Day gecko care sheet

If you are searching for a pet gecko that has a similar schedule as you (active during the day), the day gecko might be your gecko species of choice.

There is one minor issue. They have very delicate skin and because of that do not like to be handled. In fact, when removing them from a cage you should try to nudge them into a separate container instead of picking them up with your hands.

There are quite a few species of this type of pet gecko. The ones best suited for captivity seem to be the gold dust day gecko, the lined day gecko and some say the giant day gecko.

Cage

This gecko species is a climber, so their terrarium should be vertically oriented. A 20 gallon tall cage should be a bare minimum (this is of course depending on what type of day gecko you have). This type of gecko can be anywhere from 3 inches to 1 foot in length, so choose a cage size accordingly.

For the substrate, you can use newspaper or paper towel. For a more naturalistic look a lot of people use coconut fiber -as it is much safer than using sand.

You need to provide a structure on which your pet gecko will bask. You also need to provide a couple of hides for your gecko to destress as need be. Check out this link on how to build a day gecko habitat.

Lighting/Temperature

A day gecko needs a UVB light. Unlike other geckos they are very active during the day and need a simulation of the sun. A mercury vapor bulb can provide UVB light as well as heat. Other UVB bulbs will have to be accompanied by a heat bulb to achieve proper temperatures.

The temperature during the day will need to be 80°F to 90°F with a basking spot in the low 90s. The temperature at night can fall 10°F less than this. You need to create a temperature gradient in the cage whereby your pet gecko can move accordingly to cool down or warm up.

You will need to purchase a thermometer or preferably a heat gun to accurately gauge the temperatures. As far as the lights go, you should acquire an automatic timer which will turn the lights on and off without you being there.

Day geckos need proper humidity levels. This can be achieved by misting their cage with a water bottle a couple times a day. They prefer a 55% to 75% humidity level.

Food

A Day geckos diet consists mainly of insects. Bugs such as crickets feeder roaches and flightless fruit flies should be offered. Some owners provide fruit baby food, or mash up certain soft fruits manually.

Their food should be dusted with a calcium supplement, the alternative is to constantly supply a dish with calcium dust in their cage.

Some owners provide a very shallow bowl of water for drinking, while others spray mist the cage -and their day gecko- thus providing water.

If you decide to acquire a day gecko as your next pet lizard be sure and read several more care sheets or possibly a book on this unique lizard species.