Geckos · Care guide
Chondrodactylus angulifer
A terrestrial gecko from arid plains and desert edges of southern Africa — adults grow to about 8″. Dry heat with a probe target of 84–86 °F, T5 12% UV, a wet box for shedding, and a diet of insects plus plant matter.
At a glance
Key parameters for day-to-day husbandry. Full detail is in the sections below.
Daytime probe
84–86 °F
29–30 °C · thermostat sensor
Night drop
~10 °F
~74 °F · ~23 °C
Diet
Insects + plants
4:1 dust · plant lists
UVB
T5 12%
Ceiling · replace yearly
01 · Housing
Terrestrial geckos from arid southern African plains and desert edges. Provide hides, basking platforms, rocks and branches, a wet box with damp moss (they dig to damp sand layers in the wild), artificial foliage, dry substrate, and a clear temperature gradient. Adult minimum for a single gecko is 24″ × 18″ × 18″.
Adult minimum size
24″ W × 18″ D × 18″ H
Wooden vivarium for a single adult, or larger. Dry terrestrial setup with heat bulb, T5 12% UV, wet box, rocks and platforms — morning drip drinks preferred over a large bowl.
Housing diagram
Enclosure example
Front view 24″ wide × 18″ tall (depth 18″) · hides · basking platforms · rocks & branches · wet box · foliage · dry substrate
Setup diagram · 1 of 2
Top-down view
Heat bulb & probe left–right positions · Recommended temps need this layout
Setup diagram · 2 of 2
Front view
Looking into the vivarium · bulb on the ceiling · probe hangs down the back
02 · Climate
Dry heat with a clear cool-to-warm gradient and a ~110 °F basking spot, T5 12% UV, and a wet box for shedding rather than high ambient humidity.
When the heat bulb and thermostat sensor are placed as instructed, a probe target of 84–86 °F (29–30 °C) creates this spread. The probe point is not the basking spot.
| Zone | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Cool side | ~80 °F (~27 °C) |
| Probe point (thermostat probe target) | 84–86 °F (29–30 °C) |
| Middle | 88–90 °F (31–32 °C) |
| Warm side | ~100 °F (~38 °C) |
| Basking spot | ~110 °F (~43 °C) |
| Night drop | Reduce thermostat by ~74 °F (~23 °C) at night · ~10 °F drop |
Climate diagram
Lighting setup
T5 12% UVB on the ceiling (straight or diagonal) · heat dome on the warm side · match UV to heat
Always have the thermostat dial turned down before you plug it into the mains for the first time. Set the probe to 84–86 °F (29–30 °C) for daytime once the heat bulb and sensor are in place.
03 · Nutrition
Insects and plant matter as described on this sheet. Dust every feed and use the plant Ca:P lists for variety.
At a glance
As described on this sheet
With plant matter
Dust every feeding with a 4:1 mix of calcium : Nutrobal (4 parts calcium to 1 part Nutrobal). Store the mix in an airtight container and use it to coat food every time you feed.
New lizards often will not eat well for the first few days. This is perfectly normal. Once settled and happy, appetite usually increases. Offer insects and plant matter as described on this sheet.
Gut-load insects before offering any live food — variety matters for calcium-to-phosphorus (Ca:P) and vitamins.
Feeder insects must be well fed before offering. In the wild, lizards eat insects that themselves ate a wide variety of foods — providing complete nutrition and a better calcium-to-phosphorus (Ca:P) ratio.
Speak to a member of staff for more feeding advice.
This sheet includes plant-matter lists alongside insect feeding. Use as many listed foods as possible and alternate for calcium-to-phosphorus balance. Naturally growing weeds and herbs are excellent when safe.
Good calcium to low phosphorus (examples)
Apricots, basil, blackberries, bok choy, broccoli tops, cantaloupe, carrots/carrot tops*, chicory, Chinese cabbage, clover, dandelion leaves and flowers, escarole, figs and fig leaves, green onion, leeks, okra, oranges, papaya, parsley, pea pods (not peas), rosemary, sow thistle, turnip greens, watercress, continental lettuces (romaine, cos, frisée, endive, radicchio, lollo rosso), mulberry, grape, ficus, rose, hibiscus, and opuntia cactus leaves. *Carrots/carrot tops not in high concentration (tannins).
Marginal Ca:P
Apple (no pips), aubergine, celery leaf only, pears, radish, sweet potato.
Poor Ca:P / high phosphorus — use sparingly
Asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, grapes, peaches, plums, squash, strawberries, tomato.
Generally exclude (oxalates / goitrogens / similar concerns)
Beans, rhubarb, spinach, beet greens, Swiss chard, cauliflower, cabbage, mustard greens, peas, collard greens, soy meal/beans, banana.
Garden plants often listed as safe
Carnations/dianthus, dracaena, echeveria/succulents, ficus, geranium, grape (Vitis), hibiscus, impatiens, maple leaves, nasturtiums, oregano, petunia, phlox, pinks, rose petals, soleirolia, viola/pansy/violets (not African). Always double-check any plant before offering.
Toxic / avoid
Apple bark/leaves/seeds, burdock, buttercup, cherry, clematis, crocus, daffodil, eggplant, elderberry, holly, horse chestnut, hyacinth, hydrangea, iris, lily of the valley, mistletoe, narcissus, oak, oleander, peach, peony, poinsettia, potato, primrose, privet, rhododendron, shamrock, snowdrop, sorrel, sweet pea, tomato plant, tulip, Virginia creeper — and some rosemary/sage varieties (verify before use).
Always dust plant and insect foods with the 4:1 calcium : Nutrobal mix.
04 · Behaviour
Patience first. Settling and regular feeding come before handling.
Allow the lizard to settle and begin eating regularly before handling — we recommend at least two successful feeds first. Adapting is stressful; early handling can make it worse.
Initial sessions: 5–10 minutes only. Lengthen as the lizard becomes more comfortable.
Always wash or disinfect hands before and after handling to prevent bacteria transfer both ways.
Do not use aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure — the chemicals can harm your lizard.
05 · Welfare
Prevention starts with correct husbandry — heat, UVB, hydration, and supplementation working together.
Correct temperatures, supplementation, hydration, and UVB keep the immune system and gut working well — supporting essential physiological processes.
Pros
Cons
Questions
Adult minimum for a single gecko is a 24″ × 18″ × 18″ wooden vivarium, or larger. They are a dry terrestrial species — use pelleted straw or coarser desert sand (not fine sand), add hides, basking platforms, rocks and branches, a wet box with damp moss (they dig to damp sand layers in the wild and need that humidity for shedding), and artificial foliage. Use a heat bulb with the ¼/¼ probe method and a T5 12% UV unit on the ceiling.
Set the thermostat probe to 84–86 °F (29–30 °C) by day with the heat bulb about one-quarter from one side and the probe one-quarter from the opposite side, hanging down the back a few inches from the floor. That creates a gradient of about 80 °F cool, 88–90 °F middle, around 100 °F warm, and a basking spot of about 110 °F under the bulb. At night reduce the thermostat by about 10 °F to around 74 °F (23 °C).
Use a T5 UV system at 12% mounted on the ceiling. Match UV on/off to heat. Daytime heat about 12 hours in winter and up to 16 hours in summer when days are longer. Replace the T5 tube every 12 months — UV output drops even if the tube still glows.
They rarely drink from water bowls, so bowls are often omitted. Offer a morning drink by dripping water onto the nose with a spray bottle or syringe until they stop licking. You can also give a weekly bath in chest-height warm water for about 10 minutes; gentle head dunks often prompt a long drink. Use Reptisafe-treated or bottled water only. If you use a bowl, keep it small so they cannot splash and raise humidity.
Allow the gecko to settle and begin eating regularly before handling — at least two successful feeds first. Early sessions 5–10 minutes only; lengthen as they become more comfortable. Always wash or disinfect hands before and after. No aerosols or plug-in air fresheners near the enclosure.
Next steps
Shop heating, housing and lighting on this site, browse livestock when available, or speak to our team for a tailored kit list.
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