Asian House Gecko

At Sydney Snake Catcher we are starting to get more calls about Asian House Geckos from homeowners who have noticed an unfamiliar gecko hunting moths around their porch light.

What is the Asian House Gecko?

The Asian House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) is an introduced, non-native gecko species originally from South-East Asia. It has become one of the most successful invasive reptile species in the world, hitching rides on shipping containers, in cargo and in luggage. In Australia it is now firmly established across the tropical north and is steadily spreading south.

• Snout-vent length: approximately 55mm
• Total length: approximately 115mm
• Conservation status: IUCN Least Concern (in its native range)
• Status in Australia: Introduced, naturalised
• Activity: Nocturnal, active year-round in warm climates

How to identify an Asian House Gecko

The Asian House Gecko looks markedly different from Sydney's native geckos. Where the Broad-Tailed Gecko is flat, grey and cryptic, the Asian House Gecko is slender, pale and built for vertical climbing on smooth surfaces.

• Slender, agile body shape
• Granular skin texture
• Small spines running along the tail
• Colour varies from pale pinkish-grey to light brown
• Often mottled, with a white belly
• Long toes with distinct adhesive pads, allowing it to climb almost any vertical surface including glass
• Frequently seen on walls near outdoor lights at night

The other giveaway is the call. Asian House Geckos are vocal in a way that no native Australian gecko is. The distinctive chirping or clicking sound at night is often mistaken for a cricket, but once you have heard it identified, you will never confuse it again.

Where do Asian House Geckos live in Sydney?

The Asian House Gecko is overwhelmingly an urban species. Unlike many native geckos that need specific habitat features, the Asian House Gecko thrives wherever there are buildings, lights and warmth. In tropical regions of Australia they can number in the hundreds on a single building.

In Sydney we are seeing them in:

• Crevices of buildings and external walls
• Sheds, garages and carports
• Letterboxes and electrical boxes
• Under bark on trees in suburban gardens
• Around outdoor lighting where insects gather
• Disturbed urban edge habitats

Their tropical origins mean they are most successful in warmer microclimates — north-facing brick walls, areas around hot water systems, and buildings that retain heat overnight. Sydney's progressively warmer summers and milder winters are making the city steadily more hospitable to them.

Behaviour and the chirping call

The chirping is unmistakable once you know it. Male Asian House Geckos make a series of short, sharp chirps in rapid succession — typically chick-chick-chick-chick-chick — used for territorial display and to attract females. They call most frequently on warm, humid nights.

They are extremely agile climbers, using specialised toe pads that work via van der Waals forces to grip even smooth glass and painted surfaces. They will often be seen hanging upside down on ceilings near outdoor lights, picking off moths and other insects as they arrive.

Breeding and reproduction

Part of what makes the Asian House Gecko such a successful invader is its reproductive efficiency:

• Clutch size: Two small, hard-shelled eggs
• Nest sites: Secure, hidden locations — wall cavities, behind cladding, in roof spaces
• Frequency: Multiple clutches per year in warm regions
• Communal egg laying: Known to share nesting sites, sometimes resulting in concentrations of dozens of eggs in a single cavity
• Development: Eggs hatch in 6–10 weeks depending on temperature

The hard-shelled eggs are unusual among Australian geckos and are part of why the species transports so well — eggs survive long sea voyages tucked into cargo crevices.

The problem with Asian House Geckos

The Asian House Gecko is not just an interesting newcomer. It is a genuine ecological concern. The species is highly adaptable and can outcompete native geckos for food, shelter and breeding sites. In tropical Australia, native geckos such as the Dtella (Gehyra species) have been pushed out of buildings and even some natural habitats by the sheer numbers of Asian House Geckos.

What this means for Sydney:

• Native species like the Broad-Tailed Gecko and Lesueur's Velvet Gecko could face increased competition as the Asian House Gecko expands its range south
• Eggs and juveniles transported in cargo, building materials, indoor plants and second-hand goods accelerate the spread
• Once established in a building, populations are extremely difficult to remove

Are Asian House Geckos dangerous?

To humans and pets, no. They have no venom, no significant bite, and they actively avoid contact with people. They will not damage your home structurally, though their droppings can be a nuisance on walls and outdoor furniture.

The danger they pose is ecological, not physical. They are a slow-burning threat to Australia's native gecko fauna, particularly in the species' current expansion zone.

What to do if you find an Asian House Gecko at your home

This is one of the few reptile species in Sydney where active removal is genuinely worth considering. If you find Asian House Geckos around your home and you are south of their established range, removing them helps slow the spread.

Practical steps:

• Reduce outdoor lighting at night to discourage them, or switch to yellow or warm-toned LED bulbs that attract fewer insects
• Seal cracks and crevices on external walls where they shelter and lay eggs
• Check building materials, indoor plants and shipping cartons for hitchhikers, especially if you have recently moved from Queensland
• If you find eggs in a wall cavity, removal is appropriate — they should not be relocated, as Asian House Gecko eggs released in the bush continue the spread

What you should not do:

• Do not assume every gecko you see is an Asian House Gecko. Most geckos in Sydney are native species and should be left alone. Correct identification matters.
• Do not use insecticides or sticky traps. These kill native species too and have wider environmental impacts.

How to tell the difference from a native gecko

The simple visual test: native Sydney geckos are typically darker, more cryptically patterned, and lack the pinkish-pale base colour of the Asian House Gecko. The Broad-Tailed Gecko (Phyllurus platurus) is flattened and grey. The Asian House Gecko is slender and pale, with toe pads designed for smooth surfaces. And of course, no native Sydney gecko makes that chirping call.

If in doubt, photograph it and send it to a licensed reptile catcher or the Australian Museum for identification before taking any action.

Summary

The Asian House Gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) is the global gecko equivalent of the cane toad — a successful invader that has spread further and faster than anyone expected. Its arrival in Sydney is a sign of broader environmental change, and a reminder that the city's reptile fauna is not static. Identifying it correctly is the first step in deciding what, if anything, to do about it.

Need a reptile identified or removed in Sydney? Sydney Snake Catcher operates 24/7 across the Greater Sydney region. We are fully licensed and insured, and we can identify and manage both native and introduced reptiles. Call 1300 599 938.