Geckos · Care guide
Nephrurus ssp.
Crepuscular/nocturnal ground-dwelling geckos from arid and desert regions of Australia and Africa (Nephrurus ssp.). Care is largely the same across the group aside from slight humidity differences. Probe target 82 °F, Shadedweller UV, wet box, and insect-led diet.
At a glance
Key parameters for day-to-day husbandry. Full detail is in the sections below.
Daytime probe
82 °F
28 °C · cool-end sensor
Night drop
~10 °F
~72 °F · ~22 °C
Diet
Insects
Method of 5 · 4:1 dust
UVB
Shadedweller
Nocturnal / crepuscular UV
01 · Housing
Ground-dwelling geckos from arid Australia and Africa. Fill the floor with hides and branches — they dislike big open spaces — plus a wet box with damp moss (shedding and subspecies that need slightly more humidity), artificial foliage, dry substrate, and a clear temperature gradient. Adult minimum is 24″ × 18″ × 18″.
Adult minimum size
24″ W × 18″ D × 18″ H
Wooden vivarium, or larger. Dry terrestrial setup with heat bulb, cool-end probe, Shadedweller UV, wet box, and cool-side water bowl.
Housing diagram
Enclosure example
Front view 24″ wide × 18″ tall (depth 18″) · hides · branches · wet box · foliage · cool water bowl
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, Shadedweller UV for a nocturnal species, 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 82 °F (28 °C) creates this spread. The probe point is not the basking spot.
| Zone | Temperature |
|---|---|
| Cool side | ~78 °F (~26 °C) |
| Probe point (thermostat probe target) | 82 °F (28 °C) |
| Middle | 84–86 °F (29–30 °C) |
| Warm side | 90–95 °F (32–35 °C) |
| Night drop | Reduce thermostat by ~72 °F (~22 °C) at night · ~10 °F drop |
Climate diagram
Lighting setup
Shadedweller UV on the ceiling · 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 82 °F (28 °C) for daytime once the heat bulb and cool-end sensor are in place.
03 · Nutrition
Insect-led diet with method of 5, dusting every feed, and well gut-loaded insects.
At a glance
Fed regularly
In moderation only
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 Knob-Tailed Geckos often will not eat well for the first few days. This is perfectly normal. Once settled, appetite usually increases.
Offer 5 insects at a time
Wait until they are eaten before adding more
Prevents dumping 10–15 insects that go uneaten — reducing stress and insect-related injuries
Gut-load insects before offering — 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.
Hand feeding can help bonding, but excessive hand feeding can lead to obesity. Hunting and chasing food provide exercise and enrichment.
Speak to a member of staff for more feeding advice.
04 · Behaviour
Patience first. Settling and regular feeding come before handling.
Allow the gecko to settle and begin eating regularly before handling. Adapting is stressful; early handling can make it worse.
Initial sessions: 5–10 minutes only. Lengthen as the gecko 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 gecko.
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 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), fill the floor with hides and branches, add a wet box with damp moss for shedding (and for subspecies that need slightly more humidity), artificial foliage, and a cool-side water bowl. Use a heat bulb about one-quarter from one side, a cool-end probe 2–3″ from the substrate, and Shadedweller UV for nocturnal/crepuscular reptiles.
Set the thermostat probe to 82 °F (28 °C) by day. Place the heat bulb about one-quarter from one side (halfway front to back) and the probe on the cold end opposite the heat, hanging from the top ventilation cover about 2–3 inches from the substrate. That creates a gradient of about 78 °F cool, 84–86 °F middle, and around 90–95 °F warm. At night reduce the thermostat by about 10 °F to around 72 °F (22 °C).
Although nocturnal, use a Shadedweller UV system designed for nocturnal and crepuscular reptiles (terrestrial or arboreal forms). Match UV on/off to heat. Daytime heat about 12 hours in winter and up to 16 hours in summer when days are longer.
Allow the gecko to settle and begin eating regularly before handling. 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.
Offer five insects at a time and wait until eaten before adding more. Once settled, about 5–8 crickets daily is common; as they age, appetite reduces and every-other-day feeding is often enough. Dust every feed with a 4:1 calcium : Nutrobal mix. Staples: crickets, locusts, calci worms, and mealworms; waxworms and morios in moderation. Food size no larger than the distance between the eyes.
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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