Encyclopaedia
ReptileTerrestrialIntermediate
©AI Generated·Proprietary
Chahoua Gecko (Mossy Prehensile-tailed Gecko)
Mniarogekko chahoua
The Mossy Prehensile-tailed Gecko is a master of disguise from New Caledonia. Featuring a heavily patterned, lichen-like appearance, it demands an arboreal setup with robust branches and high humidity.
Class:Squamata
Order:Squamata
Family:Diplodactylidae
Genus:Mniarogekko
Species:Mniarogekko chahoua
Share
Check out Chahoua Gecko (Mossy Prehensile-tailed Gecko) on Atlarium
Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
60 - 80 %
Day temperature
23 - 26 °C
Ambient temperature
24 °C
Night temperature
19 - 21 °C
Basking spot
27 °C
Adult size
14.7 cm
Minimum enclosure
>= 80 L
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Endemic to the dense primary rainforests of New Caledonia. It occurs in two main locales: Grande Terre (slender and darker geckos) and Île des Pins (larger, stockier geckos with vivid green and rust-red patterns). They live on moss-covered tree trunks.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Belonging to the family Diplodactylidae, formerly classified as Rhacodactylus chahoua. The common name Chahoua derives from a Kanak word meaning 'spirit of the forest.' It is highly prized in the hobby for its intelligence and calm nature.
Behavior and Habits: Strictly nocturnal. Unlike other New Caledonian geckos, they move slowly and deliberately, resembling chameleons. They are exceptionally docile and maintain keen eye contact with keepers. They use their prehensile tail as a fifth limb for anchoring.
Morphology: Can reach up to 25 cm in total length. Females are larger and heavier, particularly when carrying heavily calcified eggs. Males possess prominent hemipenal bulges at the base of the tail and preanal pores.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Requires a vertical, spacious enclosure (minimum 45x45x60 cm, preferably 60x45x90 cm). Furnish with thick cork bark tubes, diagonal branches, and robust live plants (such as Pothos or Ficus benjamina). A bioactive substrate with leaf litter and moss is recommended.
Lighting and Heating: Keep daytime temperatures at 23–26°C, with a slight basking spot of 27°C. Night temperatures should drop to 19–21°C. Avoid temperatures above 29°C. A low-output (2–5%) UVB source is highly beneficial to prevent metabolic bone disease.
Humidity and Hydration: Maintain relative humidity between 60% and 80%. Mist the enclosure heavily at night to raise humidity to 85–90%, and allow it to dry out to 50–60% during the day. Provide a clean, elevated water dish.
Feeding and Supplementation: Omnivorous. Feed high-quality powdered fruit diets (Crested Gecko Diet) mixed with water. They require a higher insect protein intake (crickets, roaches) than other geckos. Ensure calcium and vitamin D3 supplements are added regularly, especially for breeding females.
Compatibility: Solitary by nature. Can be kept in compatible pairs in very large enclosures, but must be monitored closely. Never house multiple males together.
Health and Common Diseases: Highly prone to metabolic bone disease (MBD) and egg binding if calcium levels are insufficient. Respiratory infections can occur in stagnant, overly wet conditions; maintain good cross-ventilation.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Endemic to the dense primary rainforests of New Caledonia. It occurs in two main locales: Grande Terre (slender and darker geckos) and Île des Pins (larger, stockier geckos with vivid green and rust-red patterns). They live on moss-covered tree trunks.
Origin
North AmericaAustralia, New Guinea, and Oceania
Reptile profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 14.7 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 14.7 cm. The ReptTraits v1.2 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 14.7 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.
Related species
Recommendations grouped by close relatives, companion choices, and similar care.
