Chahoua Gecko — Fact Sheet

Mniarogekko chahoua · Chahoua Gecko

Full care guide and sources

📋 At a glance

🏠 Enclosure

• Adult enclosure: 60 × 60 × 90 cm (length × width × height).
• A practical plan for one adult; furnishing and the animal’s actual size determine whether more space is needed.
• Substrate planning depth: 10 cm
• Housing: One animal per enclosure

🪨 Substrate and furnishings

The enclosure should be sturdy and dense. Chahoua geckos are heavier than crested geckos and need strong branches, cork, and ledges that will not shift under their weight.

Suitable substrate options include:

• Coconut fiber mixed with organic topsoil
• Tropical forest reptile substrate
• Sphagnum moss in selected humid areas
• Leaf litter for cover
• Paper towel for quarantine or medical monitoring

💡 Lighting

Chahoua geckos are nocturnal and crepuscular, but they benefit from a clear day-night cycle. Provide 10-14 hours of light depending on season, or a simple 12-hour cycle.

For UV planning, treat this species as Ferguson Zone 1. Aim for about UVI 0.5-1.0 in the upper exposed area, while leaving retreats and a gradient down to shaded areas near zero UVI. This usually points to a low-output UVB tube such as a ShadeDweller-style or 2-7% T5, chosen for the enclosure height; measure with a Solarmeter 6.5 when possible, because reflector, mesh, distance, and lamp age change the real exposure.

🌡️ Temperature

• Basking spot: 26-28 °C

• Daytime air: 21-25 °C

• Cool zone: 20-22 °C

• Night: 18-22 °C

• Clear gradient required; the animal must be able to move between warm, cool, and hidden zones

• Measure basking surfaces with an infrared thermometer and ambient zones with digital probes

• Avoid heat rocks and unguarded heat sources

💧 Humidity and water

Air humidity: 60–80%. Typical air around the perches, measured away from direct spray. Expect lower readings in warmer areas and during the day, with a rise after evening misting and at night. Check a sheltered perch as well; the range is not a demand to keep every surface constantly wet.

Mist in the evening and lightly in the morning if needed. The enclosure should dry partially between mistings; constant wetness can cause mold, skin irritation, and respiratory problems.

Chahoua geckos often drink droplets from leaves, bark, and glass, but a clean water dish should still be available. Hydration is especially important for shedding, egg-laying females, and growing juveniles.

🪳 Feeding

Chahoua geckos are omnivorous. In captivity, the staple should be a high-quality complete gecko diet formulated for New Caledonian species, mixed with water according to the instructions.

Offer fresh prepared diet two or three times per week for adults, and more often for juveniles. Remove old food before it spoils.

Live insects add enrichment and protein:

• Crickets
• Dubia or discoid roach nymphs
• Black soldier fly larvae
• Silkworms
• Small locusts where legal

Insects should be gut-loaded and dusted with calcium and vitamins as needed. Chahoua geckos can be enthusiastic eaters, so monitor weight and avoid overfeeding.

🩺 Health — warning signs

Common problems usually come from overheating, dehydration, poor ventilation, constant wetness, poor diet, falls, stress, or overbreeding females.

Watch for:

• Stuck shed on toes, eyes, or tail
• Wrinkled skin or sunken eyes
• Weight loss or refusal to eat
• Obesity or fat deposits
• Soft jaw, tremors, or weak grip
• Tail injuries or bite wounds
• Burns from unguarded heat sources
• Egg binding in females

Check temperatures, humidity cycle, diet, supplements, and enclosure security first. Persistent symptoms, injuries, swelling, egg-laying trouble, or neurological signs require a reptile veterinarian.