Chinese Cave Gecko

Geographical Origin and Habitat: A rock-dwelling and cave-dwelling species endemic to karst rainforests, sharp limestone caves, and humid gorges of the Guangxi province in southwestern China and northern Vietnam. The Chinese Cave Gecko lives in the dark, humid recesses of rock formations, escaping direct sunlight and drought.

Taxonomy and Genetics: A large member of the family Eublepharidae, reaching an adult length of 18-22 cm. They have a slender, highly elongated body with long, spider-like legs tipped with claws instead of adhesive toe pads. The skin is velvety and covered in small tubercles. The coloration is striking, with a dark charcoal-black or purplish-brown base color contrasted by spectacular neon yellow or orange transverse bands. They have large, prominent red or ruby eyes and true movable eyelids.

Behavior and Habits: A strictly nocturnal and cave-dwelling species. During the day, they sleep clinging to vertical rock walls or deep within limestone crevices. At night, they emerge to actively hunt insects, walking carefully over damp rocks and using their keen night vision to locate prey.

Morphology: Sexual dimorphism is distinct in adult individuals. Adult males are generally larger and exhibit prominent preanal pores and visible hemipenal bulges at the base of the tail, which are absent or undeveloped in females.

Terrarium Setup: Requires a spacious, humid vertical terrarium (minimum 60x45x60 cm). Provide a deep, moisture-retaining substrate like a mix of peat moss and sphagnum. The setup should feature vertical rock backgrounds (such as slate slabs or textured polyurethane) and multiple tight, dark hides simulating rocky crevices. A clean water dish must always be available.

Lighting and Heating: They require cool, stable temperatures between 22-26°C. Temperatures above 28°C are rapidly lethal. In hot climates, keeping the terrarium in an air-conditioned room or cool basement is essential. Night temperatures should drop to around 20°C. They are highly photosensitive; a very low 2% UVB light can be provided, but they prefer complete darkness.

Humidity and Hydration: Maintain high humidity levels (75-90% constant) by spraying the enclosure heavily with dechlorinated water in the evenings. Good ventilation is necessary to prevent stagnant, moldy conditions. Low humidity will cause severe shedding failures (dysecdysis) and can lead to the necrosis of toe tips.

Feeding and Supplementation: Voracious nocturnal insectivores. Feed a variety of live insects, such as crickets, dubia roaches, and locusts. Feeder insects should be dusted with calcium and vitamin D3 supplements regularly, which is vital for their bone health since they receive no natural sunlight.

Compatibility: Highly territorial. Males must never be housed together as they will fight to the death. They can be housed individually, as pairs, or in small harems (one male, multiple females) in very large enclosures. Do not house them with other gecko species.

Health and Common Diseases: Highly sensitive to stress, heat, and low humidity. Poor shedding can lead to eye issues and toe loss. Handle with extreme care; they easily drop their tails (autotomy) when startled, and the regenerated tail will grow back shorter and bulbous. Keep the terrarium clean to prevent respiratory and skin infections.