Flying Gecko
All About the Flying Gecko
The flying gecko does not really fly. He is really an arboreal or tree gecko, that is able to glide from tree to tree. He does this whenever he is disturbed or hungry and in search of immediate food. Each leg has a flap of skin which runs from the foot up the leg, and this is what allows for such uncommon gecko behavior.
The flying gecko is found in Southeast Asia, and is not only a tree dweller but nocturnal as well. That means the flying gecko is not often seen by human beings. That’s unfortunate because these geckos can be very entertaining to watch. They are in the six to eight inch range and only live three to six years, considerably less that the more popular leopard gecko.
It is possible to keep a flying gecko as a pet. You would need to get a twenty gallon aquarium to hold one or two, and it would also have to be higher vertically than the normal rectangular aquariums used for other geckos and lizards. That’s because you need to make a tropical environment inside that has tall plants and room for the flying gecko to glide.
This species of gecko is not as easy to care for as many others. You need to keep the tank very warm and humid. They do need a lot of tropical plants and logs and other places to hide. Make sure that the plants are not too delicate because the flying gecko will need to be able to grab onto them. This is a very shy gecko so don’t expect an outpouring of affection. As for the temperature, you should keep most of the enclosure at around 82 degrees, but with a hotter area in the high eighties. The seventies is fine for overnight.
A flying gecko needs ten hours of light every day so UVB lighting is needed in addition to heat. A nightlight can also be used so that you will be able to watch your gecko or geckos at night. They eat all kinds of insects, and the bigger ones are known to eat small mice and lizards. They have to be given a calcium supplement, which can be applied to their insects.
The female will breed in the spring whenever there starts to be twelve or more hours of light every day. She will lay a clutch of two eggs at a time, once every month or so. She will attach the eggs to a surface and they should not be touched or moved. If the conditions in the tank are right, the eggs will hatch in three months.
The flying gecko is also sometimes called a thick fingered gecko, because the digits on his webbed feet are wide.