Golden Fish Scaled Gecko

Common Group: Geckos Common Name: Golden Fish Scaled Gecko Scientific Name: Geckolepsis maculata Distribution: Madagascar Size: 6 - 7"

Natural History

Golden Fish Scaled Geckos are considered a common gecko in their country of origin, Madagascar. As common as they are (they are often found in human dwellings as well as in the forest!), little is documented about their preferred habitat or husbandry needs. They are not commonly kept in the American reptile hobby, although locally in Madagascar they seem to be incredibly common and often photographed by travelers.

Size and Longevity

These geckos can reach up to 7" in length, although a major part of that may be tail. Little is known about their captive life span, although 5 years or more should not be unexpected.

Caging

As an active, arboreal species, you should provide your geckos with lots of vertical space. A single gecko can be housed in a medium ZooMed Terrarium, although a larger cage such as the larger Exoterra cages or Penn Plax Units would work better. Your gecko will definitely utilize all the space you provide it, and to provide an adequate heat range, a large cage will be necessary.

Heating and Lighting

In captivity, Golden Fish Scaled Geckos seem to be a more nocturnal species, although information about their activity habits is severely lacking. To be on the safe side, a range of temperatures should be provided. A white basking light should be provided for them during the day, in addition to UVB. UVB can be provided in the form of a fluorescent tube or a compact fluorescent bulb, as long as some form of UVB is available to them to use.

At night, they seem capable of tolerating temperatures down into the 70s, although if you are concerned about how cool yours are getting, it is not a bad idea to provide them with a red night light so that they can get warmer if they so desire. The key to successfully keeping your Golden Fish Scaled Geckos happy is to provide them with a wide range of temperatures and lighting options so that they can choose what temperature and lighting arrangement they feel comfortable at.

Cage Furnishings

As an arboreal gecko species, Golden Fish Scaled Geckos will spend a majority of their time on the sides of the cage or up on branches. Keep this in mind when selecting cage furnishings. Providing them numerous places to hide while also remaining up above the bottom of the cage will keep them happiest. Tall, branchy pieces of manzanita, pieces of grapewood, and half logs set on their sides provide large places for them to climb on, and bases to lean cork flats and cork rounds on for the geckos to hide on and under. These geckos like to climb on flat pieces of wood and hide in crevices, so be sure to provide plenty. When your gecko has plenty of options to scramble over, you will see it out much more often.

In addition to wood and cork decor, be sure to add foliage. Use tropical vines, jungle vines, naturalistic plant decor, and tall, broad leaved plants for them to hide on. In addition, Golden Fish Scaled Geckos especially love plants with long, narrow leaves such as the Pandanus plant. In addition to fake plants, consider live tropical plants or small ficus trees. Foliage not only makes the cage look aesthetically pleasing, but provide visual barriers between you and your gecko and even between other geckos in the cage, resulting in a much happier gecko in the end.

Humidity and Water Requirements

Coming from the forests of Madagascar, Golden Fish Scaled Geckos require moderate to high levels of humidity. Use a hand sprayer to spray the cage down at least twice a day, more often if you live in a dry climate. Use of a Reptifogger or automatic misting system can make your life considerably easier, and certainly makes things much more consistent for your geckos.

In addition to humidity, Golden Fish Scaled Geckos should be provided a water bowl that is filled with fresh, clean water on a daily basis.

Nutritional Requirements

Golden Fish Scaled Geckos will readily accept most commonly available feeder insects, including crickets, mealworms, waxworms, and even appropriately sized roaches of various species. In addition to being provided a variety of insects, it's also recommended to dust insects at least every other feeding in a high quality calcium powder containing D3 and a high quality reptile multivitamin should be used about once a week or so.

Handling

As cute as these geckos are, it is not recommended to handle them frequently. Not only can they stress out easily, but their unique, trademark scales will peel right off if they are handled a little too roughly. With immense amounts of patience, they can be coaxed onto their keeper's hand, but if you want an easy to handle pet, this is not the gecko for you. However, if you want a neat, fascinating little display gecko that is unique and kept by few others, this is the gecko for you!