Description:
Scientific name: Gekko badenii
Life span: 8 or more years
Gekko badenii, also referred to as the Baden’s Pacific gecko, is a species of lizard in the Gekkonidae family. The colloquial name “golden gecko” refers to the body’s golden-colored scales. The base of the tail on males is longer and has fleshy bumps. On the inner of the legs, there are pores. None of these exist in females.
Native Region/Habitat
Southern Vietnam’s Tây Ninh Province and Kon Tum Province have both recorded cases of G. badenii (the latter following the recognition of Gekko ulikovskii as a synonym of this species). Granite rocky regions, especially those in lowland rainforest, with elevations ranging from sea level to 986 m are G. badenii’s preferred natural environment (3,235 ft).
Behavior:
Even though they are nocturnal, golden geckos are nonetheless fascinating to observe. These domesticated lizards get highly active when the lights go out. They will peruse the enclosure and climb the system of walkways you built. The geckos will hunt down the insects in a fierce display of athletic prowess when you feed them! These are swift lizards that easily dispatch live insects! Things change a little bit during the course of the day. The majority will hide as they sleep.
Care As a pet/In captivity:
Housing: A golden gecko can live in a 20-gallon tall terrarium, although larger habitats are preferable because golden geckos are active reptiles. Choose a tall tank because golden geckos require vertical room for climbing. Males should only be kept one to a cage because they are quite territorial. They can easily glide along vertical surfaces because to their unique toe pads, and they can even cling upside down.
Golden geckos need a substrate that holds moisture, like reptile bark or bedding made of coconut fibre shreds. Even while potting soil frequently contains perlite, an inorganic substance made from mined volcanic glass of the same name, some keepers choose to use only pure soil instead of potting soil. If too much is unintentionally consumed, it might result in impactions in lizards.
Heat: Golden geckos should have access to a temperature gradient of 75 to 90 F during the day, with a dip to 70 or 75o F at night. A ceramic heating element or a reptile bulb inside a reflector can both produce heat. To keep the other end of the tank colder, only place any heat sources on one end of the tank. Because these climbing geckos could go too close and sustain burns, avoid placing a heat source directly at the top of the tank.
Light: As golden geckos are nocturnal, specialized light spectrums are not required. Many experts feel that supplying some UV lighting is still good for a gecko’s general health, nevertheless. You can also use red reptile night lamps at night and white incandescent or blue reptile bulbs during the day.
Humidity: Aim for 60 to 80 percent relative humidity; golden geckos require a degree of moderate to high humidity. The best approach to assess humidity, which is crucial, is to get a hygrometer and check readings every day. The geckos will probably drink from the water droplets that accumulate from the mist if you regularly spritz the area to add humidity.
Food and Water: Diverse live prey insects should be fed to golden geckos. With the inclusion of waxworms, mealworms, butterworms, roaches, and other pesticide-free, live insect prey, crickets can serve as the majority of the diet. Prior to feeding, a gecko’s prey should be gut loaded and dusted twice to three times per week with calcium supplements and multivitamins. Also frequently found eating fruit is golden geckos. You can give mashed bananas, pureed baby food, or sliced fruit a try. Goldens particularly enjoy mangos and other tropical fruits.
Every day, fill a small shallow water dish with fresh, clean, and non-chlorinated water. Golden geckos, like other geckos, like to consume water droplets that gather on the surfaces of leaves, therefore they might use this more for soaking than for drinking.
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