Giant leaf-tailed gecko
Uroplatus fimbriatus
Photo: Uroplatus fimbriatus (3) · TimVickers · Public domain · 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
Uroplatus fimbriatus is a large arboreal gecko from eastern Madagascar’s humid forests. Skin fringes along the body and limbs soften its shadow against trunks, completing its bark-and-lichen camouflage. It has a broad tail and pale eyes with reddish veins; at night it leaves its vertical resting position to hunt.
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
Provide vertical trunks broad enough to support the whole body, connected branches and foliage sheltering resting sites. Maintain ventilation and clear routes between levels; mist to provide droplets and allow surfaces to dry between water inputs.
Setup
Protect probes and equipment, check escape routes and shelter access and record day and night readings before introducing the animal.
Making height usable
Secure horizontal, sloping and vertical branches to the structure, using diameters that offer grip and supports suitable for adult weight. Connect them from the exposed lighting branch to the cool area, distributing supports across levels. Place hide entrances beside branches; add foliage along routes without blocking dishes, doors or vents.
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
60–70% by day; 75–85% at night
Feeding
Rotate well-fed cultured crickets and small roaches; remove uneaten prey and offer clean water in a shallow dish.
Feeding frequency
Adults: insects every other day, adjusting amount and frequency to body condition; juveniles: small prey more frequently.
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
Egg-laying species: provide sheltered laying sites and monitor female recovery between clutches. Introductions are temporary and supervised; separate breeders if the female avoids food or loses weight.
Egg-laying species: provide sheltered laying sites and monitor female recovery between clutches. Introductions are temporary and supervised; separate breeders if the female avoids food or loses weight.