Gold Dust Day Gecko

This page is educational reference material for preparing questions. A licensed veterinarian examines the animal, makes the diagnosis, and sets the treatment.

Green, gold, and not for hands

Gold dust day geckos are Phelsuma laticauda, small Madagascan day geckos with gold speckles on the neck. Adults are about 4 to 5 inches. They often live 6 to 10 years, they show off and should not be held, and care is beginner to intermediate. The beginner part is the feeding routine. The intermediate part is UVB, humidity swings, and the fact that you do not hold them.

A vertical tank with bamboo or live plants, a basking spot in the mid to upper 80s, a cooler area, and humidity that cycles rather than stays soaked all day is the usual setup. They eat insects plus a little fruit or a commercial day-gecko diet, and they stay on the move. Calcium on the insects is not optional. Males fight. One male per cage.

A cup, not a grip

Skin that tears is the injury people cause by being friendly. Move the gecko by guiding it into a clear cup with a lid. Buy captive-bred. Wild collection of day geckos is a conservation problem, and a stressed import hides badly. Do not release extras. Hawaii already has this species outdoors because someone did.

A soft jaw or a gecko that will not hunt is a calcium or a medical problem. The appetite page and ARAV are the next stops.

Gold dust day gecko questions

Can I hold a gold dust day gecko?

No. They are display-only. The skin tears if you grab them. Herd them into a cup for cage moves.

Do they need UVB?

Yes. They are day-active. UVB plus calcium-dusted insects and a fruit puree is the diet pattern that keeps bones solid.

Are they legal everywhere?

They are established as an introduced lizard in Hawaii and a few other warm spots. Releasing one is how that happens. Check local rules before you buy, and never dump a pet.