Hainan cave gecko
Goniurosaurus hainanensis
Photo: Hainan leopard gecko (Goniurosaurus hainanensis)-1 · Melvin TOULLEC · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Changes and credits
These guides provide general husbandry information and do not replace veterinary assessment. If your animal shows symptoms or its condition worsens, contact a veterinarian experienced with exotic animals.
These notices cover the cited provisions, not every possible national or local rule. Check additional requirements with the competent authority.
Description
Goniurosaurus hainanensis is a terrestrial gecko endemic to China’s Hainan Island. It has movable eyelids, reddish eyes and pale bands across a dark brown body. It uses damp forest-floor shelters among stones and leaf litter and is mainly nocturnal. It belongs to the G. lichtenfelderi group, distinct from the G. luii group.
Behaviour
Observe individual responses; freezing and repeated flight may indicate distress.
Housing together
Keep one adult per enclosure. Prepare a second terrarium before breeding introductions and separate animals if chasing, biting or exclusion from resources occurs.
Enclosure and climate
Cover draining substrate with litter and arrange low shelters at different temperatures. Secure rocks and bark to the enclosure floor, leaving usable crevices and low climbing supports. Keep a sheltered moist area and pay particular attention to summer overheating.
Setup
Protect probes and equipment, check escape routes and shelter access and record day and night readings before introducing the animal.
Warm area, cool area and hides
If heating is specified, place it at one end and distribute hides between that area and the cool side. Choose openings and internal space suitable for the body; after adding bedding, check that entrances remain clear. Set the dish on a stable base and leave routes between retreats; use low supports only where suitable for the species.
Testing and access
Connect specified heat sources to compatible thermostats and guard against contact. Secure probes according to device instructions; measure air at resting sites and heated surfaces separately with independent instruments. In housing with water, also check water temperature and quality: one zone’s thermostat does not control the others.
With the complete enclosure running, record day and night readings and compare them with the sheet. Test doors, cable openings and cleaning access, keeping vents clear. Change one variable at a time and recheck after each adjustment.
Lighting and UVB
Low-level UVB with fully shaded retreats; measure exposure at animal height and prevent access to lamps.
Low-level UVB with fully shaded retreats; measure exposure at animal height and prevent access to lamps.
Humidity and ventilation
Approximately 60–80%, with moist retreats and ventilation
Feeding
Rotate well-fed cultured crickets and small roaches; remove uneaten prey and offer clean water in a shallow dish.
Feeding frequency
Insects 3–5 times weekly according to age and season, with smaller portions for less active adults.
Supplements
Use diet-appropriate calcium and multivitamins according to the label, coordinating D3 with UVB. Do not combine products without checking their composition.
Daily care
First days
Test climate and access before arrival. Monitor appetite, weight and shelter use with minimal disturbance and quarantine separately from established animals.
Cleaning
Keep animals and equipment away from kitchens and food areas, use tools dedicated to each enclosure and wash your hands with soap and running water after handling animals, food, tank water or furnishings. Quarantine new arrivals separately and agree the duration and checks with a veterinarian before introducing them to established animals.
Handling
Minimise transfers and support the body. Never grab the tail; prepare a secure container before moving the animal.
Checks
Monitor weight, appetite, droppings and skin condition; seek veterinary assessment for weight loss or difficulty moving.
Breeding
Provide a moist laying site and monitor females without repeatedly excavating retreats. Hoke’s account describes incubation at approximately 24–26 °C for 60–90 days: this is a keeper’s experience, not a guarantee of duration or hatchling sex.
Provide a moist laying site and monitor females without repeatedly excavating retreats. Hoke’s account describes incubation at approximately 24–26 °C for 60–90 days: this is a keeper’s experience, not a guarantee of duration or hatchling sex.