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Boivin's Giant Gecko
Blaesodactylus boivini
A massive, robust nocturnal gecko from Madagascar capable of producing barking sounds. Demands a large vertical terrarium (60x45x90 cm) with high humidity, sturdy cork bark tubes, and large insectivorous prey items.
Class:Squamata
Order:Squamata
Family:Gekkonidae
Genus:Blaesodactylus
Species:Blaesodactylus boivini
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
60 - 80 %
Day temperature
25 - 27 °C
Ambient temperature
26 °C
Night temperature
20 - 22 °C
Basking spot
31 - 32 °C
Adult size
15.6 cm
Minimum enclosure
>= 150 L
UVB
Medium
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to northern and northwestern Madagascar. It inhabits dry deciduous forests and humid tropical lowlands, living high in the canopy on large tree trunks and branches.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Family Gekkonidae, genus Blaesodactylus. One of the largest gecko species in Madagascar. Genetically adapted to arboreal life in dry and wet forest zones, possessing specialized scales for camouflage.
Behavior and Habits: Nocturnal and arboreal. During the day, they press flat against bark to hide. When threatened, they exhibit aggression, gaping their mouth and producing a loud barking or growling sound, and can deliver a painful bite.
Morphology: A large and robust gecko, reaching a total length of 28 to 30 cm. Features a thick, muscular head, large eyes with vertical pupils, and bark-like grey-brown mottled skin that provides excellent camouflage.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Requires a tall vertical terrarium (minimum 60x45x90 cm) for a single adult. Furnish with thick vertical cork bark tubes, sturdy branches, and broad-leafed artificial or live plants. Use a moist soil-bark mix substrate.
Lighting and Heating: Basking zone temperature of 31-32°C (88-90°F) using a basking light, with an ambient temperature of 25-27°C (77-80°F) and night drop to 20-22°C (68-72°F). Provide low-level UVB lighting (5%) to support calcium metabolism.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain relative humidity between 60% and 80%. Mist the terrarium thoroughly once or twice daily. This provides drinking water droplets on leaves and glass, and maintains proper air humidity for skin shedding.
Feeding and Supplementation: Opportunistic carnivore. Feed large gut-loaded roaches, crickets, locusts, and occasional snails or hornworms. Dust prey with calcium and Vitamin D3 twice a week, and add a multivitamin supplement once a week.
Compatibility: Strictly solitary. Males are highly territorial and will fight aggressively. Females can also show territoriality. House individually, and only pair for short breeding intervals under direct observation.
Health and Common Diseases: Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) is a major risk if calcium supplementation or UVB is lacking. Inadequate humidity leads to dysecdysis (shed retention), particularly around toes and eyes. Respiratory infections can develop if enclosure is cold and wet.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Native to northern and northwestern Madagascar. It inhabits dry deciduous forests and humid tropical lowlands, living high in the canopy on large tree trunks and branches.
Origin
Africa and Madagascar
Reptile profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 15.6 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 15.6 cm. The ReptTraits v1.2 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 15.6 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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