Small and cute, Viper Geckos make a great Exotic Pet or an addition to any collection. They can only be found in hot, dry habitats within small areas of Pakistan.
Being a small species of Gecko, hatchlings measure 2.5cm (1 inch) and adults reach no larger than 9cm (3.5 inches). They are very colourful little Geckos with a light brown-grey base with darker lateral lines running down the body. A lighter cream tan colour overlays the other markings crossways, this is ideal camouflage when resting on rocks. Being a nocturnal species, they have large eyes to help them hunt for insects during the night.
Another name, which is commonly used, is the Carrot-Tailed Viper Gecko. This is basically due to the shape of their tail. The tail is short and looks like a carrot - but this is still a brown-grey colour not orange!
Viper Geckos are found in a small area of South-Eastern Pakistan. During the day they hide between and under rocks waiting for the safety of the night before searching for food.
Viper Geckos are very easy to keep and are an ideal addition to any collection. Due to this species being small and nocturnal, you can keep them in a plastic container with a heat mat under one side. Use deser sand or Leo Life as a substrate , as this is more natural. Make sure this stays clean and dry. Plenty of hides should be provided in both hot and cool ends of the enclosure.
You should aim to have a daytime temperature of 30-32C (85-90F) at the warm side and 24-27C (75-80F) at the cooler side. An easy way to provide these temperatures is to use a heat mat under a third of the enclosure. The nighttime temperature should drop down by several degrees. Keep the humidity levels low as Viper Geckos are from hot dry areas. You can place a humidity hide in the enclosure by using a small plastic container, cutting out a hole and using sphagnum moss.
These little Geckos can tackle quite large prey, so don’t let their size fool you. Ideally, keep them on smaller foods to help prevent compaction. Hatchlings Viper Geckos will eat fruit flies and hatchling crickets and will slowly move up the sized crickets as they grow. Adults will take 3rd/4th black crickets and small locusts. Try to vary their diet and also dust their food with a vitamin supplement once a week. Dust young Viper Geckos live food more frequently.
