Rhacodactylus Leachianus
Common Name: Giant Gecko
 Size:
The Grande Terre Giant (Type "C" morph) can weigh just over
a pound and achieve a snout to vent length of 13 inches with
a total length of 17 inches!
The common "Type A"
morph can reach a snout to vent length of 10.5 inches and a
total length of about 15 inches.
Distribution:
The true giants of the gecko world are found in the primary
tropical forests of Grande Terre, the largest island of New
Caledonia.
The Henkel's giant
gecko is found on the Isle of Pines and surrounding islands,
south of Grande Terre.
Description:
Kings of the gecko world, the giant geckos of New Caledonia
are the largest, most vocal and among the most beautiful of
the geckos
There are currently two recognized
subspecies of giant geckos, the Grande Terre and Henkel's Giant.
There are distinct differences between the two.
 There
are currently two recognized subspecies of giant geckos, the
Grande Terre and Henkel's Giant. There are distinct
differences between the two.
Grande Terre
giants hatch out at a larger size (sometimes double) and grow
larger than the Henkel's giant. With Henkel's giant
geckos, the males usually grow as large or larger than the
females. Grande Terre specimens are the opposite with the
females reaching a larger weight and slightly longer length than
the males. Female Grande Terre giants have a more flattened head
and proportionately longer snout than female Henkel's giant
geckos.
Many Grande Terre giant geckos
develop varying degrees of bright yellow spotting. As is
typical with many giant geckos, the yellow coloration will
increase with age and may not be obvious until the animal is at
least five years old.
Vocalization: Since the
giants are the most vocal in the Rhac family, we felt it was
worth noting the different types of vocals that have been
observed.
1.) Whistles: The fact that a lizard
can produce a whistle like sound is amazing
all by itself. It comes as a
greater surprise when you discover that this
sound is usually made when holding a
specimen in your hand.
A soft, high
pitched whistle is sometimes performed by
mature animals of both
subspecies with the mouth opened so
slightly that it almost appears
closed. The purpose of this whistle
is to convey a slight level of distress.
Pet giant geckos removed from their cages
and held for too long will
commonly perform this whistle. This
is a usually a good indicator that it is
time to return the animal to its cage.
2.)
Clucks: The purpose of clucking which consists of short bursts
of cluck,
cluck, cluck, cluck, is for calling or
informing another Leachianus of one's
presence. At night, during warm
weather months, groups of leachianus
kept in one location can be quite a chatty
bunch.
3.) Growls: Captive giant geckos seldom perform the full
fledged loud growls
of wild specimens. Growls are usually
only performed when an animal is
seized by either another leachie, a human
hand or predator. The volume
is high enough to startle anyone the first
time it is heard. In the wild, the
most common circumstance that brings on
growling is at the beginning of
the breeding season when male fight and
lock their jaws onto each other.
 Longevity:
Very little
longevity information is available for this species as it has
not been bred and raised in captivity for long. Gargoyle
geckos, Rhacodactylus auriculatus, is a closely related
species and has a potential life span of more than 20 years. The
same can probably be said for New Caledonian giant geckos.
Temperature:
This species can be maintained at 25-28°C (77-82°F) during the
day and 22-24°C (72-75°F) at night. Gravid females should be
exposed to a hot spot that reaches 29°C (85°F) during the
breeding season.
Food:
Pureed baby food supplemented with vitamins and calcium can make
up most of the diet of giant geckos. T-Rex's new complete
Crested Gecko Diet or Leachianus Diet is a favorite among
breeders.
Captive Environment:
Giant geckos are primarily active on vertical surfaces and
should be provided with a tank or a screen enclosure at least
twenty inches high, preferably taller. In terms of their
enclosure requirements, giant geckos are two to three stage
lizards. Babies should be raised in five to ten gallon
tanks for their first year of life but will require at least a
twenty gallon for their secon year and adult size enclosures by
the third year. Most hobbyists prefer at least a 24 inch
tall screen cage with front opening doors of the type sold for
keeping chameleons. An advantage of screen cages is that
these geckos will readily be able to grip the sides and use them
as rest areas and for climbing. Screen cages are light and
can easily be taken outdoors for cleaning using a garden hose
with a spray nozzle attachment. For substrate we recommend
newspaper for ease of cleaning.
 Breeding:
Giant geckos
are now frequently bred in captivity. Males have pre-cloacal
pores between their hind limbs. As with crested geckos and
gargoyle geckos, breeding occurs after a period of cooling -
maximum daytime temperatures of 16°C (63°F). Breeding occurs a
few days to a week after the animals are returned to normal
temperatures. Eggs are laid approximately 5-7 weeks later. Two
to four clutches of 2 eggs may be laid in one season. Eggs
should be transferred to a container with slightly moist perlite
and incubated at a temperature of 25-27°C (79-84°F). At these
temperatures hatching will occur after approximately 90 days of
incubation.
Patience is important when breeding giant geckos. Haste to
produce babies can result in the death of breeder animals.
It is recommended that Grande Terre females
be raised to at least 8 inches SVL before pairing them with a
male.
 Pair
compatibility is a must with these geckos. Some pairs will
just not get along. Pairs are introduced in the winter or
spring. If compatible, the usual pattern is that the
female will soon show bite marks on her neck indicating that the
male has mated with her. Five to Seven weeks later, she
will usually produce a clutch of fertile eggs. Compatible
pairs will occasionally be seen sleeping together in their cork
bark hollow. With incompatible pairs, you will commonly
see one animal keeping its distance from the other. The
dominant animal will rule the cork bark and vertical surfaces of
the vivarium. Females will commonly bite off the tail of
incompatible males. | 
