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This gecko was brought to me by a friend who found it in a church. It is obviously not native to our area and I was wondering if anyone out there might be able to identify it and let me know what sort of species specific care it needs (i.e. food, environment, lighting, etc.) I really don't want it to die.

Its a Meditrreanan(spelling?)Gecko.There care is very easy this all you need:

5 to 10 gallon Tank
a hide in the tank
plants
branches
a small water dish
spray bottle
small crickets and mealworms field plankton

That is about it!
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Yeah it is a Mediterranean, Turkish, or House gecko. The scientific name (to break down the barriers of common names which vary) is Hemidactylus turcicus turcicus. They have been introduced into Florida, Texas, and isolated colonies have been found as far North as the Southern regions of North Carolina. You will want to keep it in a small enclosure so it can find the insects easily. Pet stores usually carry a 100% plastic enclosure called a Kritter Keeper. I keep baby Hemidactylus in the 1/2 gallon size (which is the 2nd size up). The one Gallons which are the 3rd size should be fine into adult hood for a single of that species. A five gallon (4th size) would be more comfortable and allows enough room for a small potted plant, such as a bromeliad or potho. You will need some calcium with vitamin D3 (Repcal is good) because their growing bones can easily be deformed while "soft." In the wild they usually get this from powdered shells. Also, mealworms are not good for this species, especially as a tiny hatchling. They do not die from the minimal pressure of "chomping" from these geckos and can scratch and bite at the lining of their esophogus (heard tales of them eating through small lizard's stomachs, but I don't believe that is possible). Crickets are a good food source throughout life, and occasional waxworms when it gets larger will be good also. Do NOT feed any crickets larger than the geckos head. You do need a clean spray bottle, for they will get 85% of their moisture from condensation on plants or the cage walls (the other 15% from food). A few large flat pieces of bark will be appreciated for hiding and climbing purposes. For a substrate (bedding) you can make a mixture (economical) of Sphagnum peat moss, potting soil (w/o Styrolite, the little white balls), and pine or cypress mulch (never cedar, the oils are bad for the respiratory tract of most reptiles). A commercial substrate called Jungle Mix is very good also. Spanish moss adds a natural feel and also retains a little humidity. The Sphagnum moss used with orchids works good for humidity levels if wettened then squeeze-drained. Mist the enclosure (wet all sides and slightly moisten the substrate) at morning and night, feed 3-4 appropriately sized crickets every day (every other day when it reaches adult size, maintain a temperature of around 75-78 with a 35 watt black light placed over one end of enclosure (they are a nocturnal species), a humidity level of 65-80%, a hiding spot away from eyes (behind one of those bark pieces laying against the side is good, and some branches for additional perches for hunting. Some artificial or live plants will help with the geckos hydration. That should provide for a happy little gecko. They can tolerate temps lower and higher, but at your geckos age any higher will dehydrate it in a few hours. They reach a total length of around 6-6.25 inches. Good luck, that is a beautiful gecko!!!
Ashton

The males have a "V" shaped looking mark between its legs where one would think their genitalia would be. Females are lacking this marking. If you have a male it is a good idea not to put another male in with it for they are territorial. Gravid (pregnant) females are easily noticed because you can see the white eggs through their skin. They usually yield 1-2 eggs at a time and maybe 2-3 clutches a year. They are easily hatched at 75-85 degrees fahrnebheit in about 60 days or less.

These geckos do not like to be handled and will drop their tails readily. Their tails grow back pretty quickly and is not a big deal for them to lose their tail. If a tail is lost I just let it go. There will be a little bloodshed, but I would not sweat it. It is one of their natural defense mechanisms.

I had a colony of about 3.8 of these. I was breeding them for friends that had lizard eating snakes. I kept them in a containers I bought at a dollar store. It is way cheaper than a critter keeper and more durable and less likely to break. I am not a huge fan of bedding material so I just used a folded paper towel because it easily cleaned. I created a hide area out of rocks. They usually hid under the paper towel. I tried to feed them mealworms, but they did not eat them. They loved crickets and small moths from outside. I fed them every other day to make sure that they would eat their food quickly. I put a small lid with calcium supplement in it and tried not get it wet when I sprayed the enclosure.

They are neat little geckoes to keep and fun to watch at night when they emerge. If you wanted to get another one look around where your friend found the gecko you have. Most likely there are more there. They colonize very well.

Okay I think between the very detailed information given by the others and my 2 centsthere is not much more that can be said about them. Keep them together not with other herp species. Many things like to eat them. Have fun. Wish I still had my colony.
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14 Leopard Gackos 5.9.0
2 Tokay Geckos 1.1.0
1 Graybanded Kingsnake 1.0.0 (on vacation in my house)
1 Baird's Rat Snake (Thanks Vadoni!) 1.0.0
1 Trachemys scripta elegans 0.0.1
coming soon...
Corn Snake, Green Anoles, crested geckos, and Yellow Rat Snakes.