During about 2002, I became involved with the reptile folk of Northern California. I had decided, because I had so many reptile and amphibian drawings, I would try my hand at selling them at a reptile show. I was greeted with much enthusiasm and suggestions, as at this time I had only drawn one snake and had no idea how popular some animals were. During this time, I became friends with people like Julie Bergman, who owns and operates Gecko Ranch. She and others like her suggested species of geckos to add to my library. I also met Roman Moniz, who commissioned me to draw some of the species he was breeding (the Rough Knob-Tailed and the Banded Knob-Tailed.) Traveling to Hawaii I enjoyed watching the day geckos run around the house we rented. I haven't added another gecko to the collection in a few years, and am overdue to do so. If you would like to make a suggestion, please send me an email.
Geckos are lizards that belong to the family Gekkonidae. They are only found in warm climates. Unlike other reptiles, geckos can make vocalizations by chirping in which they can interact with other geckos. Geckos represent the largest family of lizards with over 2,000 identified species. Geckos are able to drop their tails if they are attacked by a predator in order to confuse them (the tail will continue to wriggle after the gecko has made it's escape. These active lizards are some of the most colorful animals in the world, with many of the species having purples, neon greens, reds, blues and yellows. Geckos are very popular in the pet trade and thousands of people worldwide own and/or breed them. Geckos adapt very well to virtually any warm environment, and because of this they have established themselves in many areas they are not native to, such as Hawaii and Florida in the US. Geckos are able to crawl up and cling to virtually any surface due to the special adaptation in their toes. Some cultures believe that to have a gecko in your house is a good omen.

