Geckos are peaceful and fun pets, and they’re suitable for beginner pet owners because they don’t require much maintenance.
But if you have a gecko, you might want to learn more about your pet reptile.
So, can geckos hear? Do they have ears?
This article will answer all your questions regarding this cute animal, so let’s read to learn more about it.
Can Geckos Hear?
Geckos originally live in the desert and other desert-like habitats, so they must be highly aware of their surroundings to stay safe.
As a matter of fact, a good sense of hearing can make or break their existence in their natural habitat.
Luckily, geckos can hear different sounds, and they can also hear faint vibrations.
These sounds and vibrations can help them locate their prey underground and predators who might be hiding to feed on them.
In addition to their sense of hearing, geckos also have amazing night vision that allows them to see well since they’re nocturnal animals.
When kept as pets, geckos retain these abilities, so they can hear very well when you keep them in an enclosure.
Do Geckos Have Ears?
Geckos and other small reptiles have small heads compared to their bodies.
Although these small bodies aren’t big enough to accommodate external ears, geckos can still hear.
These small reptiles have tiny tunnels on both sides of their heads that allow them to detect different sounds and waves.
The tunnels help the gecko understand the sound’s direction, so they can stay safe in their natural habitat.
These internal ears feature the same structure found in animals with external ears.
This means that the gecko has a cochlea, a stirrup, and a tympanic membrane, which acts like an eardrum.
These ears are so sensitive that they can be affected by various factors, including temperature.
How Good Is Their Sense of Hearing?
Geckos have an excellent hearing range between 100Hz and 10kHz, enabling them to hear various sounds. A human’s hearing range is between 20Hz and 20kHz, but geckos can also detect various vibrations.
The tiny tunnels on both sides of the head allow them to detect the sound’s direction accurately since one ear drum absorbs more sound waves than the other.
Humans and other animals that have external ears use the triangulation technique to hear in stereo and determine the direction from which a sound is coming.
Geckos can accurately determine the sound’s direction by analyzing how sound waves bounce off different surfaces. This accuracy can come in handy when they’re buried underground or looking for food in pitch-black darkness.
These reptiles won’t be able to hear some low-pitched sounds that exist below their hearing range. But, they can hear high-pitched near their enclosure, like birds chirping and cats’ meowing.
They can also hear screams and banging, so they’ll react to loud sounds.
As a matter of fact, they can detect and sense vibrations better than they can detect sounds. So, if you call your pet gecko, it might not hear you, but it will definitely notice if you walk into the room or tap on its enclosure.
Can Your Gecko Hear You Speak?
The human voice comes in various ranges, and your pet gecko might be able to hear some of them.
Men’s voices come in a range between 85Hz and 180Hz, while female voices are typically higher. These can come in a range between 165Hz and 255Hz.
This means that your gecko might not hear you if you talk in a low voice, and they’re more likely to hear you if you’re shouting. They can also hear kids better than adults with deep voices.
Singing in a high pitch will definitely catch a gecko’s attention more than whispering.
Even if it can’t hear you, your gecko can still realize that you’re talking because its sensitive sense of hearing allows it to detect vibrations. So, although they might not clearly hear speech, geckos can still realize that you’re talking.
Are Geckos Sensitive to Loud Noises?
As a pet owner, you’re responsible for providing your pet gecko with a comfortable and safe enclosure.
This includes removing, limiting, and controlling all irritants and triggers that can stress and scare your gecko.
Geckos can feel uncomfortable when exposed to sudden loud sounds. But they get used to household sounds.
So, if you have a busy household and your kids keep on shouting and screaming all day long, your gecko might feel a little startled in the beginning.
With time, your pet gecko will get used to these loud sounds, and they’ll tolerate them.
Yet, if there’s a sudden sound that scares your gecko, you’ll notice that it’s acting differently. This can happen if you have a house makeover project or someone in the house is training to play an instrument.
Stress can negatively impact your gecko, so it will hide and stop eating.
If the trigger isn’t removed, the gecko will start losing weight, starting from its tail.
The gecko’s tail is essential for its health, as it stores more nutrients in the tail. So, with continuous noise, your pet might eventually lose its tail.
Why Don’t Geckos Show Reactions to Noises?
Some pet owners think that geckos can’t hear because they show no reaction to different noises. Here are some reasons why this happens.
- Geckos are nocturnal animals, so they’ll be sleeping throughout the day when most noises are likely to happen. This means that your gecko will be sleeping through noises that occur near its enclosure.
- Over time, your gecko will get used to certain sounds and vibrations. So, hearing your voice or realizing that you are opening the enclosure might not tempt them to react.
- In general, geckos are more sensitive to vibrations than sounds, so you’ll get a bigger reaction from your pet if you try to shake the enclosure or tap on it than talking to your gecko.
Do They Like Music?
Geckos are actually fond of soft and melodic music, as long as it’s not too loud. Loud music can stress your gecko because they associate loud noises with predators that are trying to attack them.
Playing the same type of music can help your gecko get used to its surroundings and identify you as a trustworthy owner.
Even if you don’t play music, you can hum while feeding your gecko, and it will learn to associate this sound with feeding time.
Loud music can startle your gecko and scare it, so it will stop eating. So, if you want to play music next to your gecko, you should follow these tips.
- Make sure that you keep the volume down.
- Choose melodic music like jazz over metal and rock.
- Play some natural noises around your gecko, as these sounds will help the animal feel at home.
Final Thoughts
Geckos don’t have external ears, but they have internal ears that help them identify various sounds and vibrations. These hearing tunnels also allow them to locate the sound’s direction.
Geckos have good hearing, but they might not hear the same sounds you can identify.
They actually like low-pitched and low-volume music and can associate pleasant music with feeding time, so they’ll feel safer around you.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Film/Video/Media Studies, as well as an associates degree in Communications. I began producing videos and musical recordings nearly 15 years ago. I am a guitarist and bassist in Southwest MI and have been in a few different bands since 2009, and in 2012 I began building custom guitars and basses in my home workshop as well. When I’m home, I love spending time with my three pets (a dog, cat, and snake) and gardening in my backyard. I also like photographing wild birds, especially birds of prey.