How long do Viper Geckos live?
Viper geckos live about 5-10 years in captivity and reach only 3-4 inches (7-10 cm), weighing 5-10 grams. They are sexually dimorphic, with males showing noticeable femoral pores.
What do Viper Geckos eat?
Feed tiny insects: pinhead crickets, flightless fruit flies, and small roaches, all gut-loaded and dusted with calcium plus a D3 multivitamin every 1-2 weeks. Offer food every other day. They will not eat anything larger than their head, and they refuse plant or fruit matter.
Viper Gecko enclosure setup
A 10-20 gallon terrarium with a warm side and a dry, sandy-substrate layout suits a pair. Keep 78-90°F (26-32°C) on the warm end and 72-78°F (22-26°C) on the cool end; a heat mat or low lamp works. Humidity should be low at 30-50% with only a brief spike after a light misting and a small water dish — these are true arid geckos. A 5% T5 UVB is beneficial. Provide multiple small hides and a secure lid.
Common mistakes with Viper Geckos
Main errors: keeping humidity too high (tail rot and toe necrosis), feeding prey too large, cohabiting two males (territorial fighting), and a tank with no hides, which stresses these shy geckos into refusing food.
Beginner mistakes to avoid
- Over-misting / high humidity — tail rot and lost toes in arid geckos.
- Prey larger than the head — they will not eat it and can starve.
- Two males in one tank — fighting and injury.
- No hides / bare tank — chronic stress and food refusal.