Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko

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

A dead leaf that is a gecko

Satanic leaf-tailed geckos are Uroplatus phantasticus, small Madagascan geckos with a tail shaped like a rotting leaf. Adults are about 3 to 4 inches. They commonly reach 10 to 15 years, the care is advanced, and life with them is shy and nocturnal. They are a specialist animal. A terrarium that would suit a crested gecko can still be wrong for them if the nights stay hot or the animal is handled.

They need vertical cover, fine branches, leaves to hide against, high humidity with airflow, and a temperature cycle that cools after dark. They drink from droplets. Tiny insects, calcium, and a quiet room are the rest. Males fight. One male per cage. Captive-bred animals are the only ones to consider. Uroplatus are protected, and wild collection for the pet trade has been hard on them.

Look through the glass

A healthy animal disappears against the leaves and comes out to hunt at night. An animal on the floor in the open, day after day, is failing. Do not pick it up to check. Dim the room and watch. Imports that were shipped hard rarely become easy. If you want a gecko you can hold, this is the wrong genus.

Have a vet who knows small geckos before you buy. The search starts at ARAV. Appetite problems in reptiles are outlined on the not-eating page.

Satanic leaf-tailed gecko questions

Are they as delicate as people say?

Yes. The care is advanced, and they are shy and nocturnal. Stress, wrong night temperatures, and handling kill more of them than any single missing decoration.

Do they need a night drop?

They do better with a real night cool-down than with a cage that stays hot around the clock. Measure it. A guess is how these geckos get overheated.

Can I hold one for a photo?

No. The tail and the skin are part of the camouflage and part of the injury list. Photograph through the glass.