# Site General > CARESHEETS >  Viper Gecko  (Teratolepis fasciata)

## BP.net Admin

*Viper Gecko - Teratolepis fasciata*    Property of DreamGecko.com          *Distribution*     Parts of PakistanNatural Habitat: Rocky and sandy habitat with little humidity and high heat.   *Appearance*     Viper geckos are small geckos with large eyes, slender body, a fat tail. These geckos have no eyelids like most geckos, and lack the adhesive lamellae on their feet which aide other geckos in climbing smooth vertical surfaces. Their coloration normally cosists of a tan background with darker brown bars going down the viper's body vertically, and light tan (almost white) bars going horizontally across the viper's body. So far there have been no reported color mutations of this species.   *Viper Geckos as Pets*     These little geckos make great pets because they are hardy and do not have extensive care needs.   *Size*     Vipers grow to about 3-5" as adults.Sexing: Males have two hemi penal bulges right after the cloacal opening on the underside of the creature. Females do not have these. Viper geckos are usually sexable by the time they are 6 months of age.   *Enclosure*     Being so tiny, Viper geckos can live in a relatively small enclosure. A standard 5.5 gallon tank should work fine for one or two. A shoe box size enclosure is the minimum space necessary for one. Viper geckos are not territorial so a 10 gallon tank can have more than one male in them (be cautious still, and keep an eye on their behavior if you choose to do this).   *Heating*     Between February 1st and November 15th: during the day, keep the temps at 95-97 F on the hot side of the enclosure, and about 85 F on the cool side. At night, you can drop the temperatures down to 75 F. Between November 15th and January 31st: Keep the max temperature in the enclosure at 75 F, and let it drop into the mid 60's F at night. These temperature gradients are best achieved with heat lamps, under tank heaters (UTH) or both. Never use heat rocks with these guys since they can burn the geckos.   *Humidity*     Viper geckos do not need much humidity since their natural habitat is relatively dry, but it is best to always keep a humid hide in the tank. To see how to make a humid hide, go to the leopard gecko care sheet and look under the humidity category.    *Substrate*     Babies should be kept on paper towel. For adults, paper towel is the safest choice, but other subsrates work also like: reptile carpet, slate, and extra fine play sand (risk of impaction) NOT calci-sand).   *Other*     Inside of the enclosure should be a shallow water dish, a calcium dish, and a few hides.   *Diet*     A staple of crickets is usually the best option for Viper geckos. Babies should be given pinhead crickets while adults can handle small crickets. Other than crickets, they can be fed fruit flies, and wax worms on occasion. For info on keeping the food and gut loading, look under the diet section in the leopard gecko care sheet.   *Illness*     Signs that something is wrong include but are not limited to: ongoing anorexia, lethargy, abnormal (runny, bloody, off-color) stools, difficulty moving, and abnormal coloration in the abdomen. If you suspect something is wrong, it is best to have the gecko vet checked. Parasites, impaction, calcium deficiencies, and more could all be to blame for the above symptoms.

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CaptainKillua (12-16-2017)

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