The gecko pictured is the EXACT animal for sale!

Defining Characteristics:

• Nocturnal
• Semi-arboreal
• Easy to care for
• Second largest known living gecko in the world

Name: Mniarogekko chahoua are commonly known as the mossy prehensile-tailed gecko, or chewies. Until recently, this species was in the genus Rhacodactylus.

Benefits from buying at Josh's Frogs:

• Repashy gecko diet mix twice a week and supplemented/gutloaded feeder insects (crickets or dubia) once a week. - this means well-fed, healthy animals
• Chewies are 3-4 months or older. They are very robust for their age
• Live arrival and health guarantee unsurpassed in the reptile industry

Recommended Terrarium Size: A 12x12x18 enclosure is bare minimum for a single juvenile. It is recommended to start young chahoua in small enclosures and increase their size as they grow because they tend to do better in an environment they feel secure in. For an adult, we recommend an 18x18x24. For a breeding pair, we recommend a 40-gallon aquarium with a screen top.

Josh’s Frogs Tropical Bio-Bedding or Coco Select will work well as a substrate. Provide thick branches, standing cork, and strong plants to make your arboreal geckos feel at home. We recommend you house them individually unless you plan to breed, and then only house as pairs that have reached sexual maturity.

Temperature (°F): Daytime ambient temperatures should range between 72-78 degrees. Use a reliable thermometer to monitor temperatures in the enclosure.

Lighting: Mossy prehensile-tailed geckos are nocturnal and do not require lighting, but UVB lights can be used to simulate day and nighttime rhythms.

Humidity: Chewies like it humid. Provide a water bowl and mist frequently enough to maintain humidity at about 60-75%. Misting will also provide dew on the enclosure walls and cage items from which they can drink. Substrate can be allowed to just dry out between mistings, but it should not be bone dry or soaking wet.

Plants can be added to help stabilize higher humidity as well as provide humid microclimates. Ambient humidity should be monitored with a digital hygrometer.

Size: Adult chewies are the second largest geckos in the world. Adults can reach up to 10 inches in length, including the tail, and can weigh up to 75 grams. Hatchlings are about 1.5-2 inches long, including the tail.

Age: Chahoua can live up to 15-20 years with proper care. Geckos sold by Josh's Frogs are at least 3 months old.

Feeding: Chewies are frugivorous and insectivores, but can refuse live prey items in favor of a solely fruit mix diet, on which they will thrive. They may be offered crickets, roaches, waxworms, black soldier fly larvae, and butterworms.

All feeder insects should be dusted with a vitamin/mineral supplement and fed in an escape-proof bowl.

Sexing: Sexing can be done by looking for femoral pores between the hind legs of males. Juveniles sold by Josh's Frogs are not sexed.

Color/Pattern: Chewies have a very unique coloration and are excellent at camouflaging against a background of tree bark with patches of moss like greenish brown that has traces of red spattered throughout. Different morphs will display different coloration and patterns.

Social Behavior: Mossy prehensile-tailed geckos are quite docile, but can become aggressive towards each other. House them individually, unless they are a breeding pair and separate immediately if aggression occurs. 

Breeding: Keep males and females separate until the females are about 2 years old, and the males about 18 months. This is because of the amount of strain a female's body is put under during egg production. Females will lay 2 eggs in a clutch and will lay from 1 to 3 clutches per year. 

Natural Range: Chewies are native to New Caledonia and the small islands surrounding it. There are 2 different types, the mainland, and Pine Isle locales. Pine Isle varieties are a bit more rare to come by and can be slightly larger than the mainland variety, and their colors will tend to be slightly brighter.

History in the Hobby: Until recently with an increase in captive breeding, Rhacodactylus chahoua were rare. For conservation reasons, they are no longer exported from New Caledonia. 

Links of Interest:

• Reptiles Magazine - Which Gecko Species is Right for You?
• Josh's Frogs Chahoua Gecko Care Sheet