Facts:

The scientific name for the Western Banded Gecko is Coleonyx variegatus, which means "a sheath and nail or claw" in Greek, and "variation" in Latin. They are members of the Gekkonidae-- or Gecko family.  Banded Geckos are terrestrial lizards, or ground dwelling, originally from the arid, desert regions in the Southwestern United States. Banded Geckos are mainly "nocturnal" which means they hunt for food at night, and are generally less active during the day.

Description:

Western Banded Geckos are very small lizards with yellow or tan pigment with bands or aberrant patterns of brown to black. The average size of a full-grown adult is approximately 3.5 – 4.5” snout to tail tip.

Housing:

As a general rule, allow a minimum of about 8 X 8 inches of surface area per adult Banded Gecko. Banded Geckos like to hide in cave-like dwellings kept on the warm side of their enclosure. Adult male Banded Geckos must never be housed together in the same vivarium or they may fight and injure or kill each other. A single male can be kept with several females, and several females can share the same enclosure. Do NOT house adult Banded  Geckos with babies or any other reptile species.

Substrates:

Banded Geckos come from areas where there is hard-pack sandy soil strewn with granite rocks. For naturalistic enclosures, rocks and gravel may be used if they are a size that cannot be easily ingested by the geckos. Nearly all breeders will agree that paper towels or newspaper are the best choice.

Lighting:

Unlike most other reptiles that bask in the sun to keep warm and to assimilate Vitamin D from natural sunlight, Banded Geckos are mainly nocturnal so they do not require special lighting. Keep in mind that additional overhead lighting will raise the ambient temperature in the enclosure. Be aware that Banded Geckos' eyes are very sensitive and their eyesight is poor in bright light.  Never expose your gecko to direct sunlight.

Heating:

All reptiles are cold-blooded and rely on the temperature of their surrounding environment to keep warm or cool. Use an under tank (UTH) heater on one side only of the Banded Gecko's enclosure, thus allowing them to move back and forth within the tank to adjust their own body temperature. This is known as thermal regulation, and it is critical for their metabolism, digestion and immune systems.  The ideal temperature for Banded Geckos is around 90-94° on the floor surface of the warm side of their enclosure, and normal room temperature (around 70-74°) on the cool side.  Using belly heat is recommended instead of overhead heat sources since in their natural habitat they utilize the heat absorbed from the sun in the rocks to aid in their digestion.

Shedding:

Reptiles shed their skin on regular basis, and Banded  Geckos should molt about every 2-4 weeks. Unlike some other reptiles, Banded Geckos will eat the skin after it comes off, so don't be alarmed if you don't see any shed skin in their enclosure! It is extremely important that ALL the skin comes off, especially from the eyelids and toes, as geckos can lose their digits to infection if the skin does not completely shed. If shedding is a problem for your gecko, it may be necessary to keep the substrate around their cave moist by misting it with water, placing a damp paper towel inside, or adding a separate, moist hide in their enclosure. For severe cases of stuck shed, soaking your Banded Gecko's feet in 1/8 inch of warm water and then using a swab, very gently remove any residual skin from their toes or eyelids in a rolling motion. Loose skin can be removed manually.

Handling:

Banded geckos are rather skittish and usually do not tolerate much handling. When you must handle your gecko, it is best to slowly offer your hand, kept low with your palm up, before picking them up. Avoid reaching down from over their head to grab them because they may become startled thinking you are a predator coming down to attack them. Always handle your Banded Gecko with care, and never grab it by the tail. Like all lizards, when they are attacked or threatened they can "drop" their tails. When a lizard loses its tail, it becomes vulnerable to disease and infection until it grows a new one. Banded Geckos will eventually grow new tails, but the regenerated ones are never quite as nice as the original. Since they are desert dwellers, they store water, fat, and nutrients in their tail.

Feeding:

Banded Geckos mainly eat live crickets, mealworms, roach nymphs. Be careful not to feed them anything larger than about 3/4 the size of their heads to prevent choking. Appropriate sized mealworms can be put in a small bowl with added calcium at all times. Babies should be fed 5-7 very small crickets or roach nymphs every day until they reach about 2 inches in length, then larger prey every other day until they become full-grown in about 10 -12 months. Adults can be fed 6-7 large crickets or roaches 2 or 3 times a week.  Giving your gecko a variety of foods is recommended.

Supplements:

Since Banded Geckos assimilate calcium and vitamins from their diet, feeder insects must be "dusted" with a mixture of ultra-fine calcium powder every 2 or 3 feedings, and reptile vitamins once a week. Add calcium or vitamin powder in a zip-lock bag or commercial cricket duster and "dust" live food items prior to feeding by shaking them gently in the bag or container. The health of your Banded Gecko is dependent on the proper supplementation of calcium and vitamins; otherwise, serious diseases can result. Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) is caused by calcium deficiency, and can permanently disfigure or ultimately kill your Banded Gecko.

Gut Loading:

Live crickets, roaches, and mealworms should be fed nutritious food like pieces of whole grain cereal, oatmeal, squash, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, collard greens, kale, and a slice red potato for moisture. Roaches require high-protein diets.

Quarantine:

Regardless of where you get your Banded Gecko it is critical that when you get any new addition to your Banded Gecko colony, the new gecko(s) must be quarantined from any of your existing reptiles for at least 30 days, but 90 days is preferred. Countless Banded Geckos and other reptiles have suffered and died needlessly as a result of one gecko infected with disease or parasites and transmitting it to other geckos.