Rough Knob Tailed Gecko

Knob-tailed geckos are native to Australia, these distinctive geckos are named for the small knob at the tip of their tail, and they’re known for their rasping bark. There are 14 species and subspecies of knob-tailed geckos.

Knob-tailed geckos are measured based on their snout-to-vent length. Smaller species of knob-tailed geckos, including Nephrurus wheeleri, N. levis and N. deleani, have a SVL of approximately 4 inches. The largest of the knob-tailed geckos, Nephrurus amyae, has a SVL of approximately 5 to 5.5 inches.Tail sizes also vary among knob-tailed gecko species.

Knob-Tailed Gecko Life Span

Although these geckos don’t appear to have as long of a life span as other geckos, such as the leopard gecko, knob-tailed geckos have been known to live past 10 years of age.

Knob-Tailed Gecko Lighting and Temperature

Knob-tailed geckos are nocturnal, so they do not need overhead lighting or basking lights. In fact, this type of lighting can stress the gecko.

Heating is best applied by a heating element. An undertank heater works well with an aquarium or terrarium. Flexwatt heat tape or heat cables work well with rack systems. The hot side should be kept around 87 to 89 degrees Fahrenheit.

Knob-Tailed Gecko Food

In the wild, knob-tailed geckos eat a highly varied diet of ants, spiders, cockroaches, crickets, scorpions, caterpillars, beetles, and even smaller geckos and skinks. Most keepers feed their captive knob-tailed geckos crickets or cockroaches four to five times a week. Some keepers have also fed mealworms with success. However, knob-tailed geckos cue in on the movement of prey items, and mealworms are not as visually stimulating as some insects, so they might not induce a feeding response.