Paroedura is a unique genus of geckos from Madagascar. It comprises a wide range of arboreal and terrestrial lizards found throughout the African island. Despite the dizzying diversity of the 20-plus species of Paroedura, each one has a strong resemblance to various other gecko genera. Like many species in Madagascar, convergent evolution has resulted in them sharing many traits with other geckos from across the world. Some bear a likeness to the bent-toed geckos (Cyrtodactylus sp.) of South East Asia, others have similarities with eublepharid geckos of Africa and the Middle East. Of these species, two are small, terrestrial, nocturnal lizards with large eyes and relatively chunky tails. The most popular, the Madagascar ground gecko (P. picta) is also very timid and ticks many boxes for the perfect pet lizard.
Ocelot, Panther or Madagascar Ground Gecko?
Paroedura picta (formerly P. pictus) has many common names. These include; the ocelot gecko, the Malagasy fat-tailed gecko, the Malagasy ground gecko, the panther gecko, the pictus gecko and, for the remainder of this article, the Madagascar ground gecko. All the above names make sense in some form or another. The species has spotted patterns in shades of brown and beige, much like a panther or an ocelot (which also gets its name from the word ‘ocellated’ which means ‘having eye-like markings’). Pictus was once the animals’ species name, while “fat-tailed” and “fat-headed” are morphological factors. Finally, ground gecko is a good indicator of this species’ terrestrial habits. Terrestrial gecko diversity is reasonably limited in Madagascar, so this species is a great candidate for that name as it traverses the dense leaf litter in forested areas of Madagascar’s arid west and southern regions.
Paroedura picta Habitat
The Paroedura picta group is far more terrestrial than other Paroedura species. This group contains a handful of species that share similar traits to the Madagascar ground gecko and typically inhabit the forest floor, rarely climbing higher than necessary. Almost all other Paroeduraspecies usually live in logs and tree hollows close to the ground, but will actively climb the trunk to hunt for prey. The Madagascar ground gecko is the most strictly terrestrial of all Paroedura species, including the closely related Paroedura maingoka.
In the wild, the Madagascar ground gecko can be found in thick leaf litter or on sandy substrates in dry, scrub and thorn forests. Here, it rests during the day in crevices and between leaves and is surprisingly nimble to contort its body and wedge itself within fallen leaves and bark. At night, it climbs to the top of the leaf litter to search for insects to feed on. The species is considered “Least Concern” by the IUCN and in some habitats, specimens are abundant under the right conditions. Warm, humid evenings can prompt increased activity as insects become more active, but the Madagascar ground gecko is also incredibly well adapted to a harsh and dry environment.
Although some ground geckos are reasonably timid, many keepers report a unique curiosity from this species. Naturally, their wild hunting behaviours drive them to take environmental cues to spark activity. Therefore, in captivity, a light misting, or some commotion in the room will prompt the geckos to investigate. This breathes a lot of personality into these small lizards.
Husbandry of the Madagascar Ground Gecko
Luckily, replicating a wild environment is very achievable in captivity. A natural substrate with stacks of cork bark and coated in several layers of leaf litter will provide the perfect habitat. Whilst this is excellent for the animal, it can be problematic for an eager keeper hoping to observe their new pet. Therefore, the keeper should be patient and allow time for their animals to settle in and become naturally inquisitive.
The Paroedura picta can also be found in sandy and rocky areas near leaf litter. Using a natural substrate like ProRep Desert Life and stacking leaf litter on top, leaving some areas exposed for cryptic basking, is a great basis for a suitable setup.
The Malagasy ground gecko rarely exceeds 10cm in length (males are typically larger than females) and does not require much height to climb. A 45x45x45 terrarium is ideal for two adult females. Whilst a larger terrarium would certainly make a better display enclosure and establish stronger gradients, keepers must be prepared to house males and females separately, at least through parts of the year to prevent overbreeding. Therefore, having two 45³ enclosures is a better use of space and resources than one very large vivarium.
Wooden and PVC vivariums can also be used, but as this species does not require particularly hot temperatures, the additional ventilation awarded by a ProRep Glass Terrarium makes it the better choice. Some breeders also report success with Really Useful Boxes and large acrylic tubs.
Temperature, Humidity and Lighting
Although Madagascar ground geckos inhabit arid regions, Madagascar, broadly, is not that hot. Toliara “The City of Sun” is known for being the hottest and driest town in the country and sits in the centre of the Madagascar ground gecko’s range. Here, temperatures rarely exceed 31℃ (considered a hot day). The warmest months (December/January) are generally 25 – 30℃ and the coolest (July) is 18 – 25℃. Ground geckos typically prefer the cooler end of the spectrum and actively avoid the heat by manoeuvring themselves deeper into the leaf litter in summer. Therefore, captive conditions of 21 – 24℃are most appropriate. A terrarium kept in a warm home with a good quality Reptile Systems Eco T5 Bulb should meet this ambient temperature easily and the keeper may wish to place the enclosure in the coolest room in the house to avoid overheating. In a large enough terrarium a spot bulb can be used to increase a basking spot area up to 28℃, providing a sharp enough gradient to bring the ambient temperature down to 20℃ in the cool end.
Being a species that spends its entire life in the leaf litter where humidity is trapped, it is important to consider humidity in the enclosure. Sympatric species that live above the leaf litter like Dumeril’s boas (Acrantophis dumerili) or Madagascar swifts (Oplurus sp.) will happily tolerate dry spells. However, the ground gecko requires humidity of +60% to thrive. This can drop and spike throughout the day, but a hygrometer should be used so the keeper can maintain a stable humidity level. The introduction of live plants and lots of leaf litter will help this.
Gecko Diet
The Madagascar ground gecko will eat just about any insect it can fit in its mouth. It’s specialized skull, which is comparatively huge, allows P. picta to eat surprisingly large insects. In the wild, they have been documented tussling with large venomous centipedes and in captivity will strike at most feeder insects. This makes it easy for the new keeper to provide a healthy diet, as they can rotate feeder insects every few weeks.
A staple of gut-loaded crickets and locusts, supplemented with calci worms, snails, small dubia roaches, mealworms and waxworms is excellent. Smaller geckos can be fed on small crickets, bean weevils and firebrats too. As a predominantly nocturnal gecko, a multivitamin and calcium supplement with D3 should be used to dust all feeder insects. This will ensure the gecko is receiving the appropriate vitamins and minerals with each feed. Calcium is considered more important to this gecko than most other species, as the breeding process is an unusually delicate procedure.
Breeding Madagascar Ground Geckos
Paroedura picta are prolific breeders and reasonably straightforward to breed. If the keeper can maintain a colony of one male and two females comfortably, it is likely they will end up with eggs reasonably quickly and with little effort. They will breed all year round and even without seasonal fluctuations. A single female can lay several times a year so if the keeper does wish to keep a small colony of this species, they should be prepared to find permanent homes for the hatchlings. Interestingly, this species has seen a decline in availability within the trade since the 00s. Demand possibly outweighs supply at least in the UK and US and maybe also Europe. This is good news for the new breeder, but efforts must be made to build networks with enough businesses and hobbyists to ensure the project is sustainable.
Madagascar ground geckos produce two small, round, hard-shelled (and very brittle) eggs per clutch. They will also produce a new clutch every other week during the rainy season and can continue this less frequently throughout the rest of the year. It is extremely unique for any reptile (let alone a gecko) to produce hard-shelled eggs and therefore, the keeper must delicately remove them for incubation. Breeders should also expect that trauma to the egg, inflicted by the gecko itself, is likely to occur. Tiny breaks in the membrane will be exacerbated during incubation and even the most professional breeders receive a relatively poor success rate when breeding these geckos (even though this is countered by the sheer number of eggs laid).
Madagascar ground geckos can also experience fatigue from overbreeding. The keeper should isolate the male from the females for at least 3 months of the year to reduce the strain placed on females whilst developing eggs. It is also extra important to provide plenty of calcium during the egg development stages.
Hatchling ground geckos are brighter and more contrasted than adults. They are highly variable and can look rather striking. Over time, they will generally become duller and colours will fade, but patterns and stripes will remain, creating a wide range of different-looking animals. In captivity, there is a wide range of morphs available too, including “hypo”, “orange”, “anery” and “amel”. However, these morphs are not as well established and thoroughly tested as those of more popular species, so much of the morph breeding is based on loose identification and anecdotes. Some hobbyists are also working with line-bred “red”, “caramel” and “snow” morphs. Alongside these are the naturally occurring “striped” and “banded” variations, which can be combined with different morphs and lines to form a spectrum of different animals.
Is Paroedura picta right for you?
The Madagascar ground gecko is a reasonably hardy, small-bodied, docile gecko. It has the temperament of a leopard gecko, the patterns of a viper gecko, the size of a termite gecko and the personality of a fat-tail gecko. All of these traits make Madagascar ground geckos exceptional pets for the keeper who is patient and gentle. Being so small, they are fragile and they do require slightly increased humidity and calcium provisions than other geckos (making them arguably more demanding). However, these are very small tweaks to make, for the novice keeper wishing to expand their collection with something a little more unique.