[Melmo]

Hello, I'm looking into Gekko Vittatus as my next animal ! I have researched already, but I still have quite a few questions:

*What are the humidity requirements?
*What are the temperature requirements? (Day time, night time, basking spot or no basking spot)
*Is WC ok, or should I really look for a CB one?
*What food will it take? Is baby food ok for White-Lines (I know it's not ok for Cresteds, so I'm curious)
*How large do they get?
*Any other things I should know?

Thanks for any answers in advanced.

[Melmo]

No answers? I really want to know the one about CB and WC...

[Bean]

Hopefully this will help..... here it goes:

White lined geckos are native to Indonesia, where it is hot and humid.
They are very closely related to Tokay geckos although not as heavy or aggressive generally. Adults reach 8 – 10 inches in length and can live from 6 to 10 years.
These geckos can vary in colour from dark brown to pale tan and sometimes a greenish colour. They all have two white lines starting on either side of their heads and meeting at the neck to then running down the spine to the base of the tail. The tail is usually striped with broad bands of white.
These geckos can be handled but be warned they are very fast and can be skittish especially if not used to being handled.
Housing males together should be avoided as they can fight to the death, although they can be housed in large groups of mixed sexes in very large environments.



Captive environment

Vivarium size and material

Housing needs to be around 24 inches long by 16 inches deep and 24 inches high, for 2 – 3 geckos. As they come from areas very high in humidity for a good part of the year, then they need high humidity in captive care too. Also these geckos have incredibly sticky toe pads and do very well on glass. Hence suggested materials for a vivarium would be glass with one side as a screen, fibre glass with a screen door, or if wood is used then use several coats of yacht varnish to prevent it rotting with the humidity.


Substrates and cage décor

Suggested substrates include coco fibre, peat, rainforest bark, cypruss mulch, newspaper and kitchen towel. The latter being easiest to keep clean and first 3 will help to maintain humidity.
They will need plenty of branches, live or plastic plants, rocks, hides cork bark etc to provide hiding and climbing places.

Temperature and Humidity.

These geckos prefer temperatures in the mid 80s (F) but are quite hardy and do tolerate down to the 70s and up to the low 90s. Humidity needs to be around 65% to 75% or higher at times – they do experience very high humidity in the rainy season where they originate from. Ensure heating is controlled using a thermostat to avoid over heating and obtain correct temperatures, also use a guard otherwise your gecko will end up burning its feet.




Lighting

There is no evidence to show that these nocturnal geckos do definitely need UV lighting, but there is no harm providing them with what they receive in the wild. Uv lighting may actually prevent metabolic bone disease, as uv lighting actually helps reptiles to metabolise calcium.
As these geckos generally come out at night you may wish to use some form of low lighting such as a red light, to observe them in the evenings. Use of a guard is also advised if the light form gets hot, to prevent the geckos from burning their feet etc.

Feeding and water

White lined geckos eat soft bodied invertebrates such as flies, crickets, moths hoppers, wax worms, mealworms, silk worms, ****roaches, spiders etc. it is good to provide variety in their diet. Make sure you gut load the chosen food items in order the offer your gecko with a highly nutritional meal, also dust them with a high quality calcium, vitamin D and multivitamin powder once or twice weekly. These geckos also appreciate purreed fruit ( not citrus) with honey mixed in, such as peach and banana.
Fresh water should be offered daily aswell as misting the vivarium 1 – 3 times daily. Treat the water with a conditioner that will remove chlorine and chloramines as these can prove harmful to reptiles.


General care and maintenance points

Spot clean your vivarium daily and give it a thorough clean out every 1 month or so depending on how well it is spot cleaned, and which substrate you are using. Use a commercially available product available in reptile shops or a 5% bleach soloution – ensure the enclosure is thoroughly rinsed afterwards as cleansing products may be harmful to your gecko.
Take care to wash your hands following handling, feeding or cleansing as reptiles and amphibians do rarely carry diseases which can be passed on to humans ( zoonoses) such as salmonella, good hygiene is all that is required to prevent this.
Please ensure you do not have alcohol, perfumes, aftershave or detergents on your hands as these can be harmful to your gecko.

[Melmo]

Thanks for the reply! I do believe I read that care sheet before, but I really appreciate the help.

[Melmo]

Hey again. Do these geckos vocalize more as individuals, or pairs? How often would breeding occur? How can I stop breeding, as I don't want constant eggs. Thanks!

[Bean]

I didn't know they made noise until I added my female to the cage, now I hear the male chirp/bark alot, it really is interesting. As for breeding, I can't say, mine have been together for nine months and haven't produced anyting yet. I beleive my female is till too young because she has never produced any eggs at all.

[Sinosauropteryx]

Originally Posted by Bean

They all have two white lines starting on either side of their heads and meeting at the neck to then running down the spine to the base of the tail.

Some morphs don't have the dorsal stripe. Also, the whorls on the tail tend to disappear gradually as the gecko ages.

Originally Posted by Melmo

Hey again. Do these geckos vocalize more as individuals, or pairs?

I think I have heard my G. vittatus vocalize often at night during the summer, but then I don't really know what their vocalizations are supposed to sound like so it could have been something else. The sound I have heard was a peeping or squeeking sound that was like heavy water droplets dripping into a full pail of water.

.....

I don't know what I can add that Bean hasn't, but I had to move my G. vittatus into a 12 x 12 x 18 inch Exo-terra terrarium because he kept escaping from the 37 gallon fish tank he was in prior to that. He seems to be doing OK so far. I am not so sure what it will be like in summer because I got the new terrarium in mid-September, but it is relatively easy to heat in the winter with a 75watt infra-red heat bulb. Humidity stays in longer, too. I actually had to restrict misting the terrarium to only once a day because multiple mistings ended up flooding the floor of the terrarium.

If you can find a recipe for day gecko fruit diet, you could try giving your gecko some of that. They tend to be almost strictly insectivorous, though. Mine won't eat anything other than crickets.

EDIT: Try the Repashy Crested Gecko Diet (CGD) they have out. Apparently white-lineds will readily eat that. From what I have heard, anyway.

[Dyesub Dave]

I started off with a pair of these a couple of years ago. Their requirements are similar to Crested Geckos however slightly more humid. I have added heat and left them at room temps and they seem to do fine either way. The white lines that I have will eat crickets, gecko diet, fruit smoothie ... whatever I put in really. They seem to be an extremely hardy gecko.

I currently have more babies than I know what to do with. There isn't really much demand around here for these great little geckos. I keep mine in an 18x18x24 planted exo that has lighting on a timer and usually gets misted twice a day. The female lays a pair of hard shelled eggs on the glass every 40 days or so which hatch in approx. 60-90 days. I have not witnessed the adults harming the hatchlings whatsoever. I keep the juvies in the same enclosure as the adults until I can find a new home for them.

IMO these are a highly UNDERRATED gecko and are a great addition to any collection. The adults that I have are very skittish but the juvies don't seem too bad. I am confident that with somewhat regular handling they would calm down a bit.


Dyesub Dave.

[Sinosauropteryx]

Originally Posted by Dyesub Dave

I keep mine in an 18x18x24 planted exo

Is that 24 inches long or 24 inches tall? Just wondering.

[Metal_Gecko]

I'm new to Geckos, but I've been contemplating on getting a White-stripped/Skunk Gecko myself, so:

Originally Posted by Bean

They are very closely related to Tokay geckos although not as heavy or aggressive generally. Adults reach 8 – 10 inches in length and can live from 6 to 10 years.

The only one I can find in town is the only one left, and he's about 8" I'd guess...
Also, he bit me....

Originally Posted by Sinosauropteryx

Some morphs don't have the dorsal stripe. Also, the whorls on the tail tend to disappear gradually as the gecko ages.

And as you posted, the stripes around his/her tail are almost completely faded.
I'm guessing it's an older Gecko based on that???

Originally Posted by Dyesub Dave

I currently have more babies than I know what to do with. There isn't really much demand around here for these great little geckos.

No, they don't seem to be in high demand here either.
...Which is why I'd like to get this one while I have a chance at one.

Originally Posted by Dyesub Dave

IMO these are a highly UNDERRATED gecko and are a great addition to any collection. The adults that I have are very skittish but the juvies don't seem too bad. I am confident that with somewhat regular handling they would calm down a bit.

I think they are aWESome, and a very underrated Gecko as well.
This one I'd like to get, is VERY skittish, and since I'm guessing he's an adult too, can they be tamed at that age?

Thanks,
-Wes