Smooth Knob-tail Gecko – Nephrurus Levis Levis

Smooth knob tail geckos are distributed throughout the arid interior of Australia, occurring in all mainland states and territories other than Victoria and the ACT. Adults are around 8–10 centimetres long from snout to vent. The original tail (if not dropped) is usually around 2 centimetres. Males are usually smaller than the females, with both being able to live up to 15 years in captivity. The colour on the dorsal side is generally a pinkish-grey to purplish-brown colour, with a unique pattern of darker and lighter spots, bars or lines.

Housing

Knob-tails can be kept in many different styles of cages as long as specific needs are met. These needs are appropriate thermal gradient, proper moisture retention, and recognizable substrate.

Temperature

Temperature is crucial for the well-being of Geckos. Provide a thermal gradient from 26 celsius on the cool end to 30-31 celsius on the warm end, which is easily accomplished with appropriately placed heating pad.  A digital thermometer or infrared temp gun can be used to monitor temperature to make sure that it is not too hot for the geckos when setting up the enclosure. Place the heating pad on the dry end of the cage. The cool end is also the moist end.  This prevents the moist side from drying out too quickly.

Handling

After bringing your new gecko home, it’s best to avoid handling it for a couple of weeks, especially until it has settled and established a feeding routine. Once the gecko has adapted, you can start short handling sessions lasting 10-15 minutes.

Humidity

The second most important need to be met behind temperature is appropriate humidity.  This is easy to provide by moistening the sand slightly at one end of the cage.  Fine sand is used with great results. The sand on the moist end must be moist enough that it will clump when squeezed in the hand and which will hold a burrow.  You may also provide an inverted potting dish with a hole cut in the side or rocks SECURELY stacked over the moist area.  If the sand is deep enough, the geckos will make their own burrows.  The entrance of the burrows or the opening provided in the inverted container or terra cotta plant drainers will be plugged with sand to retain the moisture in the burrow.  If knob-tails aren’t allowed to burrow and close themselves in in this manner, they will soon dehydrate with unfortunate results.  

Diet

Knob-tails in captivity will eat a variety of insects including crickets, mealworms, superworms, locusts, cockroaches and other appropriately sized bugs.  Dust the food items with an appropriate calcium or multivitamin powder.  They can eat fairly large meals when compared with other geckos of similar size, but care must be taken not to feed them too large of food items.  They hunt at night and emerge from their burrows early in the evening, so they should be fed at that time.  Don’t throw insects in the cage during the day or during the day when they are sleeping, or they will lose their dusting and can cause other problems.  Crickets will lay eggs in the moist end sand which will hatch in the warmth, and you’ll have baby crickets everywhere.  The baby crickets will annoy and stress the geckos a lot, so it is a good practice to pinch the ovipositors of the female crickets to make sure no eggs are laid before feeding.  If you notice baby crickets in the cage, replace the substrate immediately to remove all the baby crickets. A gecko will not feed when stressed. If it is handled too much before settling into its new home or the temperature gradient is not correct, feeding problems can begin. Limit the amount of handling time until your new gecko is feeding well.

Substrates

As mentioned above these geckos need a natural recognizable substrate.  Natural fine sand works wonderfully, as opposed to processed sand made from crushed rock.  Natural sand is smooth and free of jagged edges, where processed sand is like walking on glass shards.  Don’t keep these geckos on something they don’t recognize.  If kept on newspaper, leaf litter, or other substrate, they will not know what to do with it.

Water Bowl

Select a heavy, stable water bowl that won’t tip over while the gecko moves around at night. Place it in the cooler end of the enclosure. Geckos require regular misting as they will often drink the water droplets rather than drink from a water bowl. Mist the cage once every couple of days in the summer months and less frequently during the winter cooler months. If the geckos are out, mist them as well and so they can drink, licking the droplets off their face.

Hide Boxes

Hides can be decorative options that resemble rocks, tree trunks, skulls, or caves. You may also provide an inverted potting dish with a hole cut in the side or rocks SECURELY stacked over the moist area.  If the sand is deep enough, the geckos will make their own burrows.  The entrance of the burrows or the opening provided in the inverted container or terra cotta plant drainers will be plugged with sand to retain the moisture in the burrow.

Equipment

Essential equipment includes thermometers or a temperature gun for monitoring temperature. Temperature guns are particularly valuable and should be used regularly to ensure the setup is performing correctly. Additionally, consider keeping mouth-opening kits and tweezers for feeding different insects. Use reptile-specific cleaning and disinfecting products such as F10SC and clean the enclosure during daylight to minimize stress.

Records

Maintain regular records, including acquisition details, weight, shedding events, food items, refusals, medications, and any instances of illness or injury. This information can be invaluable if veterinary care is ever required and provides a valuable reference as your gecko grows.

Veterinary Care

In the case of veterinary care, we recommend North Richmond Vet Hospital on phone number 4571 2042.

Further Learning

Consider reading books like ‘Keeping Australian Geckos’ and ‘A Guide to Australian Geckos and Pygopods (2nd Edition)’ for further insights into caring for these reptiles.

Owning and caring for Smooth knob-tail geckos can be a rewarding and long-term commitment, as these Geckos can live for over 15 years. Congratulations on welcoming a new family member into your home, and we hope you enjoy the journey of learning and watching them grow.