A Guide for Tokay Gecko Care
Reptiles as pets are widely popular across the world. And if you have been thinking about adopting a Tokay gecko for quite some time now, you must first learn basic gecko care.
Understanding Geckos
Geckos are small lizards found in the warm climatic regions, even inside any residential apartments or cottages. The most common forms of geckos kept as pets are leopard geckos, but it’s not uncommon to see a crested gecko or a Tokay in a reptile enthusiast’s home. The Tokay geckos are born with camouflaging abilities, and generally, two variants of this species can be observed with attractive physical features.
A Guide to Taking Care of Your Gecko
A lot of people are a bit skeptical about acquiring their pet or reptile care knowledge from the internet, as most of them are either outdated or unscientific. Wrong measures can lead to serious consequences. Hence, discover and implement the correct methods so that your pet enjoys a long and vigorous life:
Habitat
Start by bringing home a 10 or 20-gallon aquarium that would serve as the gecko’s bioactive terrarium. To turn it into suitable accommodation for your crested gecko, equip it with:
- artificial plants
- live plants
- branches
- vines
- preferably two hiding places—one warm and moist, and the other rather cool and dry
- newspaper, peat moss, or orchid bark as a substrate
- a bowl of freshwater
Terrarium Environment
Geckos are nocturnal. They spend most of their day sleeping in their hiding spots and come out after sundown. The ideal temperature for your Tokay gecko would be around 80 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, which is neither too hot nor too cold. Also, keep a check that:
- the temperature never drops below 75 degrees Fahrenheit
- the humidity levels stick to 60 to 80 percent
- the enclosure is provided with adequate ventilation
- the substrate is at least 3-4 inches high and capable of locking the moisture inside the vivarium
Geckos often look for a basking place. You can create one for your pet by fixing a low wattage UVB bulb. This will help the gecko follow a proper sleeping and eating schedule and boost its vitamin B3.
Food Habits
This particular breed of gecko consumes various insects, small lizards, and fruits out in the wild. You can give it silkworms, hornworms, mealworms, waxworms, premium dubia roaches, etc. But before giving it to your gecko, the feeder insects must be gut loaded with vitamins for at least a day or so.
You can also treat your pet with:
- veggies
- fruits
- dark green leaves
- frozen and thawed pink mice
Watchfulness
When sharing your room with a gecko, you need to be cautious about the following:
- They can get aggressive and bite when threatened. Be patient with them.
- Never keep two male geckos together, as they are territorial by nature.
- Your gecko’s croaks can be noisy. It’s better to place the terrarium a little away from your bed.
- Insect feeding must not exceed once or twice a week.
Surely, you can become best friends forever over time! Just be consistent in familiarizing your Tokay gecko with your presence and the home environment by letting it sit on your hand every day for a couple of minutes. And soon you shall have its trust.
