Written 2022, updated 17/03/2026

Natural habitat and enclosure design- 

The genus ‘Tropiocolotes’, from which these geckos originate, is made up of a range of arid dwarf gecko species. At the time of writing, 15 species have been described, however as our understanding changes and studies continue, it is possible some odd these may be reclassified, or more species could be found. They can all be found throughout northern Africa and into the Middle East. As such, each species will have ever so slightly differing natural ranges, habitats, and environmental parameters. This husbandry guide is suitable for almost all species in the genus. Many keepers will also note that exotic pet shops are rarely aware of exactly what species they are selling due to their near-identical appearances, and the fact the population is mostly wild caught. Through our research, we believe we house Tropiocolotes steudneri here at the Menagerie. 

Across each of the 15 species and their wide native range, these geckos will primarily inhabit arid and semi-arid environments such as sandy dunes, gravel deserts and rocky outcrops. These environments allow plenty of areas of the geckos to seek shelter during the heat of the day, before emerging in the evenings. They are adaptable and will also be found at varying altitudes. 

When choosing the enclosure type, there are a few things to consider. Glass terrariums are fragile, and generally available in a limited range of sizes. They can be ideal for replicating humid environments but are often inefficient at retaining sufficient heat for arid species. The best option is instead to use a wooden vivarium. These can be found in more varied sizes (or even custom built to your own requirements) and are great insulators, helping to maintain the low humidity, high temperature environment required by this African species. Whilst they may only grow to around 5cm, they are incredibly active little reptiles and are usually kept in groups. With that in mind, I would suggest an enclosure of at least 60cm in length, and 30cm deep. They are a terrestrial species but will utilise any climbing structures such as wood and rock in their enclosures, especially when basking. As such, I would recommend using a vivarium no less than 30cm in height. My own vivarium is 60cm tall, and I have seen the geckos utilise every little bit of available vertical space, as well as the all-important floor area. 

To truly create a naturalistic environment for arid species like this, you will need to ensure you provide a few key features: 

• Substrate- across their native range these geckos will mostly inhabit rocky or sandy areas. I would recommend proving a combination of flowing and rocky substrates, as well as larger rock and wood features. Here in the UK, Arcadia and ProRep produce a great range of suitable options to replicate these natural substrate types. A flowing substrate is important as it will also enable and promote natural behaviours such as digging, foraging, and egg laying. As they are a small species, the substrate does not need to be too deep. Across my vivarium the topography varies, but the substrate is between one and three inches deep throughout. 

• Basking areas- as ectotherms, these reptiles need to be able to warm their bodies to allow natural processes to continue. This will be covered more in the next section (‘environmental parameters’) however it is important to factor this in during the design stage. Many arid reptiles will bask in open areas when living in the wild, often opting for areas of rock. As the rock warms during the early morning, reptiles will emerge to make use of the sun’s radiation from above, and the warming effect of the heated rock below. Although these geckos are considered more to be crepuscular, or nocturnal, they will still utilise these methods to warm themselves. To promote this natural behaviour, I would recommend positioning elevated areas of real rock beneath your basking source. Rock is easily obtained from local exotic pet shops; however, I often find a visit to a nearby garden centre can offer a better range, usually at a lesser cost. Other enclosure clutter will also be used when basking too, and I often find my own geckos on the cork bark background and grape vine branches situated around the setup. 

• Shelter- incorporating areas for your animals to hide is greatly important. It will help to reduce stress by allowing them to control whether they can be seen and aid the process of thermoregulation. Numerous hide options should be offered across the enclosure providing a varied array of microclimates: hot, cool, and humid. Humid hides will help with processes such as shedding and can be maintained by occasional misting and small quantities of sphagnum moss. Many companies produce artificial hides for reptiles, but to create an enriching and visually pleasing environment, I would suggest instead opting for natural alternatives. Carefully positioned rocks, wooden rounds and other natural clutter will help to offer these secure, sheltered areas. Heavy objects, such as rocks, should be stacked directly from the floor of the enclosure. This prevents injury if the animal was to attempt to get beneath them. 

• Planting- I often find enclosures replicating arid habitats are generally devoid of any life, besides the animal they house. By many, arid environments are considered barren, endless dunes of sand, but across much of Northern Africa, the reality is quite different. Some of even the driest areas are still bursting with varied plant life, such as succulents, grasses and woody-stemmed shrubs. As these geckos are so small, planting is rarely in danger, and it is even possible to create a bioactive setup for this species with careful planning. Just be careful to ensure any plants used are non-toxic and reptile safe. 

Environmental parameters- 

Whilst the exact conditions may vary throughout the year, the species is well-used to the harsh hot and dry conditions of its native range. This is typically what should be replicated in a vivarium. 

In captivity, an ambient temperature around 26-30 degrees Celsius is ideal, with values cooling to the early 20s in areas of the vivarium to aid the process of thermoregulation. At the basking point- directly beneath a heat source- a temperature of 35-40 degrees Celsius is required. I have found maintaining a basking area at the higher end of this range has helped trigger breeding and lead to greater success. Digital thermometers should be installed to monitor these temperatures, whilst heating elements themselves must be controlled by a suitable thermostat for safety. To provide the high temperatures required, overhead heating is best. Whilst heat mats or heat tape can be good ways to increase ambient air temperature in a space, they are not suitable as long-term or stand-alone heat sources. Instead, opt for products such as halogen or mercury vapour bulbs. Heat rocks should also be avoided as they do not provide the correct type or quantity of heat and have been known to cause injuries. 

To provide a full spectrum of infrared, visible light, and ultraviolet, other products are also required. UVB is a vital form of ultraviolet radiation required by reptiles to synthesise Vitamin D3 for the absorption of calcium. Without its provision in captivity, health problems are almost guaranteed, the most common of which is known as Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD). The most effective way of offering UVB is through a fluorescent UVB tube. These geckos will be exposed to high levels of UV in their open, arid African habitats, so a UV index (UVI) in Ferguson Zone 3 is required (1.0-2.6 average, 2.9-7.4 maximum/basking). A 10-12% UVB tube will achieve this but must be replaced regularly as per the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure the output remains effective. To increase the brightness in the setup to natural daylight levels, a daylight LED could be used, however this is optional. All lighting can be controlled by plug-in timers and should be set to a natural cycle. As standard, most keepers provide a daylight period of 12 hours, whilst others may opt to follow seasonal cycles. You can find more detail on heating and lighting here.

An arid species, the Tropiocolotes species will thrive at lower humidity levels between 20% and 30%. Humidity levels increase to the higher end overnight, before dropping as the day heats up. A very light misting each morning will replicate the cooler, damp start to the day, as well as natural dew, which they may take advantage of to drink. Care should be taken to ensure humidity levels do not raise too high. They can be monitored with a digital hydrometer. It is recommended that a small area of higher humidity is provided to aid the process of ecdysis (shedding). A small amount of moisture-retaining substrate beneath a hide can be ideal for this. This is much like the humid pockets found in the wild between foliage and rock crevices. 

Diet and captive feeding- 

These tiny arid reptiles will naturally feed off a variety of insect prey. Due to their small size, there are limits to what they will be able to catch and eat, but they certainly have strong appetites and will hunt vast numbers of prey through the evening. As insectivores, your geckos should be offered appropriately sized live prey. The standard diet offered by most keepers is micro/small crickets and flightless fruit flies. I have seen adult geckos take on prey not much smaller than their own heads; however, younger geckos should only be offered the smallest available prey. 

Before feeding to your geckos, all live food should be gut loaded with various leafy greens and vegetables to maximise its nutritional value and dusted with a supplement. With all my reptiles I alternate between a calcium/D3 supplement and a multivitamin. I feed a few times a week by scattering live insects around the habitat to promote natural foraging and hunting behaviour. 

Alongside food, a small bowl of fresh water should always be available. This is best situated on the cool end of the vivarium to reduce the speed at which it will evaporate. As this is such a small species, a deep body of water could be dangerous. I would recommend filling a standard bowl with small stones or marbles to reduce this risk. Reptiles obtain most of their water through their diet but will sometimes drink from a body of water, or from droplets on environmental features. 

Wild behaviour and enrichment- 

These geckos are primarily active during the evenings and through the night. In the wild this will help them to avoid their main threats like extreme temperatures and daytime predators. It is also the ideal time to surface to hunt, as their small insect prey becomes more active. In my own geckos I have seen activity throughout the day, but they will be at their most active after the lighting turns off for the evening. It is also at this point of the day they start to vocalise, and their small chirping calls can be heard. The cycle you provide using your lighting system will allow their natural circadian rhythm to occur. New technology to simulate sun rise and sun set is now available through Arcadia’s Lumenize range, which could be utilised to create a more naturalistic daylight pattern. It could also be of value following the seasonal variation in day length from the species’ native range in their captive environment. This will allow the body to go through its natural annual cycles, as well as daily, especially when used in conjunction with changing enclosure temperatures and humidity, as previously discussed.  

These tiny geckos do well in colonies and will also breed well when the conditions are right. In our first successful breeding season, our 5 adults produced over 20 offspring! If the enclosure has enough clutter and visual barriers, the sex ratio is unimportant as males rarely seek conflict. You can find a more comprehensive overview of breeding this species in my article ‘Micro Marvels’, which featured in the May 2024 issue of Exotic Keeper Magazine. Be mindful that unless you take steps to prevent breeding, it is likely to occur. As a result, it is important that you consider the space you have available for any potential offspring, and what your long-term plan for those individuals will be. 

Environmental enrichment- either though changing the enclosure, making it more natural, or adding new features to be investigated- is the easiest method of enrichment for any reptile, but it is far from the only option. Live feeding of invertebrates is also highly enriching, and will promote health, activity, and natural hunting behaviours. For these geckos, it is essential. Scatter feeding or using slow feeders can also increase feeding times to a more natural level and is much more stimulating than feeding from a bowl or tongs.  

The senses of touch and smell are both important to reptiles, and this can help to guide a keeper to appropriate enrichment. Just some examples include herbs, scent trails, hidden foods, different substrates, and different materials in the enclosure. 

Health and disease prevention- 

Whenever discussing reptile health, the most obvious place to begin is with Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD). This condition often has terrible impacts on the lives of the reptiles effected, and can be fatal, but it is completely avoidable with appropriate care. This includes the correct diet, lighting, and heating.  

Ensuring the calcium: phosphorus ratio is correct in the diet is vital in preventing MBD. The ratio should be 2:1, and this can be easily provided through correct supplementation. There are plenty of calcium supplements available to reptile keepers, and these should be used as part of the regular diet. The lighting and heating in the enclosure is also vital. As an ectothermic animal (one which relies on external heat sources to control their body temperature), reptiles require heat and UVB lighting for their metabolism to work effectively. Only when each of these is correct can MBD be completely prevented.  

Another common health concern in reptiles is disecdysis- an issue related to the regular process of shedding skin. This is often caused by an environmental issue, such as low humidity, but can be a symptom of an underlying health concern, dehydration, or deficiencies. Vitamin A is important for skin health and cell growth. Offering this vitamin as a supplement can help to reduce the chance of such issues, as well as maintaining the appropriate environment.  

Parasites, both internal and external, can also affect reptiles. Maintaining good hygiene and quarantine protocols within the collection will generally reduce the chances of such health problems.  

Most health concerns with reptiles are easily prevented through good husbandry, right from enclosure design, to diet, and cleaning. A regular spot clean (daily if possible) as well as full cleans when appropriate will reduce the chances of many other diseases and health problems common in reptiles but not discussed here.