A1 Reptiles
Paroedura pictus Gecko Care Sheet

Make sure a shallow dish with water is available at all times. Feeding consists of a main diet of crickets coated with a vitamin or calcium supplement. Some of the best supplements on the market are Rep-Cal (calcium with vitamin D) and Nekton-Rep (vitamin). At feeding time, use Rep-Cal calcium powder as a major component for mineral supplementation. Two to three times a month use Nekton-Rep as an additional vitamin supplement - shaking this mixture back and forth to coat the crickets before feeding. Crickets may be found at your local pet store but are about $1.30/dozen. I would suggest ordering your crickets from a supplier (such as Fluker Farms 1-800-735-8537). You can order from this supplier at a cost of $19.50/1,000. The crickets may be kept in a tall trash can with a screen top and fed baby chicken starter mash as a diet. Water should also be made available by an inverted water dish, also available from most pet suppliers at a cost of $15.00. The crickets have a life span of about six to eight weeks so its best not to order anymore than you will use in two to three weeks.

Paroedura pictus hatchlings should be fed 1/8-inch crickets (one week old cricket) and adults should be fed 3/4-inch crickets (five week old cricket). Mealworms may be fed once a month. Mealworms should not be fed to animals less than six months of age.  Feeding should take place three to four times a week and not every day. A hatchling will usually eat two to three crickets at one feeding.  An adult will usually eat between three to four crickets at one feeding.

Daytime temperature should be around 85 degrees F and may cool to 75 degrees F at night. The daytime temperature may be achieved with a spotlight; such as a sixty-watt household bulb. Make sure it is not possible for your animal to come into contact with the bulb, as this will cause burns. A small part of the substrate should be heated from 85-88 degrees F. you may heat the substrate using heat strips or a heating pad made specifically for reptile cages, which are available at most pet stores. You want to purchase these heat strips or pads to place under the tank so they do not come into direct contact with your animal. Do not use heat rocks if they do not have a temperature control on them. Heat rocks without temperature controls on them can become to hot and may cause thermal burns on your animal. Geckos are ectothermic (require heat from outside sources).

Mating takes place in the early hours of the night. Unlike other geckos this species can breed year round. It has happened that females have laid themselves to death. Separating the sexes after three or four clutches; allowing the female to build up her strength again can prevent this.

Keep a closed plastic container inside the cage with an opening large enough for the Paroedura pictus to go in and out. This plastic container will act as a hide box as well as an egg-laying site for the females. Keep about two-three inches of dampened Canadian sphagnum peat moss (commonly found at garden stores) inside the container. Mist the inside of the container occasionally to keep the peat moss damp but not wet. The eggs can become damaged by to much moisture or by becoming to dry. The female will lay her eggs inside the plastic container. 

The eggs are hard shelled and can be removed for incubation. I would suggest you pick up the eggs with a spoon as they are very delicate and may crumble if you try picking them up with your fingers. The eggs will be the size of a pea. Place the eggs inside a plastic container with dampened peat moss and cover the container with a lid and place it into the incubator. Incubation temperature for the Paroedura pictus eggs is around 83 degrees F. Check the container every few days to make sure the peat moss maintains moisture and to let fresh air into the container. Incubation time for this species is right around sixty days. Make sure you check the containers daily when it is close to hatching time and remove hatchlings as soon as they have hatched.  

Paroedura pictus hatchlings are less than one inch in length and grow to a length of four inches.  The Paroedura pictus specie is one of the smallest geckos in the world.

Unlike other gecko species the Paroedura pictus are not temperature sexed. The young however, are easily sexed within about eight weeks after birth. The males will have a very obvious swollen tailbase.

The hatchlings will not feed until they have had their first shed, which usually takes about five days after hatching. The first couple of times the hatchling Paroedura pictus sheds it is a good idea to mist them and keep them moist during shedding as they can easily die in their shed.

A substrate, which I like to use, is Canadian sphagnum peat moss.  Peat moss makes a good substrate because it is a natural substance, which is totally digestible, maintains moisture and naturally absorbs odor. Mix the peat moss with water and rub the two between your hands until the peat moss has absorbed all the moisture.  Firmly pack the peat moss in the bottom of the cage and let it dry in the sun or under a heat lamp for a couple of hours until all moisture has evaporated. The peat moss will dry to a hard surface.

You must educate yourself on the specialized needs of a reptile prior to purchase. All reptiles require different and specialized care. Even captive-bred reptiles can pick up parasites from vegetation, water supply, insects, etc. Parasites can overwhelm an animal in captivity and they can decline rapidly.  It’s always a good idea to take a new reptile to the vet.