Common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus)

Short answers

Common house gecko: How big does the enclosure need to be?

45×45×50 cm.

Common house gecko: What temperature does it need?

Daytime 26–31 °C, basking spot 32 °C, at night 21–24 °C.

Common house gecko: Does it need UVB lighting?

UVB: Recommended (UVB 5.0).

Common house gecko: How long do they live?

Life expectancy: 5–10 years.

Common house gecko: Is it suitable for beginners?

Yes – it is considered suitable for beginners (difficulty: Beginner).

Climate

Daytime temperature

26–31 °C

Night temperature

21–24 °C

Basking spot

32 °C

Humidity

70–85 %

UVB

Recommended (UVB 5.0)

Enclosure

Minimum size

45×45×50 cm

Substrate

Coco humus, cork bark, climbing branches, hiding places

Feeding

Food

House crickets, crickets, flies, wax moths

Feeding interval

3×/week

Key facts

Adult size

10–15 cm total length (snout–vent length 4.5–6 cm)

Life expectancy

5–10 years

Origin

South-East Asia; introduced into the tropics worldwide

Protection status

Not listed under CITES; considered invasive in many places – never release it

Brumation

None

Cohabitation

A group (1.2 or 1.3). Two males will not work together — they fight over territory and the warm spot until one is seriously injured or spends its life in a corner. One male with several females usually works, but: females occasionally harass each other too; then remove the subordinate animal. What matters is several warm spots and hides so that subordinate animals can get out of the way, and separate feeding as soon as the animals differ in size.

Notes

Extremely undemanding and keen to breed – often kept as a feeder or beginner's species. It displaces native geckos worldwide, so never release it outdoors.

Do you keep this species?

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

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Related species

• Termite hill gecko (Hemidactylus triedrus) – Intermediate
• Giant leaf-toed gecko (Hemidactylus giganteus) – Intermediate
• Tropical house gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia) – Beginner
• Mediterranean house gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) – Beginner
• Agusan bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus agusanensis) – Intermediate
• Chanhome's bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus chanhomeae) – Intermediate
• Chinese gecko (Gekko chinensis) – Intermediate
• Elok bent-toed gecko (Cyrtodactylus elok) – Intermediate

All species in the care wiki →

What you need to start

To keep Common house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) you typically need: a suitable enclosure (45×45×50 cm), substrate (Coco humus, cork bark, climbing branches, hiding places), a heat source with a thermostat, UVB lighting, thermometer and hygrometer, a water dish and hides. You will find equipment in the Reptoria marketplace.