* This page is currently under construction. Please check back at a later date for our completed care guide. In the meantime, we are making the information viewable while we add to it as a service to customers with care questions.
A condensed version of this page is available as a starter guide to customers who purchase geckos from us at shows.
A condensed version of this page is available as a starter guide to customers who purchase geckos from us at shows.
New Caledonian Gecko Species Care Guide
These are the basic guidelines for keeping the five larger New Caledonian gecko species we work with that we have determined to ensure the best health and longevity of our geckos. We are continually working to improve our husbandry practices using the best available research.
You may find differing opinions and alternative practices that work for others, however there is a lot of misinformation out there and many outdated sources. Please do as much research and gather information from as many reputable sources as possible, only use husbandry methods that have research and proven results to back them up, and use caution when seeking advice in forums, blogs, Youtube videos, online care guides, books and Facebook groups. Always check the validity of sources and the qualifications and experience of the person giving out information.
Housing
Providing an appropriately sized enclosure is important for ensuring that your gecko remains healthy. Too large of an enclosure can stress a gecko, especially babies and young juveniles, and cause the gecko to stop eating. A variety of different enclosures may be used - from plastic critter keepers to glass terrariums, and can be as elaborate or simple as desired as long as basic care guidelines are followed.
Use the following guide to determine the ideal size of enclosure needed for your gecko:
Baby: medium to large critter keeper or 5 gallon tank
Larger juvenile: 12x12x18 terrarium or 10 gallon tank
Adult: 18x18x18 terrarium or 20 gallon tank
Pairs or trios: 18x18x24 terrarium or 30 gallon tank (Larger enclosures may be used, however additional hiding, climbing and feeding areas are often required to make the geckos feel secure in a larger space.)
These geckos are arboreal and appreciate enclosures with more climbing area that ground area. Tall, front-opening terrariums work well for juveniles and adults.
* We recommend the simplest setups for beginner keepers as these make monitoring and maintaining the health of your gecko easiest. Though we use both naturalistic and bioactive enclosures in our facility, there are many aspects of setting up and maintaining these more complex enclosures that may prove frustrating, costly and difficult for inexperienced keepers or that can add unnecessary risks to a gecko's health when done incorrectly. Naturalistic and bioactive enclosures are also inappropriate for use as quarantine enclosures as they cannot be sanitized without disrupting the integrity of the enclosure nor can it be ensured that the soils, wood products or other living inhabitants (isopods, springtails and plants) of the enclosure are free of infectious or toxic agents unless it is a long established enclosure built by an experienced keeper.
Quarantine
All new geckos should be quarantined if there are other reptiles, amphibians or invertebrates in the house or if you intend on placing them in a bioactive terrarium, even if from a reputable breeder. It is impossible for breeders to ensure that a gecko did not pick up a disease or parasite from being handled at a show or carried around after leaving their booth. We maintain the highest level of biosecurity possible at reptile shows, requiring customers to sanitize their hands prior to holding, only allowing customers intending to purchase a gecko to hold it, discouraging attendees from placing animals or products purchased at other booths on our tables, and sanitizing our display regularly. However, we still cannot guarantee with hundreds to thousands of people and animals moving around at a show, that geckos remain free of exposure to potential parasites or pathogens, especially once they leave our booth.
New geckos should be quarantined for a minimum of 1 month, though 2 months or longer is preferable. A quarantine enclosure should be simple and easy to spot poop in and clean. Use a plastic critter keeper type enclosure, an appropriately sized plastic box with ventilation holes or an easily sanitized terrarium to house the gecko during quarantine. Paper towels or another disposable liner should be used during this period. Avoid using any wood products, soil or live plants that you would not want to throw out if an issue arrises during quarantine. Use decor that is not porous and that is easily sanitized.
Geckos stressed from a change in housing or geckos that have recently had their food brand changed can have runny poops. If poops remain runny for an extended period, worms are seen in the poop, the gecko experiences significant weight loss or the gecko is acting lethargic or displaying any other odd behavior, the gecko should be seen by a qualified veterinarian and a fecal performed to determine if the gecko has any parasites or infections needing treatment.
Do not attempt to treat geckos without the help of a veterinarian. Antibiotics and other medications given incorrectly can have severe effects on the health of your gecko. Antibiotics can compromise a gecko's immune system, destroy their beneficial gut bacteria, cause infertility, cause deformities in their hatchlings, cause kidney failure or have other toxic effects.
Co-housing
Geckos housed together may bite each other's tails and toes or compete for food so must be monitored closely for fighting and weight loss. Extra care must be taken for geckos housed together and multiple feeding, climbing and hiding areas, as well as a larger enclosure, are often needed to ensure co-habitated geckos thrive.
Never house any males, differently sized geckos, young gargoyles, chahoua or leachianus, non-breeding pairs or multiple species together as they may cause serious and fatal injuries to each other. Many of the New Caledonian species eat other geckos as part of their diet. Additionally, other species of geckos from different parts of the world often have very different care requirements so should not be attempted to be kept in the same enclosure.
Decor / Enrichment
Create multiple hiding and climbing areas in the enclosure, including leafy plants (fake or real) to help your gecko feel secure. Make sure any live plants used are nontoxic to geckos and planted in soil that does not contain any harmful fertilizers or other additives. Ensure that any decor or backgrounds used in the enclosure are free from holes and small spaces that the gecko could get stuck in.
Geckos will utilize branches, vines and cork bark for climbing and resting. Be sure that any natural wood products you are using have been treated for parasites and other unwanted organisms through a heating and drying process. Be careful with any branches or other plant material collected from your yard or other areas and some species of trees and shrubs may be toxic to geckos or contain parasites, molds, pesticides or herbicides that could harm your gecko.
Substrate
Use paper towels or another nontoxic liner for newly acquired geckos in quarantine, young geckos or geckos that are fed live insects loose in the enclosure. Paper liners make clean up quick, cannot be accidently ingested during feeding and make monitoring your gecko's health easy.
Loose substrates like cocofiber, ABG mix and other nontoxic soils meant for reptiles may be used for larger juvenile and adult geckos, however impaction can occur if the gecko swallows any of the substrate. Geckos can accidentally ingest substrate both during shedding and when catching insects. If using loose substrate, be sure to keep the substrate properly hydrated so that it does not become dry and dusty and provide plenty of climbing branches, plants, cork bark and ledges for the gecko to stay off the loose soil.
Adult females will dig into substrate when laying eggs and, occasionally, a gecko may bury themselves in the substrate as a way to regulate humidity or temperature or to hide.
Temperature and Lighting
The majority of New Caledonian gecko species in the wild live under a dense canopy of trees or in shrubs at the edges of forests. The plant cover in forests filters out much of the light and also creates a cooling effect.
Some keepers incorrectly use temperature readings from weather stations on New Caledonia designed for human use, such as those posted on sites and apps like The Weather Channel, to determine safe temperatures for their geckos. Those readings come from populated areas where the forests have been cleared so are not accurate for determining the temperature requirements of the species. Though it is possible to acclimate geckos to higher temperatures in a similar fashion as is done to acclimate brackish water fish to freshwater, this should only be attempted by experienced keepers and creates the risk of stressing or killing the geckos if done improperly.
* Adult gargoyle geckos are an exception to this as wild individuals have been found in more open areas and occasionally basking and captive specimens have been shown to withstand higher temperatures. However, keep in mind that they still may overheat or become dehydrated at temperatures that other gecko species from different areas of the world may be adapted to.
No supplemental lighting or heat is needed as long as you do not have an especially cold house. These geckos are most comfortable at room temperatures of 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures dropping to 68 degrees at night are okay and these geckos can withstand occasional, short drops below that to approximately 50 degrees, however constant colder temperatures will impact their health and cause them to grow more slowly from a decreased metabolism and appetite.
If temperatures in your house are too cold, supplemental heating may be used. Extra care must be taken to monitor supplemental heating devices. Never use electric hot rocks as these can severely burn your reptile. Small reptile heating pads, ceramic heat emiters or lower wattage heat bulbs are the best choices and must be paired with a thermostat to prevent overheating. When using any heating or lighting, you must also ensure that their is a temperature gradient in the enclosure that allows the gecko to move to a cooler area if needed. Failure to provide a cool side can lead to overheating and death of your gecko.
Maintaining higher temperatures in the mid to high 70's will cause your gecko to eat more and grow faster. Resist the temptation to push your gecko's growth rate to the extreme as this may shorten its lifespan. Moderation is key with these species. With the exception of adult gargoyle geckos, temperatures above 82 degrees can stress your gecko and lead to death. Avoid using lights greater than 20 watts on your gecko's enclosure and do not place the gecko near any heat sources, like vents, or in direct sunlight as these can cause the interior of the enclosure to heat up to dangerous levels.
Ambient lighting in the room is enough to stimulate natural behavior in your gecko. They are nocturnal so will be most active from dusk to dawn and will often hide under objects in their enclosure during the day. Though there are many accounts of captive geckos basking under UVB lights, there is little to no research showing evidence that these gecko species require a basking area. Animals kept in captivity often behave differently than their wild counterparts due to living in an artificial environment so nocturnal geckos appearing to bask in an enclosure may simply be choosing that spot based off of how secure the spot makes them feel or another factor completely unrelated to the light level of the area.
Low wattage blue or red nighttime lighting may be used as a fun way to observe your gecko's natural behavior at night without disturbing it. Be aware that bulbs and many supplemental heating devices will decrease the humidity level of the air so you may need to mist more often if using any of these items.
* We recommend getting a temperature gun or a combination digital thermometer and hygrometer to monitor your gecko's enclosure.
Humidity and Hydration
Humidity levels should be kept around 50% the majority of the time with periods of 80-100% humidity for several hours after misting each day. Constantly wet or too dry of conditions can lead to shedding problems, skin rot and other issues. Adjust misting as needed to ensure proper humidity levels.
Mist your gecko at least once per day, making sure to cover the walls of the enclosure and plants in water droplets. Doing this at night before you go to bed is best. Your gecko will lick the droplets up to get the water it needs. Be sure that the droplets are not drying up before the gecko has a chance to lick them up. Geckos may learn to use water dishes so it is beneficial to provide a small dish as a precaution against dehydration. Be sure to change the water regularly in any dishes that are provided to prevent bacterial growth.
*A water dish should not replace a daily misting routine as misting stimulates a natural response to drink.
Geckos need electrolytes/minerals in their water and not all water is safe for them. If using unfiltered water such as water taken straight from the tap, use a product like Reptisafe Water Conditioner to remove chlorine and chloramines from the water before misting your gecko. We recommend using something like a Britta filter to remove heavy metals from tap water and adding Reptisafe to the filtered water as a precaution to ensure beneficial electrolytes are present in the water. Water that is softened may not be safe for geckos due to the chemicals used in the process. Use bottled natural spring water from the store if you have a water softener in your house or tap water that you cannot ensure is safe for geckos to drink. (Bottled natural spring water is typically distilled with mineral content added back in. It is not to be confused with distilled water, which is unsafe to use as drinking water for your gecko.) Reverse osmosis (RO) water is not ideal to use as it has had the majority of its mineral content removed. Never use distilled water as this type of water causes adverse health effects due to its complete lack of mineral content.
When using paper liners, it is good to provide a moist hide for your gecko. This is typically achieved by placing moist sphagnum moss in a cave-type reptile hide. Be sure to use only moss meant for reptiles as some mosses meant for gardening or craft uses may contains harmful particles, chemicals or dyes. Moss should be changed regularly to prevent it from becoming moldy. Paper liners should not be kept damp as this can lead to skin rot and other infections or issues with mold and bacteria growth. If using substrate, ensure that it does not dry out or become waterlogged. The substrate should not be dry or dusty nor should you be able to squeeze water out of it if picking up a handful.
* We recommend MistKing if an automated misting system is desired. We use the MistKing Advanced, however their starter system is very affordable and a superior product for keepers with smaller collections. We have found MistKing to be the most reliable and safest system on the market. Other systems we have tested have had major failures and flooded terrariums after only a few months of use.
Feeding
Feed your gecko a tested and proven complete gecko diet. These include brands like Pangea, Zoo Med (the reformulated version only) and Repashy. Pangea Complete Crested Gecko Diet is the main food our collection is maintained on and is the diet you should be using to feed any gecko obtained from us.
We have been testing Zoo Med's newly reformulated Crested Gecko Diet as an addition to our feeding regime with a positive response. We rotate through all flavors of Pangea, however feed the With Insects version more often. Individual geckos that show a preference for a particular flavor are given that food in greater quantity when it comes through the rotation. You may wish to find out which foods your gecko prefers and feed those exclusively or more often. Geckos occasionally appear to change their food preferences as well so it can be beneficial to offer a variety of complete diets in rotation.
To prepare the food, mix 1 part powder to 2.5 parts water and stir the food until it is an even texture with no clumps. It should be about the consistency of thick ketchup. The prepared food may be stored in the fridge for up to one week.
Provide a small dish of gecko diet every 2 to 3 days. Babies and smaller juveniles should be provided enough food to fill a bottle cap or approximately 0.25 fluid ounces (half of a 0.5 oz portion cup), larger juveniles should be given a full 0.5 oz portion cup, and subadults to adults should be given a 1 oz portion cup approximately half full. Groups of adults or larger species like leachianus should be given a full 1 oz portion cup. If your gecko is regularly finishing the food offered before the next feeding, adjust the amount up.
Geckos, especially babies and smaller species, have very small stomachs. It can be difficult to tell if your gecko is eating from looking at its remaining food alone. Geckos often lick up only a few bites of food at a time. As long as your gecko is pooping regularly, you can be assured that it is eating.
Some geckos prefer the food fresh or more watery and some prefer the food after it has sat for a day and congealed more. For this reason, we advise that you leave the food in the enclosure for at least two nights. Take out the food if it becomes moldy and replace with a fresh bowl.
Place the food in the same area each time. The gecko will learn where to find its food and may stop eating well if the the food dish is moved repeatedly.
Insects are not considered necessary when feeding one of the complete gecko diets that has been formulated to meet all of your gecko's nutritional needs, however providing insects in your gecko's diet will stimulate their natural behavior and aid in growth. Diets consisting solely of insects do not provide the proper nutrition for New Caledonian gecko species as they eat a varied diet including many different types of plant material in the wild (fruit, seeds, sap, flowers, nectar, pollen) and insects alone cannot replicate their natural diet. Supplemental feedings of gut-loaded and calcium-dusted insects may be provided once or twice per week.
We recommend Blaptica dubia (also known as the orange-spotted roach or Guyana spotted roach) as feeder insects. This species of roach does not bite and cannot fly or climb slick surfaces so can be contained to a feeding dish in the enclosure. Crickets and black soldier fly larvae are also acceptable, but will require greater care when feeding. Never leave crickets in loose with your gecko for extended periods. Crickets bite and may injure or stress geckos. Remove any uneaten crickets to avoid the risk of hungry crickets eating through your gecko's skin or stressing them by constantly climbing over them.
Never feed your gecko wild-caught insects as they may have harmful pesticides on them or contain toxins from something the insect ate. Resist the temptation to use cheaper feeder insects such as mealworms. Mealworms are very low in nutritional quality and have a higher risk of causing impaction or internal injuries to geckos that fail to crush the mealworms head when eating them.
Feeding baby food or too many treats can lead to severe nutrient deficiencies like Metabolic Bone Disease. Some gecko diets on the market contain too much sugar and low quality fillers. Avoid these pet store brand gecko diets.
Feeding Tips for Newly Acquired Geckos
It is normal for newly acquired geckos or geckos that have been moved to a new enclosure to stop eating or to eat very little for two weeks or longer. Your gecko may also not poop regularly during this adjustment period.
We advise using Reptisafe or another electrolyte-containing reptile water conditioner to mist new geckos so that they are getting some nutrients when drinking. Continue to offer food and do not change the location of the food bowl or other items in the enclosure until the gecko begins eating regularly again.
Feed the gecko the same food it was maintained on by the breeder / seller. Geckos that are offered a different food than they are used to may reject the food and fail to eat.
* We no longer feed Repashy and have not given this brand of food to our collection for many years now. If you choose to feed Repashy or another brand that we did not recommend you use, be aware that geckos from us may reject the food as they have not been raised on it. Changing the diet of newly purchased geckos before they have had a chance to become established in their new home voids our guarantee on their health (see our Terms and Conditions of Sale).
Minimize handling, but do monitor your gecko and make sure you visualize it enough to check its body condition at a minimum of every few days for adults and every day for babies and juveniles. Make sure that the gecko does not have sunken eyes or protruding ribs, spine and hips. These are signs that the gecko is dehydrated.
A scale that measures in grams is a very helpful item for monitoring and determining if a gecko is losing too much weight.
It is sometimes helpful to provide multiple feeding areas or to move the feeding area once to be closer to where the gecko has chosen to hide regularly. We do not recommend feeding insects loose in the enclosure to newly acquired geckos. The insects crawling on or biting the gecko could further stress it.
Sweeteners such as organic apple juice in place of part of the water mixed into the food powder may be temporarily used to entice a gecko to eat their food. It is not good to increase the sugar content of their food longterm so if you choose to use this method, be prepared to wean the gecko off the added sugar in their food once they are established.
Avoid hand feeding new geckos unless absolutely necessary. Geckos that are hand fed on a regular basis often stop eating on their own and have to be hand fed for the rest of their lives. It is okay to occasionally dab a small amount of food onto a gecko's nose and then use a squeeze bottle or syringe to feed them as they lick up drops of food held close to the tip of their nose.
Cleaning
Enclosures should be spot cleaned as needed, removing droppings and wiping up any spilt food. Change out paper liners at least once per week. Remove any molded food, substrate or decor immediately.
If conditions in the enclosure remain wet for too long from over-misting or a misting system failure, harmful bacteria and mold can proliferate. Remove the gecko immediately, sanitize the enclosure and replace any substrate if this occurs.
Remove the gecko and sanitize the enclosure and decor with a reptile-safe cleaning solution several times per year. Do not leave the gecko in the enclosure during cleaning as cleaning products or the fumes from them can be harmful. Allow the enclosure and all decor to air out and completely dry before returning the gecko to its enclosure.
* Helpful tip: Keep a critter keeper type cage or the breathable cup your gecko came in for securing the gecko during cage cleanings.
Handling
Geckos do best with an open-handed technique called "hand walking" that allows them to move freely from hand to hand. Hold the gecko in a safe, open area where it cannot hurt itself from a fall and where it can be easily recovered should it jump off your hand. Keep other pets like cats and dogs away when handling your gecko to avoid it getting attacked or stepped on should it jump to the floor.
Minimize handling of any new gecko while it settles in. It may take the gecko several weeks or longer to begin eating regularly. Only handle the gecko if absolutely necessary to check on its health during this adjustment period. Once you are sure the gecko is eating well, short daily handling sessions may be started. Remember that your gecko is nocturnal so keeping it out for long periods during the day may disrupt its sleep cycle.
Gripping or restraining your gecko could cause it to become stressed and drop its tail or bite in self defense. Crested, gargoyle and chahoua have very small teeth and bites typically feel like nothing more than a light pinch. Bites are extremely rare with crested geckos and this has led to the false belief that crested geckos lack teeth. Be wary of sellers stating that these geckos are incapable of biting or that they do not have teeth. This is a good indication that they lack expertise and understanding of the species they are working with. Some gargoyles do have a bit more of a tendency to bite when they feel threatened, especially tiny babies that have no other defense than to attempt to appear scary.
Chahoua and leachianus have a tendency to be cage protective - vocalizing, lunging and biting at any hands that enter their space. Even babies and juveniles of these species, especially leachianus, that are not displaying the behavior often grow into it and become more difficult for the inexperienced keeper to manage. If you plan to keep these species, be prepared to use leather gloves and/or padded snake hooks when removing adults from enclosures and tongs or slide-in barriers to change out their food bowls to avoid getting bitten and realize that some individuals may not grow up to be animals that are pleasant to handle. Leachianus have large, powerful jaws and can cause relatively significant bites. Leachianus also commonly defecate when first picked up and their poop is runny, stinky and large. These are not beginner species. Please choose a crested or gargoyle if you are new to New Caledonian gecko keeping.
You may find differing opinions and alternative practices that work for others, however there is a lot of misinformation out there and many outdated sources. Please do as much research and gather information from as many reputable sources as possible, only use husbandry methods that have research and proven results to back them up, and use caution when seeking advice in forums, blogs, Youtube videos, online care guides, books and Facebook groups. Always check the validity of sources and the qualifications and experience of the person giving out information.
Housing
Providing an appropriately sized enclosure is important for ensuring that your gecko remains healthy. Too large of an enclosure can stress a gecko, especially babies and young juveniles, and cause the gecko to stop eating. A variety of different enclosures may be used - from plastic critter keepers to glass terrariums, and can be as elaborate or simple as desired as long as basic care guidelines are followed.
Use the following guide to determine the ideal size of enclosure needed for your gecko:
Baby: medium to large critter keeper or 5 gallon tank
Larger juvenile: 12x12x18 terrarium or 10 gallon tank
Adult: 18x18x18 terrarium or 20 gallon tank
Pairs or trios: 18x18x24 terrarium or 30 gallon tank (Larger enclosures may be used, however additional hiding, climbing and feeding areas are often required to make the geckos feel secure in a larger space.)
These geckos are arboreal and appreciate enclosures with more climbing area that ground area. Tall, front-opening terrariums work well for juveniles and adults.
* We recommend the simplest setups for beginner keepers as these make monitoring and maintaining the health of your gecko easiest. Though we use both naturalistic and bioactive enclosures in our facility, there are many aspects of setting up and maintaining these more complex enclosures that may prove frustrating, costly and difficult for inexperienced keepers or that can add unnecessary risks to a gecko's health when done incorrectly. Naturalistic and bioactive enclosures are also inappropriate for use as quarantine enclosures as they cannot be sanitized without disrupting the integrity of the enclosure nor can it be ensured that the soils, wood products or other living inhabitants (isopods, springtails and plants) of the enclosure are free of infectious or toxic agents unless it is a long established enclosure built by an experienced keeper.
Quarantine
All new geckos should be quarantined if there are other reptiles, amphibians or invertebrates in the house or if you intend on placing them in a bioactive terrarium, even if from a reputable breeder. It is impossible for breeders to ensure that a gecko did not pick up a disease or parasite from being handled at a show or carried around after leaving their booth. We maintain the highest level of biosecurity possible at reptile shows, requiring customers to sanitize their hands prior to holding, only allowing customers intending to purchase a gecko to hold it, discouraging attendees from placing animals or products purchased at other booths on our tables, and sanitizing our display regularly. However, we still cannot guarantee with hundreds to thousands of people and animals moving around at a show, that geckos remain free of exposure to potential parasites or pathogens, especially once they leave our booth.
New geckos should be quarantined for a minimum of 1 month, though 2 months or longer is preferable. A quarantine enclosure should be simple and easy to spot poop in and clean. Use a plastic critter keeper type enclosure, an appropriately sized plastic box with ventilation holes or an easily sanitized terrarium to house the gecko during quarantine. Paper towels or another disposable liner should be used during this period. Avoid using any wood products, soil or live plants that you would not want to throw out if an issue arrises during quarantine. Use decor that is not porous and that is easily sanitized.
Geckos stressed from a change in housing or geckos that have recently had their food brand changed can have runny poops. If poops remain runny for an extended period, worms are seen in the poop, the gecko experiences significant weight loss or the gecko is acting lethargic or displaying any other odd behavior, the gecko should be seen by a qualified veterinarian and a fecal performed to determine if the gecko has any parasites or infections needing treatment.
Do not attempt to treat geckos without the help of a veterinarian. Antibiotics and other medications given incorrectly can have severe effects on the health of your gecko. Antibiotics can compromise a gecko's immune system, destroy their beneficial gut bacteria, cause infertility, cause deformities in their hatchlings, cause kidney failure or have other toxic effects.
Co-housing
Geckos housed together may bite each other's tails and toes or compete for food so must be monitored closely for fighting and weight loss. Extra care must be taken for geckos housed together and multiple feeding, climbing and hiding areas, as well as a larger enclosure, are often needed to ensure co-habitated geckos thrive.
Never house any males, differently sized geckos, young gargoyles, chahoua or leachianus, non-breeding pairs or multiple species together as they may cause serious and fatal injuries to each other. Many of the New Caledonian species eat other geckos as part of their diet. Additionally, other species of geckos from different parts of the world often have very different care requirements so should not be attempted to be kept in the same enclosure.
Decor / Enrichment
Create multiple hiding and climbing areas in the enclosure, including leafy plants (fake or real) to help your gecko feel secure. Make sure any live plants used are nontoxic to geckos and planted in soil that does not contain any harmful fertilizers or other additives. Ensure that any decor or backgrounds used in the enclosure are free from holes and small spaces that the gecko could get stuck in.
Geckos will utilize branches, vines and cork bark for climbing and resting. Be sure that any natural wood products you are using have been treated for parasites and other unwanted organisms through a heating and drying process. Be careful with any branches or other plant material collected from your yard or other areas and some species of trees and shrubs may be toxic to geckos or contain parasites, molds, pesticides or herbicides that could harm your gecko.
Substrate
Use paper towels or another nontoxic liner for newly acquired geckos in quarantine, young geckos or geckos that are fed live insects loose in the enclosure. Paper liners make clean up quick, cannot be accidently ingested during feeding and make monitoring your gecko's health easy.
Loose substrates like cocofiber, ABG mix and other nontoxic soils meant for reptiles may be used for larger juvenile and adult geckos, however impaction can occur if the gecko swallows any of the substrate. Geckos can accidentally ingest substrate both during shedding and when catching insects. If using loose substrate, be sure to keep the substrate properly hydrated so that it does not become dry and dusty and provide plenty of climbing branches, plants, cork bark and ledges for the gecko to stay off the loose soil.
Adult females will dig into substrate when laying eggs and, occasionally, a gecko may bury themselves in the substrate as a way to regulate humidity or temperature or to hide.
Temperature and Lighting
The majority of New Caledonian gecko species in the wild live under a dense canopy of trees or in shrubs at the edges of forests. The plant cover in forests filters out much of the light and also creates a cooling effect.
Some keepers incorrectly use temperature readings from weather stations on New Caledonia designed for human use, such as those posted on sites and apps like The Weather Channel, to determine safe temperatures for their geckos. Those readings come from populated areas where the forests have been cleared so are not accurate for determining the temperature requirements of the species. Though it is possible to acclimate geckos to higher temperatures in a similar fashion as is done to acclimate brackish water fish to freshwater, this should only be attempted by experienced keepers and creates the risk of stressing or killing the geckos if done improperly.
* Adult gargoyle geckos are an exception to this as wild individuals have been found in more open areas and occasionally basking and captive specimens have been shown to withstand higher temperatures. However, keep in mind that they still may overheat or become dehydrated at temperatures that other gecko species from different areas of the world may be adapted to.
No supplemental lighting or heat is needed as long as you do not have an especially cold house. These geckos are most comfortable at room temperatures of 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures dropping to 68 degrees at night are okay and these geckos can withstand occasional, short drops below that to approximately 50 degrees, however constant colder temperatures will impact their health and cause them to grow more slowly from a decreased metabolism and appetite.
If temperatures in your house are too cold, supplemental heating may be used. Extra care must be taken to monitor supplemental heating devices. Never use electric hot rocks as these can severely burn your reptile. Small reptile heating pads, ceramic heat emiters or lower wattage heat bulbs are the best choices and must be paired with a thermostat to prevent overheating. When using any heating or lighting, you must also ensure that their is a temperature gradient in the enclosure that allows the gecko to move to a cooler area if needed. Failure to provide a cool side can lead to overheating and death of your gecko.
Maintaining higher temperatures in the mid to high 70's will cause your gecko to eat more and grow faster. Resist the temptation to push your gecko's growth rate to the extreme as this may shorten its lifespan. Moderation is key with these species. With the exception of adult gargoyle geckos, temperatures above 82 degrees can stress your gecko and lead to death. Avoid using lights greater than 20 watts on your gecko's enclosure and do not place the gecko near any heat sources, like vents, or in direct sunlight as these can cause the interior of the enclosure to heat up to dangerous levels.
Ambient lighting in the room is enough to stimulate natural behavior in your gecko. They are nocturnal so will be most active from dusk to dawn and will often hide under objects in their enclosure during the day. Though there are many accounts of captive geckos basking under UVB lights, there is little to no research showing evidence that these gecko species require a basking area. Animals kept in captivity often behave differently than their wild counterparts due to living in an artificial environment so nocturnal geckos appearing to bask in an enclosure may simply be choosing that spot based off of how secure the spot makes them feel or another factor completely unrelated to the light level of the area.
Low wattage blue or red nighttime lighting may be used as a fun way to observe your gecko's natural behavior at night without disturbing it. Be aware that bulbs and many supplemental heating devices will decrease the humidity level of the air so you may need to mist more often if using any of these items.
* We recommend getting a temperature gun or a combination digital thermometer and hygrometer to monitor your gecko's enclosure.
Humidity and Hydration
Humidity levels should be kept around 50% the majority of the time with periods of 80-100% humidity for several hours after misting each day. Constantly wet or too dry of conditions can lead to shedding problems, skin rot and other issues. Adjust misting as needed to ensure proper humidity levels.
Mist your gecko at least once per day, making sure to cover the walls of the enclosure and plants in water droplets. Doing this at night before you go to bed is best. Your gecko will lick the droplets up to get the water it needs. Be sure that the droplets are not drying up before the gecko has a chance to lick them up. Geckos may learn to use water dishes so it is beneficial to provide a small dish as a precaution against dehydration. Be sure to change the water regularly in any dishes that are provided to prevent bacterial growth.
*A water dish should not replace a daily misting routine as misting stimulates a natural response to drink.
Geckos need electrolytes/minerals in their water and not all water is safe for them. If using unfiltered water such as water taken straight from the tap, use a product like Reptisafe Water Conditioner to remove chlorine and chloramines from the water before misting your gecko. We recommend using something like a Britta filter to remove heavy metals from tap water and adding Reptisafe to the filtered water as a precaution to ensure beneficial electrolytes are present in the water. Water that is softened may not be safe for geckos due to the chemicals used in the process. Use bottled natural spring water from the store if you have a water softener in your house or tap water that you cannot ensure is safe for geckos to drink. (Bottled natural spring water is typically distilled with mineral content added back in. It is not to be confused with distilled water, which is unsafe to use as drinking water for your gecko.) Reverse osmosis (RO) water is not ideal to use as it has had the majority of its mineral content removed. Never use distilled water as this type of water causes adverse health effects due to its complete lack of mineral content.
When using paper liners, it is good to provide a moist hide for your gecko. This is typically achieved by placing moist sphagnum moss in a cave-type reptile hide. Be sure to use only moss meant for reptiles as some mosses meant for gardening or craft uses may contains harmful particles, chemicals or dyes. Moss should be changed regularly to prevent it from becoming moldy. Paper liners should not be kept damp as this can lead to skin rot and other infections or issues with mold and bacteria growth. If using substrate, ensure that it does not dry out or become waterlogged. The substrate should not be dry or dusty nor should you be able to squeeze water out of it if picking up a handful.
* We recommend MistKing if an automated misting system is desired. We use the MistKing Advanced, however their starter system is very affordable and a superior product for keepers with smaller collections. We have found MistKing to be the most reliable and safest system on the market. Other systems we have tested have had major failures and flooded terrariums after only a few months of use.
Feeding
Feed your gecko a tested and proven complete gecko diet. These include brands like Pangea, Zoo Med (the reformulated version only) and Repashy. Pangea Complete Crested Gecko Diet is the main food our collection is maintained on and is the diet you should be using to feed any gecko obtained from us.
We have been testing Zoo Med's newly reformulated Crested Gecko Diet as an addition to our feeding regime with a positive response. We rotate through all flavors of Pangea, however feed the With Insects version more often. Individual geckos that show a preference for a particular flavor are given that food in greater quantity when it comes through the rotation. You may wish to find out which foods your gecko prefers and feed those exclusively or more often. Geckos occasionally appear to change their food preferences as well so it can be beneficial to offer a variety of complete diets in rotation.
To prepare the food, mix 1 part powder to 2.5 parts water and stir the food until it is an even texture with no clumps. It should be about the consistency of thick ketchup. The prepared food may be stored in the fridge for up to one week.
Provide a small dish of gecko diet every 2 to 3 days. Babies and smaller juveniles should be provided enough food to fill a bottle cap or approximately 0.25 fluid ounces (half of a 0.5 oz portion cup), larger juveniles should be given a full 0.5 oz portion cup, and subadults to adults should be given a 1 oz portion cup approximately half full. Groups of adults or larger species like leachianus should be given a full 1 oz portion cup. If your gecko is regularly finishing the food offered before the next feeding, adjust the amount up.
Geckos, especially babies and smaller species, have very small stomachs. It can be difficult to tell if your gecko is eating from looking at its remaining food alone. Geckos often lick up only a few bites of food at a time. As long as your gecko is pooping regularly, you can be assured that it is eating.
Some geckos prefer the food fresh or more watery and some prefer the food after it has sat for a day and congealed more. For this reason, we advise that you leave the food in the enclosure for at least two nights. Take out the food if it becomes moldy and replace with a fresh bowl.
Place the food in the same area each time. The gecko will learn where to find its food and may stop eating well if the the food dish is moved repeatedly.
Insects are not considered necessary when feeding one of the complete gecko diets that has been formulated to meet all of your gecko's nutritional needs, however providing insects in your gecko's diet will stimulate their natural behavior and aid in growth. Diets consisting solely of insects do not provide the proper nutrition for New Caledonian gecko species as they eat a varied diet including many different types of plant material in the wild (fruit, seeds, sap, flowers, nectar, pollen) and insects alone cannot replicate their natural diet. Supplemental feedings of gut-loaded and calcium-dusted insects may be provided once or twice per week.
We recommend Blaptica dubia (also known as the orange-spotted roach or Guyana spotted roach) as feeder insects. This species of roach does not bite and cannot fly or climb slick surfaces so can be contained to a feeding dish in the enclosure. Crickets and black soldier fly larvae are also acceptable, but will require greater care when feeding. Never leave crickets in loose with your gecko for extended periods. Crickets bite and may injure or stress geckos. Remove any uneaten crickets to avoid the risk of hungry crickets eating through your gecko's skin or stressing them by constantly climbing over them.
Never feed your gecko wild-caught insects as they may have harmful pesticides on them or contain toxins from something the insect ate. Resist the temptation to use cheaper feeder insects such as mealworms. Mealworms are very low in nutritional quality and have a higher risk of causing impaction or internal injuries to geckos that fail to crush the mealworms head when eating them.
Feeding baby food or too many treats can lead to severe nutrient deficiencies like Metabolic Bone Disease. Some gecko diets on the market contain too much sugar and low quality fillers. Avoid these pet store brand gecko diets.
Feeding Tips for Newly Acquired Geckos
It is normal for newly acquired geckos or geckos that have been moved to a new enclosure to stop eating or to eat very little for two weeks or longer. Your gecko may also not poop regularly during this adjustment period.
We advise using Reptisafe or another electrolyte-containing reptile water conditioner to mist new geckos so that they are getting some nutrients when drinking. Continue to offer food and do not change the location of the food bowl or other items in the enclosure until the gecko begins eating regularly again.
Feed the gecko the same food it was maintained on by the breeder / seller. Geckos that are offered a different food than they are used to may reject the food and fail to eat.
* We no longer feed Repashy and have not given this brand of food to our collection for many years now. If you choose to feed Repashy or another brand that we did not recommend you use, be aware that geckos from us may reject the food as they have not been raised on it. Changing the diet of newly purchased geckos before they have had a chance to become established in their new home voids our guarantee on their health (see our Terms and Conditions of Sale).
Minimize handling, but do monitor your gecko and make sure you visualize it enough to check its body condition at a minimum of every few days for adults and every day for babies and juveniles. Make sure that the gecko does not have sunken eyes or protruding ribs, spine and hips. These are signs that the gecko is dehydrated.
A scale that measures in grams is a very helpful item for monitoring and determining if a gecko is losing too much weight.
It is sometimes helpful to provide multiple feeding areas or to move the feeding area once to be closer to where the gecko has chosen to hide regularly. We do not recommend feeding insects loose in the enclosure to newly acquired geckos. The insects crawling on or biting the gecko could further stress it.
Sweeteners such as organic apple juice in place of part of the water mixed into the food powder may be temporarily used to entice a gecko to eat their food. It is not good to increase the sugar content of their food longterm so if you choose to use this method, be prepared to wean the gecko off the added sugar in their food once they are established.
Avoid hand feeding new geckos unless absolutely necessary. Geckos that are hand fed on a regular basis often stop eating on their own and have to be hand fed for the rest of their lives. It is okay to occasionally dab a small amount of food onto a gecko's nose and then use a squeeze bottle or syringe to feed them as they lick up drops of food held close to the tip of their nose.
Cleaning
Enclosures should be spot cleaned as needed, removing droppings and wiping up any spilt food. Change out paper liners at least once per week. Remove any molded food, substrate or decor immediately.
If conditions in the enclosure remain wet for too long from over-misting or a misting system failure, harmful bacteria and mold can proliferate. Remove the gecko immediately, sanitize the enclosure and replace any substrate if this occurs.
Remove the gecko and sanitize the enclosure and decor with a reptile-safe cleaning solution several times per year. Do not leave the gecko in the enclosure during cleaning as cleaning products or the fumes from them can be harmful. Allow the enclosure and all decor to air out and completely dry before returning the gecko to its enclosure.
* Helpful tip: Keep a critter keeper type cage or the breathable cup your gecko came in for securing the gecko during cage cleanings.
Handling
Geckos do best with an open-handed technique called "hand walking" that allows them to move freely from hand to hand. Hold the gecko in a safe, open area where it cannot hurt itself from a fall and where it can be easily recovered should it jump off your hand. Keep other pets like cats and dogs away when handling your gecko to avoid it getting attacked or stepped on should it jump to the floor.
Minimize handling of any new gecko while it settles in. It may take the gecko several weeks or longer to begin eating regularly. Only handle the gecko if absolutely necessary to check on its health during this adjustment period. Once you are sure the gecko is eating well, short daily handling sessions may be started. Remember that your gecko is nocturnal so keeping it out for long periods during the day may disrupt its sleep cycle.
Gripping or restraining your gecko could cause it to become stressed and drop its tail or bite in self defense. Crested, gargoyle and chahoua have very small teeth and bites typically feel like nothing more than a light pinch. Bites are extremely rare with crested geckos and this has led to the false belief that crested geckos lack teeth. Be wary of sellers stating that these geckos are incapable of biting or that they do not have teeth. This is a good indication that they lack expertise and understanding of the species they are working with. Some gargoyles do have a bit more of a tendency to bite when they feel threatened, especially tiny babies that have no other defense than to attempt to appear scary.
Chahoua and leachianus have a tendency to be cage protective - vocalizing, lunging and biting at any hands that enter their space. Even babies and juveniles of these species, especially leachianus, that are not displaying the behavior often grow into it and become more difficult for the inexperienced keeper to manage. If you plan to keep these species, be prepared to use leather gloves and/or padded snake hooks when removing adults from enclosures and tongs or slide-in barriers to change out their food bowls to avoid getting bitten and realize that some individuals may not grow up to be animals that are pleasant to handle. Leachianus have large, powerful jaws and can cause relatively significant bites. Leachianus also commonly defecate when first picked up and their poop is runny, stinky and large. These are not beginner species. Please choose a crested or gargoyle if you are new to New Caledonian gecko keeping.