**Gecko in the Garden.** *Geckos. I love them. So much so, that I thought I would paint one. This painting is another one of my creative projects which has helped me fill in the hours whilst isolating at home, during the Covid-19 restrictions.* *I thought I'd share some interesting facts about these cute little animals in between my images.* *Geckos eyes are up to 350 times more sensitive at night than human eyes which makes them very effective as nocturnal hunters.* *They have no eyelids and cannot blink. But that is where their long tongues come in handy as they use them to lick away grit and dirt etc and more importantly, keep their eyes moist.* *Geckos love hiding in the bark of tress during the daytime.* *Here is my original painting:* ![image.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmPE7r7Rm4h2EpW7MQQpUhmGwLVCj4pQdjzT29Hxq1zVV6/image.png) *Geckos are known for their ability to communicate extremely well within the reptile world and apart from legless lizards, they are the only lizards able to make noises. The chirruping sounds that they make, attracts mates or forewarns other geckos that they have trespassed into their territory.* *They also use body language to get their message across. They will gape at a threat, open their mouths wide to make them appear larger than they are (and hopefully more dangerous) and they wave their tails as a signal to fellow geckos and as a distraction to predators.* *I just can't help myself. I edit an original photograph and even if I am happy with the result, the digital effects lover in me wants to see other versions. This is my 'Purple Version.'* ![image.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQnby78A1y2kDvCE1EjkfivQjPRbSpp5cgdric3BKUw2W/image.png) *If a gecko is grabbed, it will drop its tail, to break it deliberately at a special point called a fracture point. This causes the muscles around the tail to then squeeze the blood vessels, which prevents the gecko from bleeding to death. Quite an amazing fete when you think about it.* *What happens next, is their tails grow back minus any bones and often it will be a different colour than the original one.* *Here is my Lime Green and Slate Grey Version. I added a soft garden frame on the outer edges of my painting which gave it an extra dimension.* ![image.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmQypdWo5dckqCKP1G2SKbZaHy7xu1LZwPpkJBn77Y2n3S/image.png) *The specialized pads beneath their a geckos feet enables them to cling to smooth surfaces (such as windows) and this ability allows them to escape from predators and search for prey that other lizards cannot catch.* *Geckos can be territorial, and I have often seen them around various homes I have lived in within Australia. Household geckos are a blessing in that they eat cockroaches, spiders and mosquitoes.* *This is my Blue Version.* *N.B. I'd love to know which one you prefer.* ![image.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmbDVbYDfNaHsP5TSLfQg2c3PX2uqYJg6xZpjEd2Ptnheb/image.png) *A handy hint: If you leave an outside light on, geckos will be attracted by the gathering moths and other insects. In this lighting, you can study the appearance of geckos more closely and when you do, you will see how translucent their skin is and how big their eyes are.* *And for those of you who enjoy Monochrome images...…….. this one is for you.* ![image.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmcGM5wwVwFTn9geR6GCpXqEANxmXRpwebHScQphWLvbWk/image.png) *[Source:[(https://www.backyardbuddies.org.au/backyard-buddies/gecko)* **THANK YOU FOR VIEWING. HAVE A GREAT DAY.** ![image.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmafMxG92TomkJtok2Ruz4Rk3RWagsXxiWTGjnEnp9g5t2/image.png) ![image.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmVkqwmCa6vjq6o5vzKBhC3t2kM6KYWd3rdn31od3d6qfy/image.png) ![image.png](https://cdn.steemitimages.com/DQmSmor5uaaAQKLZxKBwnFVjapYahqZzH4vWkT8sZGRmNe3/image.png)