SpeciesNeon day gecko
Neon day gecko
Phelsuma klemmeri
Palm-sized, turquoise with a yellow head and so slender that it fits into bamboo tubes. One of the few Phelsuma that can be kept in small groups.
- Group
- Gecko
- Level
- Intermediate
- Origin
- Madagascar
Where the species comes from
- World region
- Madagascar
- Countries
- North-western Madagascar, a very small range
- Habitat
- Bamboo stands near the coast
The app does not yet hold an origin entry for this species. The distribution given here comes from the specialist literature.
The natural habitat is the yardstick for how you furnish an enclosure. Knowing where an animal comes from is knowing why it needs heat zones, hides and a particular humidity.
Husbandry at a glance
The same details appear in the animal’s profile inside the app.
- Enclosure
- A tall, densely planted enclosure with bamboo tubes.
- Temperature
- Basking spot at 30 °C, ambient 25–28 °C, 20 °C at night.
- Humidity
- 70–80 %, mist daily.
- Lighting
- UV-B needed, twelve hours.
- Substrate
- Coco humus with moss.
- Furnishings
- Bamboo tubes of various widths as home and sleeping place: Essential for this species, not decoration.
- Water
- Droplets on leaves.
- Feeding
- Small insects several times a week, plus fruit puree.
- Behaviour
- Diurnal, nimble, less quarrelsome than other Phelsuma.
- Handling
- Do not handle.
- Cohabitation
- Pairs and small groups are possible provided there are enough bamboo tubes.
- Health
- Sensitive to drying out because of its small size.
- Seasonal cycle
- No winter rest: The neon day gecko lives in a small forest area in north-western Madagascar with a uniform climate. A slightly drier phase of six weeks with a night-time drop to 20–22 °C is enough; the species tolerates a stronger drop poorly.
- Safety
- No permit required. CITES-protected; the natural range is very small: Buy captive-bred animals only.
Legal position in Switzerland
No permit foreseen
No permit required. The species does not belong to any of the groups listed in Art. 89 of the Swiss Animal Welfare Ordinance
No certificate of competence foreseen
No proof of competence required. It is only demanded for the animals named in Art. 89 of the Ordinance
Species protection applies
CITES Appendix II: Import and transfer only with papers. When buying, ask for proof of origin and captive breeding
Minimum enclosure dimensions
Annex 2, table 5 of the Animal Welfare Ordinance does not prescribe centimetres but multiples of body length. For this species, item 32 (Diurnal geckos): floor area 6 × 6 body lengths, height 8 body lengths. The floor area applies to at most two animals; each further animal requires an additional 2 × 2 body lengths.
For this group, body length means the snout-vent length, without the tail. The largest animal in the enclosure is what counts. The enclosure may not be smaller even if fewer animals live in it than the table names.
| Snout-vent length | At least |
|---|---|
| 4 cm | 24 × 24 × 32 cm |
| 5 cm | 30 × 30 × 40 cm |
Animals may temporarily be kept in smaller enclosures: for quarantine, for the treatment of illness and injury, for acclimatisation, for breeding and rearing, and for winter or cold dormancy or aestivation (preliminary remark D on reptiles).
This is the legal lower limit, not a recommendation. An enclosure that meets exactly these dimensions is permitted, but not good for that reason. The details under “Husbandry at a glance” describe how the enclosure should be furnished, not how small it may be.
What the enclosure must provide
Provide species-appropriate heat and light zones, UV-B where needed, suitable substrate, retreats, climbing or digging options, water and natural rest periods.
Paperwork
Keep the purchase contract and proof of origin. Use the scientific name to check CITES and import status reliably.
These details are a guide, not legal advice. Binding information comes from the cantonal veterinary office; the text of the ordinance is what counts. More on the legal position
