“This is Captain Kirk,” professor Ian Bricknell said as he lifted the gecko from his enclosure.

Twisting in Bricknell’s hand, the lizard gripped with his wide, flat toes and began crawling up the professor’s arm. The lizard measured about 10 inches from head to tail, and down each side ran a row of spines.





The crested gecko is one of the best pets for people looking to get into reptiles, Bricknell said. They’re easy to handle. They don’t require special lighting. And they eat fruit-based smoothies not live insects.