Chinese Cave Gecko Care Sheet

• These geckos are most active at night, so you might see them hiding under rocks or burrowing during the day. 
• Chinese cave geckos need cool, moist habitats and don’t tolerate high temperatures. 
• These geckos don’t have sticky toe pads, so they climb using their claws. 

• The Chinese cave gecko can detach their tail, and a new one grows back within about 30 days. 
• These types of geckos have functional eyelids. 
• Chinese cave geckos can store fat and nutrients in their tails to reserve energy. 

Provide your Chinese cave gecko with a habitat that’s at least ​​20 gallons. If you’re keeping ​​two female geckos in the same habitat (never keep males together), you’ll need at least​​ 40 gallons to make sure there is enough room for each lizard. Whenever you can, get the largest enclosure available. 

Make sure the habitat has a screened lid to ensure ventilation and prevent your pet from escaping. 

Line your tank with at least 2 inches of substrate, such as sphagnum moss, orchid bark, or coconut fiber.  

All of these retain moisture well, helping maintain humidity levels inside the habitat. You can use them alone or on top of a paper-based bedding.  

​​​Your gecko’s habitat should be 68–75 F. Temperatures shouldn’t drop below 68 F, or your gecko could get sick.  

Keep two thermometers inside the habitat—one on the cool end and one on the warm end—to check both sides at once. You can also use a point-and-shoot thermometer. 

​​​Add a low-wattage ceramic heater or an incandescent light to provide heat for your gecko if necessary. ​​​​

Don’t use hot rocks, since they can cause burns to your gecko. Connect all heat sources to a thermostat to ensure temperatures stay within range. 

Humidity is important to your gecko’s regular shedding. Keep humidity between 60% to 80% and use a humidity gauge to check levels regularly.  

​​​Your Chinese cave gecko needs at least two hiding areas in the enclosure. If you have more than one gecko in the tank, each one needs their own hiding spots.  

Place moist sphagnum moss inside the hideout area at the warm end of the enclosure. This boosts humidity and helps your gecko during shedding cycles. Regularly replace the moss to prevent mold from forming. 

​​​Add sturdy branches so your gecko can climb and explore as they please. To avoid injury, make sure the branches are strong enough to support them. 

​​​​​Remove your pet, decor, and accessories, then throw away the old substrate every one to two weeks. Scrub the tank with a 3% bleach solution or a reptile habitat cleaner. Leave the solution on the tank for 10 minutes to make sure it gets disinfected.  

Thoroughly rinse the habitat with water until no residual solution smell remains. Allow the tank to dry completely before placing new substrate, cleaned decor, accessories, and your gecko.  

Feed your Chinese cave gecko gut-loaded (previously fed) insects, such as mealworms, roaches, and crickets. Juveniles need to be fed daily, while adults can eat every other day. 

While live insects are best because they provide more nutrients, you can also give your gecko freeze-dried food.   

Dust live insects with three different vitamin supplements:  

• Calcium supplement with vitamin D 
• Calcium supplement without vitamin D 
• Reptile-designated multivitamin powder 

Juveniles need a calcium supplement, alternating between the two (with or without vitamin D) three to four times a week. Adults should get calcium every two to three days, alternating between the two. Dust with the multivitamin one to two times a week for both juveniles and adults. 

Only feed your pet as much as they can eat within 15 minutes. Make sure you watch them during feedings to ensure that all insects are eaten. Never leave uneaten live insects in the tank, as they can harm your gecko. 

Your gecko should have access to fresh, clean water throughout the day in a water dish large enough for your pet to soak in when they want to. Replace water daily and disinfect the water bowl at least once a week. 

While they aren’t as interested in being held as much as other gecko species, Chinese cave geckos do tolerate regular handling.   

However, avoid handling your Chinese cave gecko too much, especially during shedding, so they don’t get stressed.  

Always remember to wash your hands before and after handling your Chinese cave gecko. 

Take your Chinese cave gecko to a veterinarian once a year for an annual checkup. A healthy gecko has clear, bright eyes, with clean nostrils and a clean vent. Your Chinese gecko should be alert but docile, with bright colors.  

If you see that your Chinese cave gecko has discharge from their nose, mouth, or eyes, or swollen, cloudy eyes, contact your vet right away. Also look out for lethargy, dull coloring, consistently closed eyes, or stuck shed, ​​which could all be signs of a larger issue.  

• Appropriately sized habitat 
• Substrate and sphagnum moss 
• Food and water dishes 
• Climbing decor, hideaways, and plants  
• ​​​Heat/light fixtures and thermostats 
• Under-tank heater  
• Multivitamin and calcium supplements 
• Live insects  
• Cricket keeper, food, and quencher 
• Thermometers and a humidity gauge 
• Mister  

Are Chinese cave geckos good pets? 

Chinese cave geckos are great pets, especially for beginner reptile parents. 

How long do Chinese cave geckos live? 

With proper care, Chinese cave geckos can live up to 12 years. 

How big do Chinese cave geckos get? 

The average adult Chinese cave gecko is 8 inches long.  

Can I hold my Chinese cave gecko? 

Yes, you can hold your Chinese cave gecko. They are gentle and enjoy handling, but not as much as other geckos, so minimize handling. 

Can two Chinese cave geckos live together? 

You can keep two or more female Chinese cave geckos together in the same habitat, but not multiple males. One male is fine with multiple females in one tank. It’s OK to keep a male-female pair in the same habitat, but if you do, be prepared for breeding.