Fitzsimons Thick-Toed Gecko

This Herp-Day Thursday's Special Feature is the Fitzsimons Thick-Toed Gecko, Chondrodactylus fitzsimonsi (Read through the whole post for a special surprise)! This species is one of 6 known species in the genus Chondrodactylus! Once thought to be a sub-species of Chondrodactylus laevigatus, it was determined to be its own species in 1995.

Towards the palm of the hand: Marsh, our male. On the fingers: Mallow, our female.

Fitzsimons Geckos are an African gecko endemic to 

a small portion of Angola and Nambia. 

They live in the savannah and semidesert areas, where there are rock outcroppings for them to climb and hide in. They are communal, generally found in groups consisting of a male and multiple females. 

Here at Sticks Stones and Bonez, we have a pair of Fitzsimons Geckos. Not much is known about their care in captivity, so we've based our care on their wild habitat as best as possible. Mimicking their natural environment is the best way to provide proper husbandry. We provide a daytime ambient temperature of 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit with a basking spot of about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. They are misted daily and seem to prefer drinking droplets of water from plant leaves over drinking from a bowl. They prefer to not be handled and can be shy. Their diet consists of a variety of insects including mealworms, waxworms, crickets, and roaches.

Now for the surprise! Our pair of Fitzsimon Geckos, Marsh & Mallow, just hatched out babies! Their names are S'more (February 4th) and Hersey (February 5th)! Both babies are doing well so far and have completed their first sheds! You can stop by and see them during regular museum hours!