*10 gallon tank or larger, or equivalent-sized reptile cage (for one or two lizards). A tank which is long and low is better than one that is tall, as these reptiles live on the ground, and do not climb a lot.
*Metal screen or mesh top for tank or cage (may be built in to some reptile cages). Should not be plastic, if you plan to use an overhead heat lamp.
*A radiant heat source. Either an overhead heat lamp, or an undertank heater. This should be small enough to cover no more than half the cage. A full-spectrum flourescent reptile lamp is not necessary for this species, because they are nocturnal. Hot rocks are not recommended, and can be dangerous.
*If you have selected an overhead heat lamp, an appropriate bulb for the lamp, such as a reptile daylight bulb. If you use a nocturnal heat bulb, you will be able to watch your animals after dark without disturbing them. You should still provide white light during the day, though it does not need to be direct.
*A shallow dish for water.
*A shallow dish for small food items, such as mealworms.
*A substrate. A reptile cage carpet works well--buy two, so you can wash one while you use the other. You can also use plain play sand, fine silica aquarium sand, or a coconut-fiber based reptile bedding. Do not use aquarium gravel, corncob, or other beddings that might be eaten and cause an impaction of the digestive system. Calcium-based reptile sands are not recommended, as they do not digest well and can cause impactions due to the larger particle size. The substrate will be kept dry, so select one which dries quickly if dampened, and does not hold moisture. Baby and juvenile reptiles of most species should not be kept on particulate substrates such as sand, as they are at higher risk of developing intestinal impactions if they eat the bedding.
*Two temperature gauges (thermometer).
*One humidity gauge (hygrometer).
*One hide box or cave with an open bottom.
*One enclosed hide box or cave.
*Calcium/mineral supplement powder
*Vitamin supplement powder (vitamins and minerals can interfere with one another's absorption, so all in ones are not the best choice).
*Small container for keeping crickets or mealworms.
Optional equipment:
*Climbing branches, plastic plants, or other decorations (be sure they are too large to be eaten, and do not stack rocks which might fall if pushed).
*Cricket/mealworm gutloading formula.
*Backdrop for cage, if using aquarium.
*Cricket cave (allows you to dust crickets, place cave in cage, and remove plug to release crickets one at a time).
*Cutaway hiding cave--remove the magnetic outer shell to see your reptiles inside their cave.
*Feeding tongs--hand feed your reptiles without getting nipped.
*Book on banded gecko care (necessary if you plan to breed them, a good idea even if you aren't).
*Sphagnum or frog moss (not peat).
*A timer for your lighting and heating.
*Thermostat or rheostat for controlling heating devices.
Setting up the enclosure:
Rinse out the cage with very hot water, and dry it. Place the substrate in the bottom. Place the open-bottomed hiding cave toward the middle of the cage. Dampen moss or torn paper towels, not too wet (or wring them out), and place in closed-bottom hiding box or cave (leave room for the gecko). Place this on one side of the cage. Place watering dish on same side as the damp cave. Place food dish and other decorations as you please. Stick one thermometer down low on the same side of the cage as the damp cave, on the inside of the cage so that you can read it. Stick the other thermometer on the opposite side of the cage, either at a ground level or if you have placed branches, at the level of a sturdy basking spot that the lizard might climb to (if using overhead heat). Place the humidity gauge down low in about the middle of the cage. If you are using an undertank heater, place this beneath the side opposite the humid cave, as far to that side as possible. If you are using an overhead heat source, screw in the bulb, and place the lamp on top of the screen on the side opposite the humid cave, as far to that side as possible (take care not to overlap plastic tank edges), so that it is pointing down into the tank.
Turn on the lamp, and leave the tank for about an hour. Come back, and read the temperature gauges. The warmest area of the cage should be 85 to 90 degrees. The cool side should be no more than 80 degrees. If the cage is cooler than this, you will need to either add another heat source (if using an undertank heater), or use a higher wattage bulb in your overhead lamp. If the cage is warmer than this, you will need a thermostat or rheostat for your undertank heater, to lower the temperature, or use a lower wattage bulb in your overhead light. It is important to set this up before putting your gecko into the enclosure, and preferably before bringing it home. A thermostat or rheostat is a good idea for regulating either of these devices, particularly if your indoor temperatures are subject to changes.
Most reptiles, including banded geckos, do best with a night time temperature drop. If your room stays at about 65 to 70 degrees Farenheit, you can simply turn off the heating elements at night, or when you are done viewing your animals. If it drops too much lower (below 60), you may need to leave a heating source on overnight. Check your night time temperatures, and try to arrange it so that they fall 10 degrees or so at night. Try to provide your lizard with very regular day and night schedules (a timer comes in handy). 12 hours of each is good.
Purchase crickets or mealworms to feed your lizard. 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch crickets should be the mainstay of the diet, with mealworms being offered occasionally for variety. (Crickets are in general more nutritious). These lizards are strictly insectivorous. Commercial crickets and mealworms are the safest and least expensive food items. You may catch wild insects to feed your lizard, but this is risky, as you cannot be sure they have not been exposed to pesticides or other toxic chemicals, and there is also a chance that some may transmit parasites.
Place your crickets or mealworms in a seperate escape-proof cage. A plastic "critter keeper" works well. You should feed crickets or mealworms for 48 hours before giving them to your lizard. Ask your pet store what, if anything, they feed their crickets. If they use a cricket gutloading formula, you will not need to wait. Most stores house mealworms in refridgerators, where they are dormant, so these will always need to be fed. Feeding insects nutritious food before giving them to your reptile is called "gut loading". A reptile eats not only the insect, but the contents of its gut as well. An empty insect is much less nutritious than one full of good food. Provide a piece of fruit or commercial cricket drink for water, and nutritous food--either a gut loading formula or fruits and vegetables to feed them. Wash these thoroughly first to get rid of pesticide residues.
Crickets and mealworms are very low in calcium, one of their drawbacks. As a result, even if you use a gutloading formula that contains calcium (which substantially increases their calcium content, but may kill your crickets if used for more than a couple of days), you will need to dust them in order to balance out their mineral content. Every other feeding, place the crickets in a small baggie with a bit of mineral powder, and shake until they are coated, just before you feed them to your lizard. Once a week, use a vitamin powder instead. The difference these supplements have made in reptile husbandry cannot be overstated....they will allow your pet to have a healthy, long lifespan. Baby geckos will eat only tiny mealworms and 1/8 inch "pinhead" crickets. Adult geckos can eat 1/4 to 1/2 inch crickets. An adult banded gecko will consume about 2 or 3 1/2-inch crickets per feeding, and they should be offered food every other day. If the reptile has to struggle to swallow the insect, it is too large--use a smaller-sized feeder insect. Babies should be offered food every day. Offer crickets one at a time, until the lizard refuses further food...remove the last cricket. Never leave food insects inside the cage, as they may nibble toes and tails. Crickets are particularly known for injuring sleeping reptiles, particularly if they have no other food sources. A reptile will not kill a pesky insect in self-defense.
About banded geckos:
These lizards are not difficult to keep, and are suitable for beginners if captive-bred. They are generally docile, hardy, and easy to care for. They reach a size of 4 to 6 inches as adults, and can live for 20 years or more. They usually reach near adult size in about 18 months (so feed your babies plenty, they grow very fast). Banded geckos found in the pet trade may or may not be captive-bred. Take care to find out for certain, as wild-caught animals need immediate veterinary care to check their overall health and clear them of the internal parasites which all wild animals carry.
Banded geckos are a bit small to be handled, and this must be done gently. It may take some time for a gecko to come to trust you enough to allow you to pick it up. Babies in particular tend to be skittish, and are so tiny that it is probably best not to try to handle them. Teach them to trust you slowly and gently, if you wish to handle them. Most will calm down and not be inclined to bite. However, you should handle your banded gecko only for fairly short periods, occasionally, to avoid stressing them. They may try to escape your grasp, and can be very wiggly...a long fall could injure them, so be very careful when you are carrying them. They can run surprisingly fast. Their tail may also detach, and though it will grow back, this is stressful, and the new tail will not be as attractive as the original. Reptiles, unlike mammals or birds, do not usually appreciate affection, and they are not social. Tolerance is the best you can expect from any reptile or amphibian. If you are lucky, they will enjoy your body heat. The fun of these animals comes from observing their natural behavior and appearance. In that respect, keeping reptiles and amphibians is much like keeping fish.
Banded geckos do not have the sticky toe pads that arboreal gecko species have, so they cannot climb walls or glass. They also have something that most other geckos do not have: eyelids. They walk using a gait which is VERY rare in reptiles. It is called a "semi-erect" stance. Most reptiles walk with their belly very low to the ground. Mammals walk with their legs directly underneath them. Crocodiles and a few species of geckos, such as the banded gecko, walk with a gait that is somewhere in between...not quite upright, but definitely not sprawling as most reptiles do. You may notice that your gecko has a definite personality, and preferences. When hunting, most geckos will twitch their tail like a cat. All told, these are fascinating and attractive animals, and well worth keeping.
To maintain them in the long term, have your gecko checked by a veterinarian once a year for parasites or other health problems. If you notice your gecko behaving abnormally, particularly if it stops eating, or seems less active than usual, seek medical care for it immediately. Reptiles do not usually show illness until they are seriously ill. Treated quickly, most banded gecko illnesses are not serious, the majority being related to parasites or to an infection. Occasionally, some geckos will eat their substrate. If you catch your gecko doing this, switch to cage carpet immediately, as this behavior problem can lead to a deadly intestinal blockage. It is best to keep juvenile banded geckos on paper towel or newspaper, as their intestinal tracts are so small that sand particles are more likely to cause an impaction if accidently swallowed.
Some geckos may stop eating for a few days before shedding their skin, something they will do several times a year (more when they are young). They will also spend a lot of time in their humid hide box. This will help loosen the skin so that it comes off easily. They will eat their shed skin, so you will probably not find it in the cage. After your gecko sheds, check its toes and tail tip to be sure that no skin remains stuck there. If it does, you may need to carefully use tweezers to remove it, or take it to a vet if there is a lot of it. Retained skin on the extremities can cut off circulation and cause the gecko to loose toes. However, using a humid hide box should prevent this from ever happening.
With the proper care, your banded gecko should thrive problem free for its full lifespan.
© Eclipse Exotics, 2005. Distribute, copy, print, and pass on as you wish. :)