Cave gecko – Araneus (Goniurosaurus araneus)

Short answers

Cave gecko – Araneus: How big does the enclosure need to be?

60×40×40 cm for one animal (approx. 80×40×50 cm for a 1.2 trio).

Cave gecko – Araneus: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 18–25 °C (max. 26 °C, do not exceed), basking spot — (no basking spot; overheating above 26 °C quickly turns fatal), at night 16–20 °C (night-time cooling is important).

Cave gecko – Araneus: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: UVB not essential (nocturnal/crepuscular); weak UVB (Ferguson zone 1) alongside D3 supplementation does no harm.

Cave gecko – Araneus: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 10–15 years (sometimes up to ~18).

Cave gecko – Araneus: Is it suitable for beginners?

Rather not – it is considered an intermediate species (difficulty: Intermediate).

Climate

Daytime temperature

18–25 °C (max. 26 °C, do not exceed)

Night temperature

16–20 °C (night-time cooling is important)

Basking spot

— (no basking spot; overheating above 26 °C quickly turns fatal)

Humidity

60–80 % (mist daily; a humid hide whose microclimate briefly reaches ~90 %)

UVB

UVB not essential (nocturnal/crepuscular); weak UVB (Ferguson zone 1) alongside D3 supplementation does no harm

Enclosure

Minimum size

60×40×40 cm for one animal (approx. 80×40×50 cm for a 1.2 trio)

Substrate

Damp woodland substrate (coco humus or soil) with leaf litter and moss; a water dish

Feeding

Food

Insects (crickets, small roaches); dust with calcium, vitamins and D3

Feeding interval

adults approx. 2×/week, juveniles every other day

Key facts

Adult size

18–20 cm total length (a large Goniurosaurus species)

Life expectancy

10–15 years (sometimes up to ~18)

Origin

Northern Vietnam (humid, cool forest habitats and karst)

Protection status

CITES Appendix II (2019, all Goniurosaurus from China and Vietnam) → EU Regulation Annex B, proof of origin and registration required; IUCN "Endangered" (the type locality has been wiped out by over-collection) – captive-bred animals only

Brumation

A winter rest or cool spell of ~2–3 months at ~16–18 °C is recommended (to stimulate breeding); the species should be kept cool anyway

Cohabitation

Keeping them singly is the least stressful option and the safe standard — cave geckos are solitary, and when kept together weaker animals are pushed away from food and the best hides. Several females can live together given enough floor space and a hide each; drawback: lower-ranking animals eat less, so weights must be checked regularly. Introduce a male only for mating — kept permanently, he harasses the females and wears them out through repeated clutches. Never keep two males together.

Notes

CRITICALLY temperature-sensitive: temperatures above about 26 °C quickly lead to lethargy, gaping, food refusal and death. No heat lamp – on the contrary, buffer summer heat. Buy captive-bred animals only (protected status).

Do you keep this species?

Add your animal to Reptoria – Reptoria reminds you about feeding and shedding. Add your animal for free →

Look for Cave gecko – Araneus (Goniurosaurus araneus) in the marketplace →

Related species

• Bawangling leopard gecko (Goniurosaurus bawanglingensis) – Intermediate
• Cave gecko – Cat Ba (Goniurosaurus catbaensis) – Expert
• Cave gecko – Hainan (Goniurosaurus hainanensis) – Intermediate
• Cave gecko – Kuroiwa (Goniurosaurus kuroiwae) – Intermediate
• Cave gecko – Lichtenfelder (Goniurosaurus lichtenfelderi) – Intermediate
• Cave gecko – Lui (Goniurosaurus luii) – Intermediate
• Cave gecko – Orientalis (Goniurosaurus orientalis) – Expert
• Cave gecko – Splendens (Goniurosaurus splendens) – Expert

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Cave gecko – Araneus (Goniurosaurus araneus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (60×40×40 cm for one animal (approx. 80×40×50 cm for a 1.2 trio)), substrate (Damp woodland substrate (coco humus or soil) with leaf litter and moss; a water dish), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.