Does a tokay gecko prefer bigger prey? What a two-choice study found
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · how our guides are written
The tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) is a sturdy sit-and-wait hunter, often fed a mix of crickets of varying sizes. Does it have a genuine preference, or does it simply eat whatever comes within reach? A study by Probst, Ringler and Szabo, published in the journal Behaviour, tested the question with a two-choice protocol (see the study, doi 10.1163/1568539X-bja10251). Find our other pointers in the reptile food section.
Contents · 6 sections
A choice between two differently sized crickets
The researchers presented each gecko with a pair of crickets of different sizes, with the size gap varying more or less across trials, and recorded which one was captured first as well as the time elapsed before the decision. The starting hypothesis, drawn from optimal foraging theory, predicted a systematic preference for the larger prey and a longer decision time when the choice became harder.
A preference, but only when the gap is clear
The geckos did favour the larger prey when the size difference between the two crickets was pronounced. When the gap was small, however, no clear preference emerged: the choice became essentially random between the two options.
Decision time doesn't budge
The most unexpected result concerns capture speed: contrary to the prediction, the time taken to choose did not increase as discrimination became harder. The authors see this as a sign that capture speed matters more to this ambush predator than calculating the best possible energy gain — a prey item spotted for too long also has a better chance of escaping, or of drawing the attention of a predator of the gecko itself.
What the study does not show
The test was run under laboratory conditions, with crickets as the only prey and a simplified binary choice; nothing indicates that the same trade-off applies when facing a mix of several sizes or different prey species. The study also does not measure the effect of this choice on digestion or long-term weight gain, only the immediate capture behaviour.
What this changes at feeding time
There is no need to meticulously sort every cricket before feeding a tokay gecko: the animal tells the difference perfectly well on its own when the gap is clear, and does not appear penalised by a less optimal choice when sizes are close. The pointer that actually matters remains the maximum size relative to the gap between the animal's eyes, covered in our guide on insect size by reptile age. See also our article on housing tokay geckos in pairs, a species otherwise known for its feisty temperament.
Frequently asked questions
Should you always offer the largest possible prey to a tokay gecko?
No: the safety rule remains never to exceed the width of the animal's head, whatever its apparent preference for larger prey when the gap is clear.
Does a tokay gecko refuse small prey?
Not according to this study: it captures it without noticeable hesitation as long as the gap with a larger prey item stays small. Find all our guides on the reptile hub.
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This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Reptiles universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.