Defining Characteristics: 

• Nocturnal
• Small terrestrial gecko
• Beautiful banding
• Easy to keep and breed
• Can be handled
• Like a mini African Fat-Tailed Gecko!

Name: Coleonyx mitratus. Its straightforward common name, the Central American Banded Gecko, refers to its range and patterning.

Recommended Enclosure Size & Setup: Pairs and trios can be kept in a 18x18x12 enclosure. Males should never be housed together.

This semi-arid species requires a substrate that holds some humidity (keep moist but not wet, and allow for dry patches); Sand mixed with coco fiber works great as a substrate. Succulents can also be added if you'd like to incorporate live plants!

Numerous hides should be provided; slate, cork flats, live oak bark, or even everyday items like overturned planter saucers work well. Low climbing materials like rocks, driftwood, cork bark, manzanita branches, and other rough surfaces can be added, but should be supported by the bottom of the enclosure instead of the substrate.

Temperature (°F) & Lighting: Keep Central American Banded Geckos between 75-80 F. Provide a basking spot of around 90-95 degrees, maintained with a basking bulb. Temperature should be monitored with a digital thermometer, and the basking spot can be checked with an infrared thermometer or temperature gun. Night temperatures should not fall below 65 degrees. UV light is not required for this nocturnal species, however all reptiles benefit from it and it is recommended.

A great basic lighting combo for this species is Zoo Med's Mini Combo Deep Dome Lamp Fixture with a nano halogen heat lamp & UVB tropical compact fluorescent bulb.

If you'd like to use a more advanced lighting setup, we highly recommend the VivTech First Call SurSun LED UVA/UVB Bulb (3 watt) in lieu of the compact fluorescent bulb linked previously, and the addition of a Josh's Frogs Green Gro LED light fixture. Make your life easier by plugging your lights into the Zilla 24/7 Digital Timer Power Center!

Humidity: Keep Central American Banded Geckos at 60-70% humidity. Ambient humidity should be monitored with a digital hygrometer.

It is essential to provide this species access to very humid microclimates; a humid hide works well, but a deep burrowing substrate that holds moisture works even better. These banded geckos should be misted daily in order to maintain moisture in the substrate; it's fine if patches of substrate dry between mistings, but these tropical geckos can dehydrate very quickly if they do not have consistent access to moisture. A shallow water dish can be provided but is not necessary with regular misting.

 Don't forget the dechlorinator for your water!

Size: Central American Banded Gecko hatchlings are around 1-1.5 inches. Adults will reach about 4-5 inches from head to tail. This species has a lean build.

At the time of sale, these geckos measure around 3 inches long.

Age: Central American Banded Geckos are at least 6 weeks old when sold by Josh’s Frogs, at which time they are well established. It is estimated that these geckos live for 10-15 years in captivity.

Feeding: Central American Banded Geckos can handle feeder crickets between 1/4 and 3/4 inch, favoring smaller prey items as juveniles, and slowly favoring larger prey items as they age. Juveniles can also occasionally be offered extra small black soldier fly larvae, melanogaster fruit flies, bean beetles, and springtails.

As adults, they can occasionally be offered black soldier fly larvae, waxworms, and small mealworms. All feeder insects should be gut loaded and dusted with vitamin/mineral supplements; we recommend Repashy Calcium Plus LoD when provided proper UV lighting, but if not, Repashy Calcium Plus should be provided to account for the lack of natural vitamin D3 generation.

Sexing: Adult male Central American Banded Geckos exhibit a bulge at the base of their tail, in addition to spurs on either side of the base of their tail. Males also tend to be longer than their female counterparts, and have bulkier heads. They can be sexed at around 6 months, so due to their young age, Central American Banded Geckos sold by Josh’s Frogs are not sexed at the time of sale.

Color/Pattern: Central American Banded Geckos have a brown background with black outlined yellow bands or dark spots across their body.

Social Behavior: Males can be housed with one to two females. Males should never be housed together.

Breeding: A light brumation period in the winter or longer days in the summer will help incite breeding. Females lay pairs of eggs about once every 30-40 days. Eggs will often be laid in a humid hide if one is provided. Eggs should be carefully removed and incubated.

Natural Range: These geckos occur in numerous countries across Central America.

History in the Hobby: Despite being easy to keep and breed, captive bred Central American Banded Geckos are not very common. We’re excited to make this banded gecko more popular and available!

Links of Interest:

• Reptiles Magazine Care Article - An article on the care of Central American Banded Geckos

Still not sure if the Central American Banded Gecko from Josh's Frogs is the right pet for you? Read the reviews below and see what other customers are saying!