Lepidodactylus lugubris
Mourning Gecko
Mourning Geckos live in colonies and should not be kept alone!
(Not only is it cruel to the gecko, but it's unkind to the keeper as well, as you'll be missing out on a number of natural communications and behaviors they use with each other.)
They sometimes squabble with each other, but we've yet to see any kind of fighting or injuries.
We've also been keeping a mix of sizes together without any issues.. they all have plenty of hiding spots and food to go around though.
Size & Sex:
These small geckos, (adult size = 3.5-4"/8.5-10cm) reproduce by parthenogenesis, meaning females can produce young without a male.
Reproducing by parthenogenesis also means all the babies produced are female.
Humidity & Misting:
Mourning Geckos thrive at 60-70% humidity, with a period of 80-90% daily.
They can survive short periods with the humidity as low as 50%.
Misting 1 to 2x per day is a great way to increase/maintain humidity and provide water droplets for the geckos to drink.. we've found that they don't care to drink from a (very small) water dish, and their daily routine should include at least one good misting.
Tap water contains minerals that are important for a gecko's health, but if you're like us and don't like using water that contains chlorine and chloramines, we recommend ReptiSafe Water Conditioner.
We currently use it with all of our reptiles, snails, & isopods, and you only need 2 drops per cup of tap water.
Feeding:
While they're primarily active at night, they are irregularly active during the day too.
They enjoy a fruit & insect-based omnivorous diet in the wild, and thrive in captivity with commercially available crested gecko diets, (like Repashy Grubs 'N' Fruit) and small feeder insects, such as fruit flies, small crickets, etc.
Feeder insects should be dusted with a reptile calcium/vitamin supplement once per week.. we're currently using Repashy Calcium Plus.
(We don't currently stock this product, but will be getting some with our next dry goods order this summer.)
Mourning Geckos can be given a small amount of ripe, cleaned, & mashed/pureed, raw fruit, (with skin & seeds removed)-- as a rare treat.
This isn't necessary though, and we rarely offer it to ours.
Gecko-Safe Fruits; Apples, Apricots, Blueberries, Currants, Cherries, Figs, Guava, Mango, Papaya, Pears, Persimmons, Pineapple, Plums, & Watermelon.
Potentially Unsafe Fruits/Fruits We Don't Use; Bananas, Cranberries, Kiwi, Oranges/Citrus, & Strawberries.
Lighting:
Mourning Geckos may not require any special heating or lighting, but they do better with a regular day/night light schedule & the option to get some mild UV, so it may be a good idea to provide these.. ours do regularly positions themselves in places where they'll get light from their UV lamp we use.
Temperatures:
Consistent temperatures of 29℃ (85℉) & higher can cause heat stress/stroke, and consistent temperatures below 21℃ (70℉) can cause poor appetite, lethargy, & illness.
We keep our Mourning Geckos at room temperature in our Bug Room, (which is around 25℃-26℃/77℉-79℉ in the daytime and around 22℃/72℉ at night) and they've been healthy, happy, & thriving.
Our Setup:
Our Mourning Geckos are kept in a planted, bioactive terrarium, and live peacefully with 2 Grove Snails, Papaya Isopods, & Springtails.
They have a single reptile UV light above their terrarium.
(Not only is it cruel to the gecko, but it's unkind to the keeper as well, as you'll be missing out on a number of natural communications and behaviors they use with each other.)
They sometimes squabble with each other, but we've yet to see any kind of fighting or injuries.
We've also been keeping a mix of sizes together without any issues.. they all have plenty of hiding spots and food to go around though.
Size & Sex:
These small geckos, (adult size = 3.5-4"/8.5-10cm) reproduce by parthenogenesis, meaning females can produce young without a male.
Reproducing by parthenogenesis also means all the babies produced are female.
Humidity & Misting:
Mourning Geckos thrive at 60-70% humidity, with a period of 80-90% daily.
They can survive short periods with the humidity as low as 50%.
Misting 1 to 2x per day is a great way to increase/maintain humidity and provide water droplets for the geckos to drink.. we've found that they don't care to drink from a (very small) water dish, and their daily routine should include at least one good misting.
Tap water contains minerals that are important for a gecko's health, but if you're like us and don't like using water that contains chlorine and chloramines, we recommend ReptiSafe Water Conditioner.
We currently use it with all of our reptiles, snails, & isopods, and you only need 2 drops per cup of tap water.
Feeding:
While they're primarily active at night, they are irregularly active during the day too.
They enjoy a fruit & insect-based omnivorous diet in the wild, and thrive in captivity with commercially available crested gecko diets, (like Repashy Grubs 'N' Fruit) and small feeder insects, such as fruit flies, small crickets, etc.
Feeder insects should be dusted with a reptile calcium/vitamin supplement once per week.. we're currently using Repashy Calcium Plus.
(We don't currently stock this product, but will be getting some with our next dry goods order this summer.)
Mourning Geckos can be given a small amount of ripe, cleaned, & mashed/pureed, raw fruit, (with skin & seeds removed)-- as a rare treat.
This isn't necessary though, and we rarely offer it to ours.
Gecko-Safe Fruits; Apples, Apricots, Blueberries, Currants, Cherries, Figs, Guava, Mango, Papaya, Pears, Persimmons, Pineapple, Plums, & Watermelon.
Potentially Unsafe Fruits/Fruits We Don't Use; Bananas, Cranberries, Kiwi, Oranges/Citrus, & Strawberries.
Lighting:
Mourning Geckos may not require any special heating or lighting, but they do better with a regular day/night light schedule & the option to get some mild UV, so it may be a good idea to provide these.. ours do regularly positions themselves in places where they'll get light from their UV lamp we use.
Temperatures:
Consistent temperatures of 29℃ (85℉) & higher can cause heat stress/stroke, and consistent temperatures below 21℃ (70℉) can cause poor appetite, lethargy, & illness.
We keep our Mourning Geckos at room temperature in our Bug Room, (which is around 25℃-26℃/77℉-79℉ in the daytime and around 22℃/72℉ at night) and they've been healthy, happy, & thriving.
Our Setup:
Our Mourning Geckos are kept in a planted, bioactive terrarium, and live peacefully with 2 Grove Snails, Papaya Isopods, & Springtails.
They have a single reptile UV light above their terrarium.