Introduction
The Mourning Gecko(Lepidodactylus lugubris) is found in the South Pacific region, Central and South America, & Hawaii. Mourning Geckos are parthenogenetic, meaning that they can reproduce without mating. As a result, their populations are (mostly) all female. These are a wonderful addition to a vivarium for the more experienced keeper. These are a small and fragile gecko so they are not meant for handling.
Size & Longevity
Mourning Geckos only reach about 3.5-4 inches in total length. Mourning Geckos can live up to 10 years with proper care.
Tank
The Exo Terra 12” X 12” X 18” terrarium is suitable for 5-6 adult mourning geckos. In this tank Mourning Geckos can escape quite easily so it is important to silicone, with aquarium silicone, all the possible escape routes . Mourning Geckos need a higher humidity level so setting up a bioactive vivarium (with live plants) would be best for them.
Heating
Day temperatures should range from 77-82 degrees Fahrenheit. Night temperatures can drop to 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit. If your house is colder than their ideal temperatures, then a low wattage heat lamp set on a thermostat should be able to help.
Substrate
If you choose to set up your tank with live plants then you should begin with a base layer of Hydro Balls about 2 inches deep. Next place a layer of Terrarium Mesh on top of the Hydro Balls. Then cover those two layers with a 2-3 inch thick layer of ABG substrate. Finally, you can put your plants in the ABG substrate and add some sphagnum moss and leaf litter on top of the ABG soil.
If you choose not to setup a vivarium, a tank with eco earth, organic topsoil, or reptisoil and a potted plant or two is ideal.
If you prefer not to have live plants than you will most likely need to setup a mister so that you can keep up with their humidity needs.
Food
Mourning Geckos will eat flightless fruit flies or pinhead crickets that are about ⅛-⅜” in length. Their main diet however should be Pangea’s Crested Gecko Diet with Insects, other flavors can be fed occasionally. You should feed insects 2 times a week. Mourning Geckos should be fed 5 times a week. Be sure to dust all insects with calcium and vitamin supplements every feeding.
Water & Humidity
Humidity levels should range from 60-70% at all times with higher humidity for a few hours per day from misting. Be sure when misting to make it heavy enough so it leaves droplets of water on the plants, decor, and glass, this will provide a drinking source. The humidity levels should be allowed to fall back to normal within a few hours of misting. A very small and shallow water dish can be provided but having a water dish can be dangerous as babies and young mourning geckos are prone to drowning in them.
Breeding
Mourning Geckos will lay their eggs on tank walls or on any tank decorations. When Mourning Geckos lay their eggs, the eggs are stuck to surface they were laid on. Do not try and remove them if they are on glass or a surface that cannot be removed from the tank, these fragile eggs are prone to breaking. If the eggs are on a surface that is removable from the tank, remove said object and out it in another container to protect the eggs and hatchlings as adults are prone the eating the eggs and babies. If the eggs are on a leaf from a live plant, simply cut the leaf off and place it in a different container. If the eggs are on a tank wall then you can tape a plastic cup over the eggs for easy removal of the hatchlings.
Cohabitating
Mourning Geckos are highly social and should have at least one other tank mate. When kept in colonies, Mourning Geckos will often make little noises to each other, such as chirps, and can often be seen interacting with each other.
Mourning Geckos can also be kept with certain dart frog species in an appropriately sized terrarium. However, mixing species can be dangerous and should only be attempted after you have done plenty of research on the subject.