[TigerRose]

My boyfriend found a tiny Western Banded Gecko in our back yard. We want to keep him so I trying to gather as much info on husbandry and feeding before we head to the store. I mainly need to know what to feed the little guy, will baby crickets be small enough? Should i leave some meal worms in there j/n/k? What what about lighting? Any suggestions would be most helpful. I've owned chameleons in the past so I'm pretty familiar with their needs I just need specifics thanks!!

[perenquen]

requirements of the banded geckos (Coleonyx sp.) are a lot different from that of chameleons.
first, banded geckos are primary nocturnal, so they don´t need extra lighting. they need some humid and some dry hiding place (pieces of flower pots, wood, flat rocks,...). spray one corner of the tank with water every other day. you don´t mention the size of the gecko, but a good advice is to offer crickets that are not much longer than gecko´s head

[TigerRose]

Its a tiny thing, not much more than an inch. Good info, thank you for the relpy.

[acpart]

Read some leopard gecko care sheets and keep it the same way except:
--they are much smaller and can be in a smaller enclosure
--they seem to like humidity more than the leopard geckos (I know both species are from an arid environment, but they may spend a lot of their time in humid micro climates. I keep plexiglass over the top of my banded geckos' cage and they seem to like it that way
--they seem to like to burrow more than leopard geckos, so either a tank with a coco fiber substrate, or a good sized container with coco fiber in the tank (that's what I do) is something they enjoy

I feed mind 1/8" to 1/4" crickets and mealworms.

Aliza

[jpstodwftexas]

Originally Posted by TigerRose

My boyfriend found a tiny Western Banded Gecko in our back yard. We want to keep him so I trying to gather as much info on husbandry and feeding before we head to the store. I mainly need to know what to feed the little guy, will baby crickets be small enough? Should i leave some meal worms in there j/n/k? What what about lighting? Any suggestions would be most helpful. I've owned chameleons in the past so I'm pretty familiar with their needs I just need specifics thanks!!

Please be careful about announcing on the Forums about saving a Native species..Unless of Course you have the Appropriate State's Required "Collection" permits..I had a run in with TPWD because They assumed I was out collecting species..I am still awaiting My Applications to Resale Animals and Application for Educational Displays.

I know it is hard not to want to save a Local species but by bringing it into your home you might run a foul with the Law..