‘’Leachie Gecko’’ Care Sheet

New Caledonian Giant Gecko

Common Name: New Caledonian Giant Gecko

Scientific Name: Rhacodactylus leachianus leachianus

 Native Habitat: New Caledonia and nearby islands. This species has a stable population in the wild on Grand Terre and the Pine Islands.

 Lifespan: With proper care, they can live between 20- 30 years in captivity.

 Size: They can grow 20-45 cm depending on locality.

They have the potential to be more aggressive than some of the other New Caledonian species of geckos if not handled regularly.

 Handling: Each Leachie gecko may feel differently about being handled. Some Leachies may not have a problem with being handled, some may need to build up trust over a long period and others may not wish to be handled at all.

 If your Leachie does not mind being handled, we suggest using the hand-over-hand method to allow them to jump from one hand to the other. If you have never tried this technique before, have your hands close to a table or surface so that if they jump off your hands they are not injured.

Enclosure: As a baby, focus on making your Leachie gecko feel secure. I know it can be tempting or more convenient to house your baby gecko in a larger tank, but try not to. Babies may stress easily if their space is too large as they feel vulnerable. I would suggest a 10L tub or Critter Keeper style tank at first. This will allow the hatchling to come into contact with its food more regular as apposed to a large tank.

 For a sub-adult to adult Leachie gecko, they love vertical climbing space and upgrading to either a 45x45x60cm or 45x60x90cm exo-terra style tank is best suited for these geckos.

 The screen tops tanks allow the perfect ventilation needed in these geckos.

 Plants: Leachie geckos love to have plenty of places to climb and hide. Adding plenty of foliage whether fake or real is part of keeping your Leachie gecko happy and healthy. Ideas for safe plants are Pothos, Philodendrons and many Ficus trees found at your local Nursery.

 You can also look into setting up a Bioactive Vivarium which includes creating a natural living space with plants, substrate, and living organisms such as Spingtails and Isopods that act as a cleanup crew in the enclosure.

Housing Multiple Leachie geckos: PLEASE do not cohabit your Leachie geckos. The only time you should house two Leachies is when you are trying to breed a male and female. They can be aggressive towards each other and can inflict serious wounds or death.

 Substrate: It is best to use paper towel for baby Leachies. You can see if your gecko is passing their food regularly. Paper towel is very easy to clean and replace.

 Now, for sub-adults and adults, Switching over to a substrate that helps to hold humidity and release it slowly over the day will make husbandry that much easier.

 100% organic coconut chip substrate is perfect for any humidity-loving species such as Leachies..

 Hides: Multiple hides are important for Leachie geckos. Cork bark tubes/ Hollow logs or PVC tubes are a must.

Humidity: Leachie geckos need their humidity between 60-70%.

You must spray your enclosure. Usually, a daily spray in the late evening will do the trick. Spray a moderate mist on all four sides of the enclosure and the plants and substrate as well. Make sure that your enclosure completely dries between mistings in a 24hr cycle. This will ensure bacteria and mold do not grow. If you are away for the night, I would just make sure to spray a bit more heavily the night before and they will be ok.

Shedding: Leachie geckos will eat their shed, they normally do not have issues with shedding as long as your humidity is correct.

Shedding Issues: If you notice any stuck shed like on their toes, put them immediately into a small Tupperware container (with a couple of small breathing holes) that has a couple of pieces of paper towel damp with a little warmer than room temp water for 30 minutes to an hour to see if that will help to loosen the stuck shed. You can try this a couple of times until the stuck shed comes off the toes.

Temperature: Between 22-26°C.

 Heating Source: You do not need a direct heat source, but do make sure that you can maintain the temperatures between 22-26°C. If your home is colder than 22°C you may need to move your gecko into a warmer room or buy a low-wattage heat source such as the infrared heat lamp or heat projector connected to a thermostat is a great choice for providing heat.

 UVB light is not required

 When using an infrared heat lamp or projector, Please use these items in conjunction with a heating dome that is placed outside on top of the screen/mesh top tank. This will ensure the gecko does not get burnt by touching the heating element.

 Thermometer: To make sure that your temperatures are correct in your Leachie gecko’s enclosure, buy a

thermometer. There are many options on the market. Shop around to see where the best deals are.

Food Dish: An magnetic food ledges are preferred for younger geckos , but large geckos will eat off the ground as these ledges wont hold the weight of a adult leachie

Feeding: We feed our Leachie’s Pangea Complete Diet every other day. This a balanced diet with all the supplents needed for your gecko to thriv. You can also offer insects such as crickets now and then.

(Once a month you can offer a small fuzzy mouse to your sub-adult/ adult leachie. Some will not eat them.)

Treats: Leachie geckos can have a variety of blended-up fruit, you just need to watch that you are not feeding fruits high in phosphorus. Safe options: pears, mango, watermelon, and fig. Blended fruit should be given as treats and not as their staple diet.

Water Dish: Water is very important for your Leachie gecko and a small water dish should be in their enclosure at all times. They will most likely not be drinking out of their dish that often because you will be spraying their enclosure. However adult leachies will frequently drink from a water dish.

Leachies are vocal and make noises that sound like little growls, barks, clicks and whistles. The reasons vary, but normally to defend territory, attract a mate or when in distress

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