Day Gecko
(Phelsuma spp.)
Habitat: Tropical Woodland     Diet: Omnivorous     Adult Size: 4-8 inches    
Lifespan: 3-15 years, with larger species living longer    
Native To: Madagascar and other Indian Ocean Islands

Did You Know:

  • There are many different species of Day Geckos, they got their name because unlike other most other geckos they are diurnal, which means that they're active during the day.

  • Many Day Geckos are cat-like, in that they will always land on their feet if they fall out of a tree.

  • Instead of claws, the Day Gecko has overlapping suction plates called "lamellae" covered with fine hairs on its feet. These allow it to walk on vertical surfaces and ceilings. When it walks, the Day Gecko must pick up only one toe at a time to avoid damaging these plates.

The material below is a general guideline, and is not intended to serve as your sole source of pet care information. Visit a veterinarian trained in caring for reptiles and consult a broad range of literature to ensure that your pet receives adequate care.
 

Things You Should Know About The Day Gecko

The Basics:

The colorful Day Gecko is one of the most fascinating lizards to observe, but it does have fairly demanding care requirements. Only seriously committed reptile keepers should consider this relatively delicate lizard as a pet. Species like the Giant Day Gecko, Gold Dust Gecko and Lined Day Gecko are among the easiest Day Geckos to care for, and should be the choice of less experienced keepers. Day Geckos are among the most beautiful of all lizards. Dark green to blue-green in color, they have flat bodies, small scales and large heads with round, prominent colored eyes. Typically they're 4-8 inches long, but some species can reach 12 inches. About half of their length is tail. In nature, a Day Gecko relies on its vision to locate prey. Lacking eyelids, it protects its large eyes with transparent plates, which it keeps clean by licking with its long tongue. Day Geckos are also the great communicators of the lizard world, making barking and squeaking sounds to communicate. Another feature that sets them apart is that they will mate for life.

Enclosure:
Provide Them With Vertical Space :

Arboreal lizards, Day Geckos enjoy climbing and spend most of their time off the ground. They do much better when provided with an enclosure that offers plenty of vertical space. A Day Gecko's enclosure should be 20-gallons and should have a secure screen top.

Climbing And Hiding Places Required:

Tall plants (ideally live ones) and bamboo for climbing and basking on are essential furnishings for Day Geckos. Climbing plants should be positioned in both the warmer and cooler sections of the enclosure. Any climbing branch should be at least as wide as the lizard's body to offer adequate support. Horizontally arranged bamboo makes an ideal basking spot for Day Geckos, since they like to lie on relatively smooth surfaces. A Day Gecko's enclosure should include hide boxes, or other safe places where the lizard can retreat.
Substrate:
Bi-Level Is Best: 		A Day Gecko's enclosure should have two levels of substrate.
The bottom level should be made up of small pebbles, gravel or other safe drainage medium, covered by peat moss, orchid bark or mulch. This arrangement will provide drainage to control humidity, and will be beneficial for the live plants, which are important to a Day Gecko's enclosure. An enclosure's substrate should be inspected daily to remove waste, and changed regularly.

Lighting:
UVB Lighting For Good Health:

Day Geckos need exposure to UVB and UVA lighting. UVB exposure is critical in allowing the animal to synthesize vitamin D3 and absorb calcium, which is essential to the health of the animal. Proper lighting will also enhance the coloration and natural behavior of Day Geckos. There are a variety of fluorescent tubes at PSP that emit UVB light. These tubes should be replaced every six months. Glass blocks out UVB light, so overhead light sources should be kept behind a wire mesh cover, not a glass or acrylic tank top. This light source should be within 12 inches of the Day Gecko in both the warmer and cooler area of the enclosure. A timer should be used with the light source to vary the level of exposure according to the season, providing 10 hours of UVB and UVA light in the winter, and 14 hours in the summer. Important - see the Note About Day/Night Light Cycles and Heating below.

Temperature:
Moderate Temperatures:

Next to many other lizards, a Day Gecko has slightly lower temperature requirements for its enclosure. Ambient temperatures in its enclosure should range from 75º Fahrenheit at the cool end to 85º at the warm end. A small (20-60 watt) basking lamp should be used to create a basking area with a temperature of around 90º. This will allow the animal to move around its enclosure to regulate body temperature. At night the temperatures can be lowered to 68-75º. Heat can be provided by a combination of lamps. Three thermometers should monitor the temperature: one in the warmer zone, one in the cooler zone and one in the basking area. Care should be taken not to use a basking lamp that is too large for the enclosure. Important - see the Note About Day/Night Light Cycles and Heating below.

Note About Day/Night Light Cycles and Heating:

All reptiles, including this pet, must have distinct day and night periods in their enclosure to maintain their biological rhythms. (See the lighting entry above for the specific length of this animal’s day/night cycle.) The day period must be light; and night must be dark. A timer should be used to set day/night periods. If a heat source is required to maintain correct nighttime temperatures, use heat mats or strips mounted below or on the side of the tank, infrared heat lamps, ceramic heat emitters, or a combination of these products. This will allow the enclosure to be heated while remaining dark. Follow directions carefully with all products. If ceramic heat emitters are used always choose fixtures with porcelain or ceramic sockets and to protect against fires do not place them by dry wood or flammable fabrics. Ceramic heat emitters must be kept out of the reach of children and all pets, including dogs and cats.

Humidity:
Keep It High, But Be Careful:

Day Geckos require relatively high humidity levels, from 50-85% depending on species. Humidity can be maintained by misting the Day Gecko and its enclosure twice daily, or more often during the summer. Live tropical plants, such as snake plants and bromeliads, will help maintain humidity in an enclosure. The Day Gecko keeper should routinely inspect the enclosure to look for signs that the humidity level is too high. For example, although the substrate can be damp, it should never appear wet or saturated, and moisture should not build up on the sides of the enclosure.
Diet:
Crickets Are The Main Course:		 Day Geckos are omnivorous, so they will eat meat and plant matter. Gut-loaded crickets make up the bulk of their diet, followed by mealworms and other insects such as wingless fruit flies and should always be dusted with a supplement. Waxworms should be offered only as an occasional treat because of their high fat content. Fruit puree, fruit baby food, and washed and cut up fresh mangos and papaya should also be fed to Day Geckos 2-3 times a week (this applies to adults and juveniles). Fruit and baby food should be removed from the enclosure within two hours if uneaten. (A commercial gecko diet can be offered in place of the fruit puree, baby food and washed fruit.) Adult Day Geckos should also be offered 6-12 appropriately sized insects 2-3 times a week and juveniles should be fed 6-12 appropriately sized insects daily or every other day. Uneaten insects should be removed from the enclosure. Insects must make up the bulk of the diet; fruit puree or commercial gecko diet should be offered in addition to (not in place of) insects. Important -- It is necessary to provide calcium and vitamin supplements as part of the diet. Please read the supplement section below:
A Note About Gut Loading Feeding crickets a nutritious diet will pass on vital nutrients to your reptile. When reptiles eat these insects they are able to absorb the nutrients. This is why it is important to gut load crickets at least 48 hours before offering them to a reptile. Commercial cricket foods provide a convenient way to gut load crickets. (Always follow manufacturer’s directions.) Crickets should also be provided with water, preferably in the form of oranges or a commercial water gel product designed specifically to hydrate feeder insects. Putting a shallow dish of water in the cricket holding tank will result in insects drowning and promote the spread of bacteria.

You can also create your own gut-loading formula. Our vet recommends a mix of ground up dog food, cereal and fresh greens with oranges or a commercial gel for water.
Supplements: Dust insects with calcium supplement and vitamin supplements. As a rule, a growing juvenile's food should be dusted more often than an adult's. Follow product label directions when applying supplements, and avoid over-supplementing food. The following is a possible supplementing schedule for this reptile. Our veterinarian recommends dusting insects with a plain calcium supplement every time they are offered to the pet. (Avoid using a calcium supplement with added phosphorous, unless specifically directed by your veterinarian, since this can promote kidney disease.) Our veterinarian also recommends dusting insects with a D3 supplement once a week and a vitamin supplement two times a month. This is only one recommendation, consult your veterinarian for specific directions on supplementing your pet’s food, since there are many variables that go into determining the best supplementing regimen for a given animal.
A NOTE ABOUT WATER: All water given to this pet for drinking, as well as water used for misting, soaking or bathing must be 100% free of chlorine and heavy metals. (Not all home water filtration systems remove 100% of the chlorine and heavy metals from tap water, so check your system's specifications before using it to filter water for your pet.) We recommend that you use unflavored bottled drinking water or bottled natural spring water and never untreated tap water. If tap water is used, you should treat it with a dechlorinating treatment. Do not use distilled water, which can cause severe medical problems, since it lacks minerals that are essential to important body functions
Water: Many Day Geckos will not take water from a bowl, and instead will prefer to take it from droplets formed on leaves and rocks. For this reason, it's critically important to mist a Day Gecko's enclosure every day with chlorine-free water, while still taking care to avoid over moisturizing. However, even though a gecko may drink droplets, it is still important to provide it with a bowl of clean fresh water at all times.

As a general rule, a Day Gecko should be fed insects that are equal in size to about 90% of the lizard's head. Smaller insects might be ignored by the Day Gecko, and larger ones can be too difficult to eat.
 
How To Handle A Day Gecko:
Day geckos are meant to be watched, not handled. Handling them even for a short period can cause breaks in the skin. However, there will be times when it's necessary to handle a Day Gecko, such as when the enclosure is cleaned, or the animal is taken to a veterinarian. The Day Gecko keeper should have a small fishing net for this purpose. Carefully coax the gecko into the net and place your hand around its back and head, gripping very gently to keep it from jumping out. Transfer the Day Gecko into a temporary holding enclosure as soon as possible. Be alert, because an escaped Day Gecko can move, and climb walls, very quickly.
 


Look Out For This:
The Day Gecko can be harmed very easily when handled. Its scales are so fragile that even a slight rub can cut through the skin and cause scarring. In nature, Day Geckos will eject their tail to escape a predator. They will duplicate this behavior if frightened by their human keeper


Recommended Day Gecko Supplies:

  • A top-opening glass or custom enclosure that offers height and a secure lid

  • UVA emitting light

  • Heating element to maintain enclosure temperatures

  • Basking area lamp

  • Three thermometers, so temperature can be monitored at both ends of the enclosure and in the basking area

  • Two types of Substrate

  • Water dish

  • Live plants and bamboo for climbing and basking

  • Hiding areas

  • Hygrometer to measure humidity levels