DAY GECKO
- A brilliantly colored, small species of gecko only reaching 4.5 – 6 inches in length.
- Native to the island of Madagascar, but has recently been introduced to the islands of Hawaii.
- Day geckos are a beautiful lizard that should be kept as a visual pet only; they have very sensitive skin which can tear easily and tend to stress quickly during handling.
Diet
A staple diet for day geckos is small-medium sized crickets and small feeder roaches offered at least 3-4 times per week. Waxworms may also be offered once or twice a week as treats. Day Geckos can also be offered Crested Gecko Diet a few times a week.
A calcium/vitamin D3 supplement should be dusted over the crickets at least twice a week to ensure proper vitamin intake for your gecko. Prey should also be gut loaded prior to feeding to your pet.
Though day geckos prefer to drink water droplets from plants and other décor, a dish of fresh water should still be available at all times.
Housing
A ten gallon cage or 12x12x18 or larger terrarium is sufficient for one adult day gecko, though bigger is always better to provide space to maneuver. These geckos are mostly arboreal and like to spend their time in trees and shrubbery, so provide plenty of decorations such as plants, cork bark, drift wood, and rocks to give your day gecko areas to climb and hide. Soil type substrates are the best choice for day geckos. Day geckos can be quite territorial. Smaller, weaker individuals may be subject to chasing and nipping, therefore if more than two adults are being housed together they will need a 20 gallon or larger cage to avoid disputes and injuries.
Temperatures should be in between 85 - 90º F on the warm side and mid to high 70’s on the cool side in order to provide a proper thermal gradient. Night temperatures can drop in the low 70’s and supplemental heat is not needed. If room temperature is below 70 º F at night a low wattage (about 50 watts) infrared or black night bulb can be used. Lights should be kept on 8-12 hours a day. High humidity is very important for day geckos and enclosures should be allowed to fluctuate daily between 60-80% humidity levels.
It is recommended to set up as natural a terrarium as possible for day geckos; they will be much happier and have brighter coloration if kept in a naturally, and heavily planted, terrarium with plenty of exposure to UVB lighting.
Handling & Care
Day geckos have very sensitive skin that may tear easily if handled too roughly or too often. They also may drop their tails if stressed. Though their tails will regenerate, they will never look the same as the original, so extra care should be taken to keep your gecko in one piece! This species of gecko is recommended to be kept strictly for visual enjoyment and should be handled as infrequently as possible.
Spot cleaning by removing feces once a week will ensure a healthy, clean environment but bedding should be thrown away and the entire cage and decorations wiped clean once every month.
Wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap after handling any animal.
