Knob tailed geckos are among the world’s most fascinating reptiles. Their strange combination of enormous eyes, massive heads, and little tails result in a funny look. I have today brought you Knob Tailed Gecko Care Sheet.
If their basic requirements are provided, they may be tough and loyal inmates. They are not an ideal pet gecko since they are nocturnal and extremely secretive, and they may become quickly upset from too much handling. They are, nevertheless, entertaining to watch and maintain.
Table of Contents
What to feed to a knob-tailed gecko?
Knob-tailed geckos in the wild consume ants, spiders, cockroaches, crickets, scorpions, caterpillars, beetles, and even smaller geckos and skinks, among other things. Most keepers feed crickets or cockroaches to their captive knob-tailed geckos four to five times each week.
Certain keepers have successfully provided mealworms. On the other hand, knob-tailed geckos cue in on the movement of prey items, and mealworms are not as visually appealing as certain insects. Therefore they may not elicit a feeding response.
To supply the greatest nutrition, all prey items should be gut-loaded with fresh vegetables or a commercial gut load before being fed to hungry geckos.
Supplementary Food
To keep your gecko healthy, you’ll also need calcium and vitamin pills. We recommend gently dusting Repashy Calcium Plus LoD on all of your gecko’s feeder insects. It’s fine to forgo a dusting now and again.
Water
Water bowls are not required in the cage of a knob-tailed gecko, although water is essential. The easiest technique to give a gecko the right quantity of water is to spray the cage twice a week. The way you water the species determines your knob-tailed gecko.
Spraying the top of the hide box with enough water to last one to two days is good for rough-skinned species like Nephrurus amyae and Nephrurus wheeleri.
These geckos enjoy a somewhat drier environment and do not require humidity. They drink water from the cage or hide the box’s sides or absorb it via their skin.
How to handle your knob-tailed gecko?
Knob-tailed geckos are more tolerant of handling than other gecko species like leopard geckos and crested geckos. Allowing a knob-tailed gecko to move from hand to hand for short amounts of time is OK, but keeping the gecko out of its cage for extended periods is not suggested.
When agitated, certain species, such as Nephrurus levis and Nephrurus wheeleri, may lose their tails, but they will recover. Others, such as N. amyae, are unable to drop their tails. They typically growl and bark to defend themselves when they feel threatened.
Although handling your pets is entertaining, knob-tailed geckos are better observed from the other side of the glass.
What is the knob-tailed gecko?
Knob-tailed geckos are becoming increasingly popular among reptile enthusiasts all over the world.
These unusual geckos are native to Australia and are recognized for their rasping bark and little bump at the tip of their tail. Knob-tailed geckos come in 14 different species and subspecies, with the majority of them being available in the reptile trade.
The Nephrurus genus has eleven species, two of which are divided into subspecies. There are three subspecies of N. levis and two subspecies of N. wheeleri.
The “barking gecko” is another name for the knob-tailed gecko. Geckos react to predators by wriggling their bodies, swinging their tails, and barking loudly.
Knob-tailed geckos like to be active at night when it is cooler. Their ability to acclimatize to the cold helps them to hunt more effectively at night. Before devouring their sluggish, cold, and fatigued prey, they chase them into open spaces.
Despite the fact that their bodies can survive lower temperatures than other lizards, knob-tailed geckos utilize their keen claws to dig holes and bury themselves for warmth during exceptionally cold nights. During the day, these geckos sleep in burrows that have been abandoned or built by themselves.
To avoid illness, knob-tailed geckos must lose all of their skin every two to four weeks. The toe joints are a common area for their old skins to stay linked and create infections.
Infections may result in the loss of one or both of their toes! Don’t notice the skin that has been shed? That’s quite typical. For nutrition and habitat sanitation, knob-tailed geckos devour their old skins.
Several knob-tailed geckos species and subspecies (such as Nephrurus amyae, Nephrurus wheeleri, Nephrurus levis, and Nephrurus milii) have been kept in captivity for many years. They are frequently available from gecko breeders that specialize in these species.
Knob-tailed geckos are seldom seen in general pet stores; however, some Nephrurus species are occasionally available from reptile specialty shops. For more common species, prices range from $150 to $250 to thousands of dollars for rarer species.
Knob-tailed gecko size and weight?
Size of Knob tailed gecko.
The snout-to-vent length of knob-tailed geckos is used to determine their size. The SVL of smaller species of knob-tailed geckos, such as Nephrurus wheeleri, N. levis, and N. deleani, is about 4 inches.
Nephrurus amyae, the biggest knob-tailed geckos, has an SVL of around 5 to 5.5 inches. The size of a knob-tailed gecko’s tail varies depending on the species.
The tail of Nephrurus amyae is short and narrow, but the tails of Nephrurus levis and Nephrurus wheeleri are longer and wider.
Weight of Knob tailed gecko.
The Knob-tailed geckos weigh between 14 to 25 grams. The male knob-tailed geckos weigh between 14 to 20 grams, whereas the females are larger, weighing around 20 to 25 grams.
Do knob-tailed geckos burrow?
The optimum substrate for knob-tailed geckos is fine-grain sand. Like Nephrurus levis and Nephrurus deleani, some species are noted for digging and creating tiny burrows and tunnels in their environment.
The ideal circumstances for these knob-tailed geckos to dig their tunnels are provided by slightly moist sand within the cage. Like N. wheeleri and N. amyae, other species use damp sand to seal up the entrance to their hide boxes, creating enclosed settings.
Does a Knob-Tailed Gecko bark?
In addition to dropping their tails, one of their protective methods is to produce noise, like barking, to indicate that they are guarding their territory. They use loud barking to warn away their predators.
How often do knob-tailed geckos shed?
The knob-tailed gecko, like other reptiles, sheds its skin sometimes. Females lose their skin more often than males, especially before laying their eggs. The right humidity level must be maintained for them to shed freely.
If there is a humidity issue, they may shed in parts, leaving behind retained skin. After shedding, this species will consume its skin to recycle nutrients contained on the shredded skin.
How long can rough geckos go without food?
These reptiles can survive for at least two weeks without food if they are kept in optimal habitat, but they cannot go without water.
How often do knob-tailed geckos eat?
Most keepers of knob-tailed geckos feed crickets or cockroaches to their captive geckos four to five times each week.
Does Knob-Tailed Gecko eat fruits and vegetables?
These are insectivorous reptiles. They won’t eat fruits and veggies, but you may feed them to their prey so that when they devour their prey, they receive the nutrients from the fruits and vegetables as well.
Do smooth knob-tailed geckos need UVB?
Although knob-tailed geckos may theoretically survive without UVB lighting if they are supplied with vitamin D3, they cannot flourish without it. UVB is beneficial to your gecko’s general health in addition to assisting with the day/night cycle.
Low-strength UVB lamps should be included in your gecko’s enclosure. For knob-tailed geckos in a 10-gallon terrarium, the optimal UVB lamps are:
- Zoo Med ReptiSun 5.0 tiny coil, 26w
- Arcadia ShadeDweller kit
A reflecting fixture should be utilized to house the UVB lamp. Along with the heat lamp, place the fixture on the basking site. Because glass and plastic filter UVB, you won’t be able to provide UVB to your gecko by placing its terrarium in front of an open window.
By generating a greenhouse effect, may potentially make your cage dangerously hot! Because UVB bulbs degrade over time, you should change them every six months for small coils and every 12 months for the ShadeDweller.
To imitate seasonal fluctuations in day duration, lights should be turned on for 11 hours per day in the winter and 13 hours per day in the summer.
What are the Best humidity levels for knob-tailed geckos?
Knob-tailed geckos thrive in a terrarium with an average humidity of 30-40%, as measured using a digital probe hygrometer in the center of the tank.
However, they require quick access to a damp hideaway lined with the moist substrate to provide them with somewhere to go when they require additional moisture, such as when shedding.
Wet down the chilly side of the enclosure three times a week or so using a spray bottle. This increases the moisture level of the substrate and provides the gecko with more opportunities to drink. Because some knob-tailed geckos prefer not to drink from a dish, this is critical.
How to Take Good Care Knob-Tailed Gecko as a Pet?
It is rather easy to care for knob-tailed geckos as a pet because they are low maintenance. One must keep in mind as a good pet parent to these unique creatures to make sure that they are fed properly and are given water.
How much space do knob-tailed geckos need?
Individually maintained knob-tailed geckos are preferable. One adult knob-tailed gecko of any species can be kept in a 10-gallon tank or terrarium. Commercial rack systems are widely utilized by caretakers of knob-tailed geckos who desire to breed their animals.
Baby knob-tailed geckos should be kept separately as well. We keep newborns in 14-inch-long, 7.5-inch-wide, and 4.5-inch-tall plastic boxes.
How much temperature do knob-tailed geckos need?
The basking temperature of knob-tailed geckos should be between 88 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, as measured by a digital probe thermometer placed on the basking surface.
There should be a colder section on the opposite side of the cage that stays between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. A halogen heat bulb put on one side of the enclosure will provide heat for your gecko, simulating the sun.
Ceramic heat emitters (CHEs), red bulbs, and blue bulbs are ineffective as incandescent bulbs. Place the gecko’s warm cave/hideaway beneath the heat bulb. A flat piece of rock, such as flagstone or paver stone, should be used as the basking surface for optimal effects.
In addition, the rock provides a natural source of “belly heat.” To make the warm hide, lay this rock on top of a black plastic box concealed. At night, the heat source should be switched off.
Conclusion
Knob-tailed Geckos are entertaining to watch and maintain, but they are nocturnal and solitary creatures. Knob-tailed geckos are not the greatest choice if you want a particularly engaging pet because they are best watched from the other side of the glass.
FAQs
How long do knob tail geckos live for?
Although they don’t appear to live as long as other geckos, such as the leopard gecko, knob-tailed geckos have been reported to survive for more than ten years.
Do knob tail geckos climb?
There are two subspecies of the Smooth Knob Tailed Gecko: Nephrurus L Occidentalis and N Levis Pilbarensis. These Geckos don’t have Lamellae-covered fingers. Hence they can’t climb. Because they can’t climb glass, this species doesn’t require a cover. Females can grow to be 13-14cm tall, whereas males only grow to be 11-12cm tall.
How often do knob-tailed geckos shed?
To avoid illness, knob-tailed geckos must lose all of their skin every two to four weeks. The toe joints are a common area for their old skins to stay linked and create infections. Infections may result in the loss of one or both of their toes!