Defining characteristics:

• Nocturnal
• Active hunters
• Easy to keep and breed
• Small size = less expensive setup

Name:Paroedura bastardi ibityensis. known as the ibity ground gecko. 

Recommended Enclosure Size: Ibity ground geckos can be kept in a12x12x12 enclosure.  A male can be housed with multiple females, but males should never be housed together.Coco fiber-based substrates work best for this species and should be kept moist (but not wet); providing a couple of dry spots are imperative for actively breeding females to deposit eggs. These geckos are terrestrial but enjoy climbing as well. Cork bark works especially well for this species, providing hides with its crevices as well as climbing material.Leaf litter can also provide numerous hiding places and a natural touch, as they often inhabit the leaf litter layer in the wild.

Temperature: Keep ibity ground  geckos between 75-79 F. If warmer stable temperatures are maintained, a basking spot is not necessary. If provided, the basking spot should not exceed 85-90F and maintained with anundertank heater orbasking bulb. Temperature should be monitored with adigital thermometer, and the basking spot can be checked with aninfrared thermometer or temperature gun. Night temperatures should not fall below 70 F. UV light is not required.

Humidity: Keep ibity ground  geckos at 55-65% ambient humidity. Live plants can be added to help create humid microclimates. Ambient humidity should be monitored with adigital hygrometer. These geckos should be lightlymisted daily or every other day to provide dew on enclosure walls and cage items from which they can drink, but enough ventilation should be provided to allow the enclosure to dry out after a few hours. A shallowwater dish can be provided but is not necessary with regular misting.

Size: Ibity ground geckos only reach around 3- 4 inches from head to tail as adults!

Age: Ibity ground geckos are at least 2 months old when sold by Josh’s Frogs, at which time they are well established. It is estimated that these geckos live for 5-6 years in captivity.

Feeding: Hatchlings require ⅛-inch crickets, but within a few weeks will move up to ¼” crickets. We find that this species responds best to moving prey; a staple diet of medium crickets and dubia is good. Add mealworms, and other medium sized insect sources for variety.  Dust the insects daily with  vitamin/mineral supplements, and can be offered in afood dish.

Sexing: Ibity ground  geckos are easily sexed as males exhibit a conspicuous bulge at the base of the tail.

Color/Pattern: Ibity ground geckos have a grey body color with a zig zag banding. They don’t show any remarkable colors, but have a range of brown colors which allows them to camouflage well among tree bark and leaf litter. Their back is covered with large spots or uncommon banding. 

Social Behavior: Females can be housed together. Males can be grouped with multiple females, but no more than one male should be in an enclosure.

Breeding: Males can be kept with females. The female will bury her eggs typically in more moist substrate once every three to four weeks or so. Drier spots in the substrate must be provided though, as females will not lay eggs in substrates that are too wet, which can cause a female to become egg bound. Eggs are very delicate, and great care should be taken if they are removed from the enclosure for incubation. Eggs collected should be placed in a bottle cap over dry sand or vermiculite.  The bottle cap is then placed in a container half filled with moist medium. Incubate around 78-84 degrees. They will hatch around 60-80 days. Setup the babies like the adults. Brumation period is desired for breeding from late fall to late winter/early spring.

Natural Range:  Ibity geckos are found in south and east Madagascar, where they live in deciduous forests among leaf litter and the lower trunks of trees.

History in the Hobby: Paroedura bastardi ibityensis are rarely offered, and we’re very excited to have the opportunity to breed them and make captive bred ibity ground geckos more accessible in the hobby!

Links of Interest:

Supreme Gecko - https://supremegecko.com/paroedura-bastardi-ibityensis

Still not sure if the ibity ground gecko from Josh's Frogs is the right pet for you? Read the reviews below and see what other customers are saying!