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
42	Noosa National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~20%
43	Celestún Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
44	Tortuguero National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
45	Machalilla National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~20%
46	Piedras Blancas National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
47	Carara National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
48	Chitwan National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~20%
49	Cerro Azul Meámbar National Park	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
50	Santa Rosa National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
51	Komodo National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~20%
52	Khao Yai National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~20%
53	Calakmul Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
54	Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve	🇲🇽 Mexico	~20%
55	Sinharaja Forest Reserve	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~20%
56	Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary	🇲🇾 Malaysia	~20%
57	Cahuita National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~20%
58	Tikal National Park	🇬🇹 Guatemala	~20%
59	Galápagos Islands	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~20%
60	Lago de Yojoa	🇭🇳 Honduras	~20%
61	Sepilok	🇲🇾 Malaysia	~20%
62	Yasuní National Park	🇪🇨 Ecuador	~10%
63	Doi Inthanon National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~10%
64	Cañón del Sumidero National Park	🇲🇽 Mexico	~10%
65	Bastimentos Island National Marine Park	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
66	Ningaloo Marine Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~10%
67	Springbrook National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~10%
68	La Amistad International Park (Panama)	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
69	Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
70	Parque Natural Metropolitano	🇵🇦 Panama	~10%
71	Lamington National Park	🇦🇺 Australia	~10%
72	Corcovado National Park	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	~10%
73	Everglades National Park	🇺🇸 United States	~10%

Cities Where Found

#	City	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Xiuying District	🇨🇳 China	~60%
2	Yogyakarta	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~60%
3	Cebu City	🇵🇭 Philippines	~50%
4	Hanoi	🇻🇳 Vietnam	~50%
5	Naha	🇯🇵 Japan	~50%
6	Makassar	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~50%
7	Kuching	🇲🇾 Malaysia	~50%
8	San Pedro Sula	🇭🇳 Honduras	~50%
9	Denpasar	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~40%
10	Surakarta	🇮🇩 Indonesia	~40%

Closest Relatives at Hong Kong

Hemidactylus bowringii

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Hemidactylus garnotii

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Hemidactylus brookii

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Gekko chinensis

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Gehyra mutilata

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Hemiphyllodactylus hongkongensis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Gekko gecko

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Gekko reevesii

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Trimeresurus albolabris

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Eutropis longicaudata

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Physignathus cocincinus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Lycodon capucinus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Common House Gecko in Hong Kong?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common House Gecko sighting in Hong Kong on a given day, based on 41 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 21st most-seen of the 43 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Common House Gecko in Hong Kong?

April to December

In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Common House Gecko in Hong Kong on a given day, against under 5% in January to March, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Common House Gecko?

Between 6 and 9 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common House Gecko sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.

Is Hong Kong the best place to see a Common House Gecko?

57th of 60

Of the 60 cities where we can rate Common House Gecko sightings, Hong Kong ranks 57th at about 10%. The best odds are in Xiuying District (China, about 60%), Yogyakarta (Indonesia, about 60%) and Cebu City (Philippines, about 50%).

Which relatives of the Common House Gecko live in Hong Kong?

Same genus: Hemidactylus

The closest relatives of the Common House Gecko that you can see in Hong Kong (genus Hemidactylus, House Geckos) are Oriental Leaf-toed Gecko (about 20%), Garnot's House Gecko (about 20%) and Brooke's House Gecko (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Common House Gecko sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Common House Gecko is recorded against all the reptiles logged in Hong Kong (41 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

← Back to Hong Kong

Common House Gecko

About the Common House Gecko

Sounds

Recent sightings of Common House Gecko in Hong Kong

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

Cities Where Found

Closest Relatives at Hong Kong

Oriental Leaf-toed Gecko

Garnot's House Gecko

Brooke's House Gecko

Southern Palm Gecko

Mutilating Gecko

Hong Kong Slender Gecko

Tokay Gecko

Reeves' Tokay Gecko

White-lipped Pit Viper

Longtail Mabuya

Water Dragon

Common Wolf Snake

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Common House Gecko in Hong Kong?

When is the best time to see a Common House Gecko in Hong Kong?

What time of day is best to see a Common House Gecko?

Is Hong Kong the best place to see a Common House Gecko?

Which relatives of the Common House Gecko live in Hong Kong?

Where does the Common House Gecko sighting chance come from?