Carrot-Tailed Viper Gecko

Teratolepis fasciata

Basic Care and Breeding

Introduction

The viper gecko (Teratolepis fasciata ) is a small, terrestrial desert dweller from Pakistan. They are easy to care for and tend to do well in captivity when given the proper accommodations. They make interesting captives, and have proven to be a highly prolific gecko. The following is a basic description of their care and breeding in captivity.

Hatchlings 

Newborn viper geckos are very small, weighing in at 1/2 of a gram . Regardless of their small size, they can be raised with relative ease because of their willingness to eat anything small enough to fit in their tiny mouths. They should be set up in a small enclosure, one measuring 12"W x 10"L x 4"H is sufficient to house a lone animal into adulthood. Fine sand is an ideal substrate. Any sand that finds it's way into the gecko's mouth is usually spat out, or passed through the digestive system without complication. A few inverted clay pots can serve as hiding areas. Heat can be provided via an under tank heat strip, that should raise the surface temperature in one end of the tank to ~90 degrees Fahrenheit. Crickets can be fed as a sole food source, as mealworms are largely ignored by viper geckos (in my experience). Crickets should be dusted with a calcium/vitamin D3 supplement. No water bowl is necessary, a light misting with water every 4th day is sufficient.

Adults 

Viper geckos grow very fast, and can reach sexual maturity well within their first year. Full grown adults measure in at about 4 inches in length . Adults can be kept as mentioned above. They should be housed singly, as they have a tendency to compete for food. To condition adult viper geckos for breeding, fast each animal for 10 days, then simply turn off all under tank heating and maintain them at room temperature (65 - 70F) for 60 days. When this time has expired, turn the heat back on, and offer food 3 days later. Female to male introductions can begin 14 days after their first meal. Introductions should take place overnight, with the female being returned to her tank the next morning. Females will show signs that they are gravid, but the eggs will not be visible as they are in other gecko species. Eggs will be deposited under large piles of sand, usually under a clay pot. 10 or more clutches will be deposited throughout the year. The hard shelled eggs should be moved to an incubator that is set at 83F with `90% humidity. The eggs should never come in contact with water, otherwise they will spoil. They should be incubated on dry sand, about 1/2 buried . Eggs take from 50 - 70 days to hatch.