From reading various texts on Tokay Geckos it becomes apparent how many people list the colour changing capabilities of Tokays. What is usually said is that they are nice and bright in the vivarium but when handled darken down considerably. I have found the total opposite and this could be just to do with the colour morph Tokays. All of the colour morphs except the high whites (Calico and Patternless Axanthic) brighten up when handled. To complete the colour change usually takes from 3-4 minutes. Warwick, Frye and Murphy discuss what is called ‘emotional fever’ where an animal can raise its core body temperature by 6 degrees during times of handling stress. Could the increase of temperature play a part in the colour change?
It seems strange to me that this colour change takes place in only my lizards at not normals, as the colour phases which change up rather than down when handled have melanin same as a normal and one would expect the colour change to follow suit. When ‘free’ handling a Chameleon for example it is quite common for the brightest colours to be exhibited as the animal using colour communication wishes to exert some form of dominance. Once the chameleon has been forcibly restrained the colour deepens to black. Now as most Tokay Gecko keepers know if you have a run of the mill wild Tokay Gecko you will be restraining it or it will be hung of your finger end! Yet the colour stays bright – is this because of the Tokay Geckos never say “die” attitude?
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