The Basics:

The Pictus Gecko is a very beautiful animal that typically sports striped bands of various shades of brown with gold tint and some white. It is also a shy nocturnal animal. Since it is more comfortable at night, it needs plenty of places to hide during the day to feel secure. It is also a very prolific breeder by lizard standards so males and females should not be housed together. Males can become very territorial, so should not be housed together, but groups of 2-3 females can share an enclosure. Females can die from overbreeding in captivity. As stated above, it is relatively easy to sex this animal early in life. Males show prominent bumps at the base of the tail; females do not.

Enclosure:

Since this is a ground dwelling animal, its enclosure should be horizontally oriented A 20-gallon tank with screen top will comfortably house 2-3 females. The Pictus Gecko also does well as a solitary pet, living alone in a 20-gallon aquarium.

Substrate:

Cocofibre, reptile carpet, orchid bark, mulch and peat moss are acceptable substrates. Avoid sand, since it can become impacted. It’s a good idea to use different substrates in different areas of the enclosure. For example, use cocofibre in one area and moistened moss under the hide areas to aid in shedding.

Temperature:

Provide this gecko with a 70°-85° Fahrenheit temperature gradient during the day. The enclosure should be lowered to room temperature at night. Do not allow the temperature in the enclosure to reach the upper 80s. Under tank heating is preferred to overhead lamps for this gecko because it is a ground dwelling animal. Never use heat rocks with this gecko, since this will result in severe skin burns. Measure temperature using digital thermometers in the hot and cool down areas. These thermometers should be positioned about one inch over the substrate surface.

Lighting:

Since the Pictus Gecko is a nocturnal animal, many people believe it does not need UV light in its enclosure, but some experts believe that it does benefit from UV light exposure. Lights over its enclosure should be on a day/night cycle with distinct periods of light and darkness each day. The light period should be longer in the summer and shorter in the winter. Make sure the change from the summer to the winter light cycle occurs gradually over the enclosure, just as it does in nature.

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. This animal will probably not require a heat source to maintain correct nighttime temperatures in its enclosure, but if it does, 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:

The humidity in the Pictus Gecko’s enclosure should be 50-80%. This can be maintained by misting daily with clean, fresh chlorine-free water. Use a hygrometer to measure humidity levels. It may be necessary to mist the enclosure more often in dry areas or during dry periods.

Gut loaded crickets, and occasional mealworms should make up the Pictus Gecko’s diet.   Gut loaded crickets serve as a good source of protein. Crickets should serve as the basis of the diet.  Crickets should be no longer than the gecko’s head is wide. Offer commercially raised crickets only, never wild caught insects, which can pose a health risk. Ground calcium should be available at all times in a small dish.

Feed hatchlings and juveniles 4-6 appropriately sized crickets daily (juveniles get larger crickets). Adults should be offered 6-8 appropriately sized crickets 3-4 times a week. Crickets should be dusted with calcium supplement at every feeding. Dust with a vitamin supplement once a week. Feeding should be at dawn and dusk.

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.

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.

Clean fresh chlorine-free water must always be available to a Pictus Gecko in a shallow dish.  The water in this dish should be kept clean.