The New Caledonian Giant
Gecko or Leach's Giant Gecko (Rhacodactylus leachianus), is a large species of gecko first described by Georges Cuvier in 1829.
It is often commonly referred to as a Leachie gecko (plural Leachies). It is the largest of the Rhacodactylus geckos. At 14 inches (360 mm) total length, it is the largest extant gecko in the world and is considered an example of island gigantism. R. leachianus is currently being evaluated for protected status by CITES. There are three recognized subspecies of R. leachianus: R. l. aubrianus, R. l. henkeli (first described by Seipp and Obst in 1994), and R. l. leachianus.
This is a heavy bodied gecko. Its skin appears too loose for its body and it has small, stumpy tail. Female R. leachianus lay two eggs, which hatch 60–90 days after they are laid.
In captivity, males should be housed separately or as a part of a breeding pair or trio with females. Males housed together will often fight. Females are social and can be housed together. R. leachianus can live up to 20 years in captivity. This
gecko requires a large, spacious enclosure and as is the case with all arboreal species, the cage should be vertically oriented.