The kids love him, and he gets handled quite a lot, so he is not afraid. In fact, they even took him to school once and he was really popular. Gazza eats crickets and mealworms, but his absolute favourite is locusts, which are rather like the truffles of the gecko world — a total delicacy.
Geckos store all their energy in their tails, so if they have a stubby, chunky tail, it means they’re well fed, and I can assure you Gazza eats very well. He lives in a large fish tank, with some bark and a little house to hide in, as well as some heating pads and special lighting.
Although they need specialist equipment, geckos are easy to look after — much easier than a rabbit, or hamsters. Gazza is particularly chilled out, and has a laid-back, easy-going attitude to life. He is great with the children, and you don’t have to take him for walks, which is a relief. He loves to rest in the sunshine, probably thinking about philosophy and stuff.
Our dogs get jealous of him sometimes, but Gazza takes it in his stride. He has escaped a few times and has been found lurking on the top of his cage. I have no idea how he got out, but at least he didn’t go too far.
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Geckos can live for up to 25 years, so Gazza is likely to be around for a while, which is great. I really feel that he and I have bonded. I’m convinced that he looks happy to see me when I come into the room. The Radio 1 and club DJ Seb Fontaine and his gecko, Gazza.