Mourning Gecko

Overview

The Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) is a tiny, hardy, tropical gecko with an extraordinary secret: it is almost entirely parthenogenetic, meaning the species is all-female and each gecko can reproduce on its own without a mate. Buy a single Mourning Gecko and, given time and the right conditions, you can end up with a self-sustaining colony of genetically similar clones. Small, active, communal, and beautifully suited to bioactive nano-terrariums, this is one of the easiest and most rewarding small geckos in the hobby - a fantastic choice for beginners and experienced keepers alike. Adults measure just 8-10 cm including tail.

Natural History

Wild range: a wide belt across the tropical Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, from Southeast Asia to islands across the Pacific, and now introduced to many warm coastal areas worldwide. Its all-female, clone-based reproduction is exactly what makes it such a successful colonist - a single individual arriving on a new island, perhaps as a stowaway or on floating debris, can found a whole population. Mourning Geckos are nocturnal, arboreal, and highly social for a reptile, living and breeding in loose colonies. They are named for their soft, mournful chirping calls, which they use to communicate with one another.

Because reproduction is parthenogenetic, offspring are essentially genetic copies of the parent, though occasional natural variation and rare males do appear (the males are usually infertile). This unusual biology has made the Mourning Gecko a favourite in the hobby: keepers can start with a single animal and, without any breeding effort, watch a small colony grow on its own. It also makes the species a fascinating subject for anyone interested in how life colonises new places. In captivity, its adaptability, small size, and tolerance of ordinary household conditions all trace back to the same hardy, opportunistic nature that made it such a successful island coloniser.

Appearance

Adults 8-10 cm total length including the tail, weighing only a few grams. The base colour is a soft tan-to-brown, patterned with darker chevrons, zig-zags, and speckles that can shift dramatically with mood - dark and boldly marked at night, pale and washed-out when calm or basking. They have adhesive toe pads for climbing smooth surfaces and large dark eyes suited to nocturnal life. Because most animals are clones, individuals in a colony often look strikingly similar.

Temperament & Handling

Calm but delicate and quick. Mourning Geckos are not aggressive and rarely attempt to bite - a bite from something this small is barely noticeable. However, they are tiny, fast, and fragile, and they drop their tails very readily under stress. This makes them a hands-off, observation species rather than a handling pet. They are best enjoyed for their fascinating colony behaviour, their chirping communication, and their constant activity around a planted terrarium. If you must move one, herd it gently into a cup rather than grabbing it. Because they are so quick, they can dart out of an open enclosure in an instant, so always work over a contained space and open the terrarium slowly. Within a colony you may see gentle social interactions and hear their calls, especially at night, and watching a group go about its business is the real reward of keeping this species.

Enclosure

Minimum: 30 × 30 × 45 cm (taller than wide) comfortably houses a small colony of several geckos. Because they are social clones, they are meant to be kept in groups. Glass terrarium with fine mesh or fine-gapped ventilation - they are escape artists through tiny openings.

Provide:

• Vertical cork bark, bamboo, and branches for climbing.
• Dense live or artificial planting for cover and egg-laying sites.
• A bioactive setup (drainage layer, soil mix, springtails, isopods) works beautifully and helps clean up.
• Substrate: coconut fibre or a bioactive soil blend.
• Egg-laying nooks form naturally among cork and leaves.
• Shallow water and daily misting for droplets.

Heating & Lighting

• Ambient: 24-28°C is ideal; they tolerate normal room temperatures well.
• Basking zone: a gentle warm spot up to 28-29°C is plenty.
• Night: can drop to 20-22°C.
• UVB: low-level UVB (5%) is beneficial for long-term health, though many keepers succeed with strong D3 supplementation alone.

Little supplemental heat is needed in a warm home. Avoid overheating this small tropical species.

Humidity

Tropical - keep humidity around 60-80%. Mist once or twice daily so droplets form on leaves and glass for drinking, allowing brief drying between mistings. Live plants and a bioactive substrate help hold steady humidity.

Diet

Omnivorous - a real advantage for easy feeding:

• Insects: small crickets, fruit flies, dubia roach nymphs, small feeders.
• Prepared diets: powdered crested gecko diet (CGD) mixed with water is readily accepted and can form the bulk of the diet.
• Occasional: a little mashed fruit or pollen-based supplement.

Dust insects with calcium and D3 plus multivitamin on rotation. Their omnivory means a single lone gecko - or a whole colony - is simple to feed. Feed small amounts every 1-2 days.

Health & Lifespan

5-10 years, sometimes longer with excellent care.

Common concerns:

• Metabolic bone disease from inadequate calcium/D3 or UVB.
• Retained shed on toes and tail if humidity is too low.
• Tail loss from stress or handling (regrows imperfectly).
• Egg-related issues in a productive colony, including calcium depletion from constant laying.
• Overcrowding stress if a colony outgrows its enclosure - plan for population growth.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Extremely easy to keep - great beginner gecko.
• Self-sustaining, all-female colony - no mate needed.
• Accepts prepared diets, simplifying feeding.
• Tiny footprint, perfect for nano and bioactive setups.
• Fascinating social and vocal behaviour.

Cons:

• Too small and delicate to handle.
• Colony can multiply and outgrow its space.
• Escape artist through tiny gaps.
• Tail drops easily.
• Shorter lived than larger geckos.

Best Suited For

• Beginners wanting an easy, low-maintenance reptile.
• Bioactive and nano-terrarium enthusiasts.
• Keepers interested in colony and breeding behaviour.

Not suited for anyone wanting a reptile to hold and handle regularly.