Tokay Gecko Care Guide

The Enclosure

Most of the husbandry points that need to be met for any reptile will be checked off by their enclosure setup. Setting up a proper enclosure is the most important aspect of reptile care, and tokay geckos are no exception. Tokay geckos are extremely active animals that benefit from having a lot of space to run, jump, and to hide and feel secure in their home. Tokay geckos are also remarkably intelligent compared to other geckos and truly benefit from an enriching enclosure. 

Size and Material

Tokay geckos are large arboreal lizards and require an enclosure with lots of height. A common recommended minimum for tokay geckos is 18x18x24" - and we feel this is far too small for their activity level and size. 

We recommend at least a 2x2x3' enclosure for a single tokay gecko. 

PVC is the preferred material for tokay geckos because it maintains humidity very well. PVC is also very durable, and lasts a long time if properly maintained. There are several manufacturers of PVC enclosures, or you can build your own! 

Reptiles are often predated on by birds in the wild, so it is never advisable to approach them from above. Tokay geckos are difficult to tame as is, and reaching from above will scare them and damage your already fragile relationship with them. Coming from below or beside them is less likely to be perceived as a threat and will make taking them easier. 

Substrate

An appropriate substrate for tokay geckos is imperative to hold correct humidity levels. Tokay geckos are a moderately high-humidity species and require stable, constant humidity in the 65-85% range, being higher at night. Since substrate is a huge factor in humidity maintenance, it’s important you get it right. There are several options for substrate. Reliable examples include:

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• A 70/30 mixture of organic topsoil/play sand

• Coconut fiber

• A blend of coconut fiber, soil, sand, and sphagnum moss

These are just examples, but they hold moisture very well without molding too quickly. This allows you to pour water on the substrate instead of misting, which is much better for maintaining constant humidity. Misting the enclosure tends to create spikes of humidity rather than a consistent level. Adding some sphagnum moss and leaf litter on top of the substrate will help lock in moisture.

Avoid pine and cedar shavings, as the fumes are toxic to reptiles.

Bioactive substrates are a great option for tokay geckos, but a full bioactive guide would be too lengthy to include in this guide. The distinction between naturalistic and bioactive substrates is that bioactive substrates include a living clean-up crew and create a self-sustaining environment. On the surface, a naturalistic and bioactive enclosure may look the same - the difference lies in the presence of a clean-up crew and requiring live plants in bioactive enclosures. 

Temperature

Tokay geckos, like all reptiles, should have a thermal gradient in their enclosure. Because they are an arboreal species this gradient should be achieved vertically - with the warm side up high and the cool side down below. This allows your gecko to thermoregulate and keep its body at an appropriate temperature. 

Tokay geckos should have a warm section of around 85°F, a cool section of around 75°F, and a basking spot of around 95°F.

The distinction between the term ‘basking spot’ and ‘warm side’ is that the basking spot is a single surface where you measure the temperature of the surface instead of the ambient air temperature. The basking spot can be made with something like flat that holds heat, such as a piece of bark or broad branch.. A temperature gun is the easiest way to measure the basking spot, and thermometers are for measuring ambient air temperatures of the warm and cool side.

Reptiles benefit from a cooldown period at night. It helps build their immune system and regulates their metabolism. Tokay geckos temperature should be minimum 70°F and a maximum of 75°F. If your home gets cooler than 70°F at night, you will need to supplement a heat source that does not generate light such as a deep heat projector or ceramic heat emitter. Deep heat projectors are preferred, as ceramic heat emitters sap humidity.  

Lighting and UVB

Tokay geckos are nocturnal animals, but this does not mean they should not have light in their enclosure. Humans are diurnal, but we would go insane if we had light all the time!

The best way to provide heat and light for your tokay gecko is to replicate their natural heat and light source as closely as possible; the sun! The sun provides three sources of energy to the earth - visible light, infrared in the form of heat, and ultraviolet light. Halogen bulbs are the closest replication to natural sunlight that you can easily and safely use for reptiles. Halogen bulbs produce visible light and infrared heat in similar proportions to sunlight. PAR38 dimmable halogen flood bulbs are ideal, they provide a wide spread so the heat isn’t too concentrated, and they are safe to use on a thermostat. Thermostats are absolute requirements to ensure the safety of your animal and home. Also be sure that your tokay gecko cannot make contact with the heating element, which can cause serious burns. There are light cages available that prevent your reptile from making contact with the bulb.

Please see our Heating and Lighting Guide for a more in-depth guide on this topic! 

Providing UVB for tokay geckos is frequently argued as unnecessary, but we believe providing UVB for is very beneficial for them. T5 strip-style UVB bulbs are ideal, as it produces healthy amounts of UVB that is not overly concentrated. Tokay geckos need mild amounts of UVB, and should be supplied with a forest-dweller style T5 bulb. A UVB strip bulb across the top of the enclosure near the basking spot is ideal. Provide lots of plants (real or fake) or other coverage to create a ‘dappled sun’ effect. 

It is necessary to replace T5 UVB bulbs every 12 months as they get less effective over time.

Your gecko’s enclosure should be completely dark at night. If it gets too cold in their enclosure at night (below 70°F) you will need to supply a non-light producing heat source as mentioned in the temperature section.

Humidity

The humidity for tokay geckos is between 65-85% in their natural environment, so you will want to replicate that to allow them to shed and prevent respiratory issues. The warm section will always have lower humidity than the cool section, aim for 65% humidity on the warm side and 85% humidity on the cool side. Do not stress too much if the cool section of your enclosure exceeds 85% humidity if there isn’t visible condensation on the walls of the enclosure. Having high humidity is better than low humidity as long as it isn’t fogging up. 

Humidity naturally increases at night. If humidity exceeds 85% at night this is also completely acceptable - and actually preferable!

Investing in an automatic mister will save you a lot of time, and ensure your gecko is getting consistent water in its enclosure which will mitigate humidity spikes. 

Decor and Hides

Decorating your enclosure is very much up to personal preference. We will go over some basics, but how you achieve them is up to you!

1. Tokay geckos really appreciate live plants and are excellent candidates for bioactive enclosures. Consider adding live plants and an invertebrate clean-up crew to your enclosure to minimize maintenance and maximize enrichment.

2. Add lots of branches for your gecko to climb on - they are very active animals

3. Tokay geckos love cork rounds - but be warned, they may not ever leave them! Consider adding half rounds instead, so they can feel secure but you can get to them if needed.

Bioactive

Bioactive enclosures are self-sustaining environments that differ from naturalistic appearing enclosures by having live plants and a clean-up crew - or small invertebrates that consume waste and provide nutrients to the plants and a clean environment. Tokay geckos are great candidates for bioactive enclosures, as their waste output is manageable by clean-up crews, and tropical bioactive enclosures are straightforward to set up properly. It also minimizes invasive cleanings if your gecko is particularly shy and defensive. 

Bioactive enclosure setups are too lengthy to include in this guide, so please see our Bioactive series for more information!

Quarantine Period and a Note on Wild Caught Animals

As with any new reptile, it is important to quarantine them for at least 60 days after getting them home. Keep them separate from all other reptiles, and be sure to wash your hands and any shared tools (tongs etc.) We recommend using a sterile substrate such as newspaper or paper towel to monitor their waste production. 

Tokay geckos are, unfortunately, often wild caught. Wild caught tokay geckos almost always have parasites that require veterinary care to get rid of, and can spread to other reptiles if you aren't careful. 

We highly recommend seeking a breeder with captive bred tokay geckos. They will be more expensive up front, but considering the vet bills that come with wild caught tokay geckos, captive bred tokay geckos are often less expensive in the long run. Their attitude will be better too (typically.)

Acclimation Period

The first week or two that you get your new gecko will be very stressful for them. Environment changes are difficult to adapt to, especially if their new environment is not ideal. This is why getting everything setup properly before getting your new pet is so important. 

Three important pointers for acclimating new reptiles:

1. If you have other reptiles, quarantine your new gecko to prevent the potential spread of disease, internal parasites, and mites. See the quarantine section for more details.

2. Offer food in an escape proof dish rather than tong feeding. 

3. Do not handle them for one week and allow them to adapt to their new environment

After the first week or so with you, you can start interacting more with your gecko. Approach your tokay slowly and make sure it knows you are there. Avoid reaching from above, these geckos instinctively fear predatory birds and may see your hand as a threat.