Chinese Cave Gecko Care Sheet

Basic supplies that will need for your Chinese Cave Gecko:

Husbandry is KEY!! 

Enclosure: There are many different options to keep your Cave Gecko in to allow your gecko to thrive. We suggest tanks that are glass and plastic in order to maintain humidity levels. Open screen enclosures are not recommended because they usually dry out quickly.

0-6 Month Juveniles: Tanks should not exceed 10 gallons. The tanks should not be overly exposed with many open areas. Baby geckos feel safe being able to hide. Their tanks should have easily removable décor and branches so that their health can be easily monitored.

Sub-adults: Should be housed in 20 gallon tank or larger. We use and recommend 18x18x12

Cave geckos love to hide and need plenty of cork bark or reptile hides and caves. While females can be housed together and females together with one male, we recommend housing geckos separately. This ensures that every gecko is eating and is properly cared for AND prevents unexpected reproduction. Housing separately will also alleviate stress for them and they will be less likely to drop their tails. Unlike Crested geckos, their tails do grow back. However, this can be a stressful time for them!

Lighting and Humidity: Cave geckos prefer a colder or room temperature environment between 65-75F.  Cave geckos do not usually need any form of extra heating, and do not require UVB. However, there are studies that show that UVB has benefits for your animal. IF you decide to use UVB, we recommend Arcadia Shade Dweller with 7% bulb. To light darker cages, we use low wattage energy saver LED bulbs. If you can touch the bulb while it’s on, this is usually a good indicator the bulb will not be too hot for your gecko.

**Provide your gecko shade and spots to hide when using lighting.

We recommend using digital humidity and temperature gauges to ensure proper temperatures and humidity levels.

Your humidity levels should stay between 50-60%, if your gecko enclosure is in a dry area, you will need regular misting to maintain proper levels.

Substrate:  When housing a cave gecko, you can use newspaper, paper towels, or something similar for easy changes for convenience and maximum cleanliness! These are cheap options! You can also use coconut fiber for a more natural setup. We use organic soil and a bioactive setup with Isopods and Springtails! Please keep in mind that Cave Geckos can possibly dig in your substrate to hide!

Diet: Chinese cave geckos are insectivores and thrive on dubias and crickets! Other feeders can be included as occasional treats: Waxworms, Black Soldier Fly Larvae, butterworms, and mealworms! All feeders should be dusted with a quality vitamin d3 powder and gut loaded properly prior to feeding. Every 3 or 4 feedings you should include a mineral/multivitamin supplement for good measure! Cave geckos should also be provided a small shallow water dish along with the appropriate misting to ensure they stay hydrated.

Juveniles: Should be fed 3-4 crickets/dubias every other day

Adults: Should be fed 5-6 crickets/dubias every 3 days

**You can use and escape proof feeder until they are comfortable or free range the crickets for enrichment!  

 

BEFORE bringing your Crested Gecko home:

Make sure you have your Chinese Cave Gecko’s enclosure set up. Having all this prepared before your Gecko’s arrival will help them settle in better and will allow your animal to grow and thrive. Please remember husbandry is key to a happy and healthy gecko. If you have any questions feel free to reach out to us at Info@blackthorndragons.com/ or through our IG page @Blackthorn_dragons .

Please keep in mind that it can take up to 2 weeks for your gecko to settle and become accustomed to their new environment. It is important to handle it minimally during this time. It is recommended to not handle it at night, as this is when they are most active and need this time to settle in. During this time, it is especially important to keep up with regular misting to ensure proper hydration. Your gecko will likely eat when it is dark. If you are worried about your gecko is not eating you can use an escape proof bowl to place the feeders in and count how many your gecko has eaten. Your gecko may hide and jump from you for a little while or not want to eat in front of you, this behavior is very normal in the beginning stages. Once they are eating steadily, you can begin to handle your gecko and build a relationship with it. Continue working with your gecko, providing some interaction based on the gecko’s comfortability, and offering insects. If something seems not right or you notice anything that is worrisome, feel free to reach out! We are more than happy to help and offer assistance in the best way we can!!

We hope you love your new pet!

Tifani and Whitney / Blackthorn Dragons

Info@blackthorndragons.com

IG handle: @blackthorn_dragons

 

Supplies Quick List:

Front opening glass or plastic tank: Juveniles (0-6 months) 12x12x12 and sub-adults/adults 18x18x12 Tall

Temperature and Humidity gauges

If you want a substrate: coconut fiber or paper towels/newspaper/ bare bottom enclosure

Quality Vitamin with D3

Optional but HIGHLY RECOMMENDED:

Arcadia Shade Dweller fixture with 7% bulb

Low wattage LED lighting: If you can touch the bulb, it’s a good indication it isn’t too hot for your Chinese Cave Gecko