Tiny Gecko Sparks Conversation About Florida’s Climbing Lizards at Rookery Bay

The tiniest of tiny baby gecko recently made an unexpected appearance inside the Rookery Bay Administrative Building. The little hatchling was so young it still had a little piece of eggshell attached to its foot when staff found it roaming around inside.  

The adorable visitor sparked conversations about one of the most common cases of mistaken identity in Southwest Florida wildlife -geckos vs. anoles. While both are small reptiles often seen climbing walls, fences and trees, they are actually very different creatures with unique behaviors and survival strategies.  

Anoles are active during the day and are often spotted basking in the morning sun. The majority of geckos are nocturnal and emerge at night to hunt insects, often near porch lights where bugs are plentiful.  

Their climbing abilities are different too. Anoles have narrow toes with claws and small sticky pads that help them grip bark and rough surfaces, but they cannot cling to smooth ceilings. Geckos are famous for their wide toe pads lined with microscopic sticky fibers that allow them to effortlessly run across glass, walls and even upside down on ceilings.  

Anoles are also known for their dramatic color changes. A calm, warm anole is often bright green, while stressed or cold anoles may turn brown. These color shifts are more connected to mood and temperature than camouflage. Male anoles also display colorful throat flaps to attract mates and defend territory.  

Geckos rely on a different strategy. Most species cannot rapidly change color like anoles. They instead have natural camouflage patterns such as spots, stripes and mottled textures that help them blend into bark, rocks and nighttime shadows.  

Whether it is a tiny gecko hatchling in the office or an anole basking outside the Environmental Learning Center, these small reptiles are a reminder of the interesting wildlife surrounding the Rookery Bay work place every day.