Reptile & Amphibian Forums

im looking into gettin one. ive seen a few while out herpin the high desert. i would like to catch one or maybe find a breeder but either way i wanna find out as much info on them as i can. ive looked on the net for caresheets but havent found much. can someone help point me in the right direction or give me as much info as possible. thanks Joey

Hi there,

I have a Coleonyx Mitratus (Central American Banded). He's different than Desert Bandeds as he needs a bit more humidity and will get a bit biggger but he's awesome! There are a handful of different types of Desert Banded Geckos too, so check them all out & see what you like best.

Check out the Gecko Forums on Kingsnake, outside of Leos. There's a ton of info on the web for these guys. Desert banded can be kept pretty much like Leos from what I've been told. They are also less likely to eat substrates so sand for them is OK. They are tiny compared to Leos and have much more delicate skin. My Central American likes to burrow so he's on peat moss and sand mixed together.
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This is from Chris (tworavens):

"I like to think of bandeds as miniature leos, with regards to their care. Their requirements are essentially identical. 88 degrees is good, I drop it down to about 70 at night and mist very lightly each night, I also provide a very shallow water dish. A humid hide on the warm side is essential. The only thing you should watch for is the substrate. Since they stay so small (adults are about 3" SVL) I stay away from sand to avoid impaction. Reptile carpet has worked very well for me, but you could go with paper towels also. Also, finding the right size bugs is sometimes a chore.

I've always liked bandeds the most of all my gex, because they are so curious and adventurous. I had one who used to climb his cage furnishings and make it to the screen top, I would often find him clinging upside down to the screen like some sort of demented anole.

As far as "California Banded Geckos" go, both C. v. variegatus and C. v. abbotti are found in California"
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This is from WingedWolf:

"I have a care sheet posted at http://reptiles.thepsionguild.net/bandedgeckocaresheet.html

Their care really is virtually identical to leopard geckos...they can get a bit colder at night than is recommended for leos. That's about the only real difference, care-wise. I've used silica sand made for saltwater aquariums for bandeds...while this very fine sand has been said to irritate ears or eyes of larger lizards, it's ideal for these little guys, and harmless if they accidently swallow some...the very small particle size makes impaction extremely unlikely.
I personally prefer to use a loose substrate, as in my experience both bandeds and leos like to dig (hollowing out areas under their hides, for example). But, that's a vast and ongoing controversy.

The best part, IMO, about coleonyx is their habit (seen only in baby leos) of twitching their tail like a cat before their strike their prey. "
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Here's an Article:
http://www.kingsnake.com/rockymountain/RMHPages/RMHcoleonyx.htm

Here's one on my non-desert, Cent. Am. Banded that is great"
http://tpt1.com/vivarium

Go to this link to the Gecko forum & look for my threads about my new Banded Donation.

Link to Gecko Forum w/Banded Info

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Too many Leos
1.0 feline "Spot"
0.1 canine "Tika"

I raise Coleonyx variegatus variegatus (desert bandeds) and I care for them just like a leopard gecko. If you are interested in care sheets for various banded morphs, stop by www.geckosunlimited.com/Caresheets.htm
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Marcia McGuiness
Golden Gate Geckos
www.goldengategeckos.com