Florida and Hawaii. It was introduced to Reunion Island in the mid-1990s and can be found in Mauritius, mainly in the northern part of the island at first, then in Floreal and in the upper Plaine Wilhems, and has since spread to such an extent that the species is considered a threat to the native biodiversity. Behaviour Like most Phelsuma species, the males can be quite quarrelsome and territorial and will not accept other males in their neighborhood. They only allow females to enter their territory. In captivity, where the females cannot escape, the males can also sometimes seriously wound a female. In this case the male and female must be separated. Breeding behavior includes, the shaking of the tail or body, vocalizing, and if the female does not accept the male she may turn a darker green. The day geckos may move slowly, but when they are startled they can move very fast. They are known for being very good at escaping their enclosures. Giant day geckos have no eyelids, so to keep their eyes clean, they lick them often. Diet These day geckos feed on various insects and other invertebrates, and occasionally have been recorded consuming small vertebrates. They also like to lick soft, sweet fruit, pollen and nectar. Geckos in the wild and in captivity have been observed consuming their own young. Reproduction The breeding season is between December and June. During this period, females can lay multiple pairs of eggs. The young will hatch after approximately 48–80 days depending on temperature. References Further reading Henkel, F.-W. and W. Schmidt (1995) Amphibien und Reptilien Madagaskars, der Maskarenen, Seychellen und Komoren. Ulmer Stuttgart. External links Giant Day Gecko Care Sheet Phelsuma Endemic fauna of Madagascar Reptiles of Madagascar Taxa named by John Edward Gray Reptiles described in 1870