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Kuhl's Flying Gecko
Gekko kuhli
A Southeast Asian gecko famous for its skin flaps that allow it to glide between trees. It requires highly humid, vertically oriented, and densely vegetated terrariums.
Class:Squamata
Order:Squamata
Family:Gekkonidae
Subfamily:Gekkoninae
Genus:Gekko
Species:Gekko kuhli
Formerly known as:Ptychozoon kuhli
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
70 - 80 %
Day temperature
25 - 29 °C
Night temperature
22 - 24 °C
Adult size
10.8 cm
UVB
Low
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Native to the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It is strictly arboreal, living on mossy tree trunks where it blends in perfectly.
Taxonomy and Genetics: Historically classified as Ptychozoon kuhli, recently grouped under Gekko kuhli. Belongs to the family Gekkonidae, with specialized genes coding for extensive lateral skin flaps and webbed digits.
Behavior and Habits: Nocturnal and arboreal. During the day, it presses flat against tree bark to hide. If threatened, it leaps into the air, using its skin flaps to glide safely to another tree trunk.
Morphology: A medium-sized gecko reaching 15-18 cm. Features lateral flaps of skin along the torso, wide webbed toes, and a flattened, scalloped tail that assists in aerodynamics and bark mimicry.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: Requires a vertical, well-ventilated terrarium (minimum 45x45x60 cm). Furnish with vertical climbing branches, cork bark panels, and live plants (Pothos, Monstera). Use a moisture-retaining soil-sphagnum substrate.
Lighting and Heating: Ambient temperatures should be 25-28°C (77-82°F) with a mild basking zone of 30-32°C (86-90°F) and a night drop to 20-22°C (68-72°F). Low-intensity 2-5% UVB lighting is recommended.
Humidity and Hydration: High relative humidity (70-90%) is critical. Mist the enclosure thoroughly twice a day. These geckos prefer to lick water droplets off leaves and glass rather than drinking from a bowl.
Feeding and Supplementation: Insectivorous. Feed appropriately sized crickets, roaches, and mealworms. Dust prey with calcium and Vitamin D3 twice a week, and multivitamins once a week.
Compatibility: Can be housed in male-female pairs or trios (one male, multiple females). Never house multiple males together due to aggressive territoriality.
Health and Common Diseases: Dehydration is a major threat if spraying is insufficient. Lack of ventilation combined with high humidity can cause skin rot or respiratory infections. Handle with care as skin can tear easily.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Native to the tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It is strictly arboreal, living on mossy tree trunks where it blends in perfectly.
Origin
South and Southeast AsiaEast Asia
Reptile profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 10.8 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 10.8 cm. The ReptTraits v1.2 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 10.8 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.
