Planted vertical terrarium 30×30×45cm+ for a small group
Social needs
Unusually social; small all-female groups thrive
Diet
Fruit-gecko diet powder + tiny insects
Time
Low-Medium (daily misting, feeds)
Cost
Low-Medium
Overview
The mourning gecko is a tiny tropical gecko with a remarkable trait: the species is parthenogenetic, so virtually all individuals are females that lay viable eggs without a male.
Every animal in the hobby is effectively part of one extended clone line.
Unlike almost every other pet reptile, mourning geckos genuinely do well in small groups, squeaking and chirping to each other after dark.
Their size, hardiness, and social behaviour make them a superb first arboreal gecko — as long as escape-proofing is taken seriously.
Housing
A planted, vertically oriented terrarium of at least 30×30×45cm suits a group of two to four; bigger is better and live plants double as cover and humidity buffers.
Cork bark, bamboo, and broad leaves give climbing routes and egg-laying sites.
Keep the enclosure at 24-28C with a mild ambient drop at night and humidity around 60-80%, misting daily.
These geckos are tiny and quick, so every gap, wire pass-through, and door seam must be escape-proofed.
Diet
A commercial fruit-gecko meal-replacement powder (the same products used for crested geckos) can form the staple, offered fresh two to three times a week in small cups.
It covers vitamins and calcium when prepared correctly.
Supplement with tiny live insects such as fruit flies, bean beetles, or pinhead crickets once or twice a week, dusted with calcium.
Remove uneaten wet food before it sours in the humid enclosure.
Health
Mourning geckos are hardy when humidity and temperature are right; problems usually trace back to dehydration, stuck sheds on toes, or calcium deficiency in heavily laying females.
A fine misting routine and dusted insects prevent most of it.
Expect eggs: females glue pairs of eggs to glass and plants year-round, and hatchlings are mosquito-sized escape artists.
Plan for population growth or remove eggs, and rehome surplus responsibly.
Temperament
These are watch-and-listen pets, active mostly after dark and far too small and fast for handling.
The trade-off is genuinely engaging group behaviour: chirping, tail-waving, and squabbles over the best feeding ledge.
A pecking order is normal in groups; provide multiple feeding stations and visual barriers so lower-ranked animals eat and rest in peace.
Beginner
Beginner
Beginner
Beginner
Beginner
Beginner