Cave gecko – Hainan (Goniurosaurus hainanensis)

Short answers

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

60×40×40 cm.

Cave gecko – Hainan: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 22–27 °C (COOL), basking spot 28 °C (small), at night 17–20 °C.

Cave gecko – Hainan: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Not essential.

Cave gecko – Hainan: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 10–15 years.

Cave gecko – Hainan: Is it suitable for beginners?

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

Climate

Daytime temperature

22–27 °C (COOL)

Night temperature

17–20 °C

Basking spot

28 °C (small)

Humidity

70–85 %

UVB

Not essential

Enclosure

Minimum size

60×40×40 cm

Substrate

Damp coco humus, rock structures, caves, shallow water

Feeding

Food

Insects

Feeding interval

adults 3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

18–23 cm

Life expectancy

10–15 years

Origin

Hainan, China – humid rock forests

Protection status

CITES II; wild populations are severely threatened – captive-bred animals only

Brumation

A cooler spell of 8–10 weeks at 15–18 °C

Cohabitation

Keeping them singly is the least stressful option and the safe standard; two males must never be kept together. Several females can live together given enough floor space and a hide each; drawback: lower-ranking animals are pushed away from food, so feed separately if sizes differ and monitor weights. A male with one or two females only for breeding; kept permanently, he harasses the females and wears them out through repeated clutches.

Notes

The classic mistake is keeping it too warm – above 28 °C is tolerated poorly. Humid, cool and crepuscular. Wild-caught animals put pressure on badly threatened populations.

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Related species

• Bawangling leopard gecko (Goniurosaurus bawanglingensis) – Intermediate
• Cave gecko – Araneus (Goniurosaurus araneus) – Intermediate
• Cave gecko – Cat Ba (Goniurosaurus catbaensis) – Expert
• 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 – Hainan (Goniurosaurus hainanensis) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (60×40×40 cm), substrate (Damp coco humus, rock structures, caves, shallow water), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.