Care Sheet - Helmeted Geckos

Helmeted geckos (Geckonia chazaliae)

This interesting little Geckos can be found along the North West African coast
from Rio de Oro in Mauritania, northwards all the way to Morocco. They are not
normally found more than three miles inland. Although such proximity to the
ocean increases humidity, the habitat of the gecko is desert with little vegetation
where they can hide during the day.
Description
This gecko is sometimes mistaken for a rather short and stout species of Agama.
Like Agamas, the helmeted gecko stores its own fat reserves along the side of its
body, rather than in its tail as most other geckos do. Its head is separate from the
body and at the rear of the head there are enlarged tubercular scales which
resemble a helmet, giving this gecko its name. These geckos have tough skin
and can be handled but this can also stress them.
The Helmeted Gecko has no eyelids, and relies on its tongue to clean the
brille/surface of the eyes. The pupils are vertical, like many other nocturnal
species of gecko. During the day, the helmeted geckos colour blends in
remarkably well with the sand. At night, the light sandy colour changes to
chocolate brown, with dark and light speckles along its spine.
The tail of this species has not got much fat storage capability, and so it looks
very thin in comparison to other types of geckos.
Husbandry
Housing is a very important consideration when thinking about getting a lizard.
Helmeted geckos are best housed in a Terrarium or an aquarium.
One male can be housed together with up to four females. The size of the
enclosure of a harem of helmeted geckos should be at least 80x45x45cm.
The dcor can be as simple or as elaborate as you want. Use sand with a few
small pebbles and pieces of cork bark for them to hide under, and one or two
patches of sphagnum moss to keep it permanently damp and to raise the
humidity slightly. These geckos are part nocturnal and so they like to hide in the

day. A simple hide can be made of plastic guttering or hard cardboard tube2.
Breeding
Breeding females are should be between 20-25 grams and are very prone to
calcium deficiency when breeding. So conditioning is essential especially for the
females and added Calcium+D3 should be added to the food prier, and after egg
laying.
Helmeted Geckos breed from about February to September and lay hard shelled
eggs ever 4 weeks.
Incubate in dry substrate with damp vermiculite around the dry area and incubate
at about 24C.
Lighting and Heating
Although helmeted geckos are nocturnal, they seem to have a high demand for
ultra violet (UV), especially babies and sub adults. A full spectrum lighting tube
should be placed in the vivarium, and should be switched on for at least twelve
hours per day.
The daytime temperature should be around 27-28 C, and a hot spot of about 35
C should be provided. Part of the vivarium must be kept cool to allow them to
thermoregulate. At night the temperature should be allowed to fall to 20 C.
Feeding
Babies should be fed on micro brown crickets, and all adult geckos should be fed
medium to large brown crickets. To improve the rapid growth of babies, all food
should be dusted with calcium every feed and multi-vitamin should be used twice
a week. A shallow water dish should be placed in the vivarium for drinking.
John