Common House Gecko
Hemidactylus frenatus
Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassSquamata
- FamilyGekkonidae (Typical Geckos)
- GenusHemidactylus (House Geckos)
- SpeciesHemidactylus frenatus (Common House Gecko)
In 3 days ~70% in a week >90%
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
© Jonah Gray · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:03
Taiwan · 2025
© 陳界良 · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:07
Australia · 2025
© wcrrwng · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recent sightings of Common House Gecko in Tegucigalpa
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
Cities Where Found
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Xiuying District | 🇨🇳 China | |
| 2 | Yogyakarta | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 3 | Cebu City | 🇵🇭 Philippines | |
| 4 | Hanoi | 🇻🇳 Vietnam | |
| 5 | Naha | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 6 | Makassar | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 7 | Kuching | 🇲🇾 Malaysia | |
| 8 | San Pedro Sula | 🇭🇳 Honduras | |
| 9 | Denpasar | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 10 | Surakarta | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
Closest Relatives at Tegucigalpa
No species of the same family or order lives in Tegucigalpa, so these are its closest relatives here: other reptiles.
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Common House Gecko in Tegucigalpa?
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Common House Gecko sighting in Tegucigalpa on a given day, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the most-seen of the 11 reptiles we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Common House Gecko in Tegucigalpa?
August
In that month about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Common House Gecko in Tegucigalpa on a given day, against under 5% in February–March, June and December, the lowest months. That is one of Tegucigalpa's wettest months, with about 150 mm of rain against 10 mm in January.
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 Tegucigalpa the best place to see a Common House Gecko?
21st of 60
Of the 60 cities where we can rate Common House Gecko sightings, Tegucigalpa ranks 21st at about 40%. The best odds are in Xiuying District (China, about 60%), Yogyakarta (Indonesia, about 60%) and Cebu City (Philippines, about 50%).
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 Tegucigalpa (20 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.