Peacock Day Gecko - Phelsuma quadriocellata Care Sheet

The Peacock day gecko ( Phelsuma quadriocellata ) is a brightly colored species found in Madagascar. Their name refers to the conspicuous black spot outlined in blue that is found behind their forelegs. Unlike others in its genus, its widespread range and abundance on the island has given this species some protection from being endangered. Like all day geckos, they tend to be too quick and nervous for handling, but they make great pets to watch due to their bright colors and diurnal nature, both characteristics of the genus.

COLORATION

Like all geckos in the genus Phelsuma , these geckos exhibit bright and attractive colors. Peacock day geckos are dark green or bluish green, often with a blue tail. Reddish orange spots speckle their back. Their most unique feature are the black spots outlined in blue right behind their forelegs. They also have two smaller black spots right in front of their hind legs.

HOUSING

A 12x12x18 Exo Terra enclosure can house a pair of peacock day geckos. Larger enclosures can house more individuals, but it is recommended that males are not housed together. A variety of substrate mixtures can be used with coco fiber or peat moss as a base. Josh’s Frogs BioBedding works very well with this species; in addition to holding moisture, it will help propagate and maintain live plants and isopod populations in the setup (both highly recommended with this species). As an arboreal species, these geckos thrive in a setup filled with pieces of cork bark, branches, large bamboo sticks, and live or fake plants. It is essential to provide an enclosure with plenty of climbing material and hiding places. Peacock day geckos can be kept at ambient temperatures ranging 72-78F. A basking area of around 85F should also be provided using a halogen light. As with all day geckos, given their diurnal activity, UV light is recommended. Ambient humidity for this species should remain around 60-70%. Misting every day is strongly recommended to keep the substrate moist and also provide water droplets from which the geckos can drink. There should be enough ventilation such that any water droplets on the walls of the enclosure dry out by the next day. A shallow water dish can be supplied but is not necessary if these geckos are misted daily. Both temperature and humidity can be monitored with a thermometer/hygrometer. SIZE These day geckos will grow to be around 4-5.5 inches as adults.

DIET

Peacock day geckos are omnivorous. In the wild, they consume insects as well as nectar or soft fruit. In captivity, they enjoy a staple diet of small crickets and gecko diet mix. A good rule of thumb for size is to only offer insects whose length does not exceed the space in between the gecko’s eyes. Generally, hatchling peacock day geckos should be fed melanogaster fruit flies and gecko diet mix, adding ⅛-inch crickets as they grow older. Reaching adulthood, they can continue to be offered gecko diet mix once a week as well as ¼-inch crickets. Feeder insects should be dusted with a vitamin/mineral supplement.

SEX

Peacock Day Geckos can be challenging to sex when young, but are fairly straightforward to sex when they are mature. Females are larger, and tend to have prominent calcium sacs under their chin. Males have a row of enlarged femoral pores on the underside of their thighs, flanking the cloaca. The scales around these pores are often yellow.

BREEDING

During the breeding season, these geckos will lay a pair of eggs every month or two. Eggs are often adhered to plants, branches, or the enclosure walls. Attempting to remove them from what they are glued to will break the egg.

Peacock Day Geckos are listed as having a stable population by the IUCN:

https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/172895/6937454

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