The Tokay Gecko is a large Gecko native to Southeast Asia. They are quite popular in the pet trade, despite their aggressive natures. The Tokay Gecko is one of the largest Geckos.

The Tokay Gecko is primarily insectivorous, meaning they feed mostly on insects. In captivity, Tokay Geckos will eat small mice as well as insects. The name "Tokay Gecko" derives from their loud call. Tokay Geckos are solitary animals. They will protect their territory by killing anything that comes near, including other Tokay Geckos and other species of lizards. This territorial behavior ensures that each Tokay Gecko has enough food. The Tokay Gecko will bite with little provocation. The Tokay Gecko will often be seen "waving" his tongue, a mechanism used to carry scents to the palate. One of the Tokay Gecko's most useful defense mechanisms is the ability to shed its tail and regenerate it. When threatened, the Tokay Gecko will shed its tail. The tail moves rapidly for a while after it has been shed, catching the predators attention, giving the Tokay a chance to escape. The tail will regenerate completely in about three weeks, but will not look like the original. The Tokay Gecko makes hissing and croaking sounds a variety of calls that are used for breeding, communication, and intimidation. When threatened, the Tokay Gecko will hiss or croak. The Tokay Gecko is a nocturnal animal, meaning they are active at nighttime. They are arboreal, spending most of their time in trees. They generally live on cliffs and in trees in tropical rainforests. Rather aggressive, the Tokay Gecko will bite anything that comes too close, including humans. They are often considered the "pit bull of the gecko world," meaning that once they bite something they hang on for quite some time. With considerable handling some captive raised individuals may be less prone to bite, but this seems to be the exception rather than the rule. Using a glove may help prevent painful bites.

The Tokay Gecko is the largest Gecko alive today. They can reach up to 12 inches in length, although most Tokay Geckos average around eight inches. They vary in color from a pale gray background with blue spots to darker shade of gray, usually with reddish spots. The Tokay Gecko has lamellae on their toes, enabling them to climb on vertical surfaces. They can even walk on ceilings. The pads consist of tiny filaments. The Tokay's head is quite large and its body is slightly flattened and squat. They have well-defined, well-developed limbs and prominent eyes. The Tokay Gecko has a rudimentary third eye on top of their head, which they may use to determine the light conditions. Tokay Geckos have soft, velvety skin. Male Tokay Geckos are usually brighter colored than females. They are also somewhat larger. Males also usually have visible swelling around the tail because of two hemipenes. When observing a male Tokay Gecko, one can see postanal tubercules, as well as preanal and femoral pores.

The Tokay Gecko can be found throughout Asia. They range from the Indo-Australian Archipelago to northeast India. Most Tokays available as pets today are wild-caught. Tokays are very difficult to tame. They do not like being handled at all.

Tokays should be kept in an enclosure of at least 20 gallons. They should be provided with plenty of branches and plants for climbing. The ambient temperature should be about 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day with a warmer area about 90 degrees. At night the temperature should be in the low to mid 70s. They require moderately high humidity.

The Tokay Gecko can be fed insects such as crickets, grasshoppers, mealworms, and waxworms. Larger Tokays can be fed pinky or small fuzzy mice. The enclosure should be misted daily, preferably where there are leaves, so the Tokay Gecko can lick water off of the leaves. Some Tokays will not drink out of a water bowl.

When breeding, male Tokay Geckos grasp the females in their mouths during the frequent copulation. The females will lay a clutch of eggs every month or so. Tokay Geckos may eat their own eggs, especially in captivity.