Viper Gecko (Teratolepis fasciata) Care Sheet

Written by: Joshua Halter 

Checked on: 9/30/25

The Viper Gecko, also called the Carrot-tailed Gecko, is a small, nocturnal gecko native to the dry rocky deserts of Pakistan and northwestern India. At Bio Dude, we’ve successfully bred these geckos in-house, and we are excited to share this care guide to help you provide the best husbandry possible. Known for their small size coupled with a striking pattern, defensive tail-waving, and ease of breeding, Viper Geckos make excellent pets for both beginners and experienced keepers.

Enclosure: 

• Size: A single adult thrives in a 10-gallon terrarium, but larger enclosures such as an 18" x 18" x 18" are recommended for pairs or groups. Due to their diminutive size, It is not recommended to use a habitat larger than 36" x 18" x 18" for trios or smaller. Babies can be comfortably be kept in a 12" x 12" x 12" for the first 4-6 months. 

• Use a screened lid for ventilation; these geckos can climb, but prefer easy-to-navigate surfaces to move easily. 

Substrate & bioactive options

• • Use a desert‐type substrate that drains well but retains a bit of moisture— Terra Sahara Bioactive Substrate is a suitable option for these geckos. They will need the substrate for burrowing, shedding, respiration and hydration. 

  • In a bioactive setup, include your arid/temperate springtails., Due to their small size, it is recommended to not utilize isopods that are larger than the space between the geckos eyes. These geckos will commonly prey on isopods within the habitat. For young geckos, utilizing Dwarf Purple or White Isopods will be a good option, but you must keep some sections of substrate relatively moist. As they age, larger isopods such as Powder Blue Isopods can be utilized with little to no issues.  Due to the geckos' tiny size, it is imperative that you closely watch your clean up crew population density, ensure there is enough food for your custodians to eat and that you are doing health checks on your geckos. Lastly, your biological driver, such as Bioshot and leaf litter or cork pieces, should be thoroughly mixed with your substrate. 

  • Provide a moist hide on the both sides for different humidity/temperature gradients. Items such as the Dude's Rock Hideaway, Cork Bark Flats or Palm Fronds can be utilized. 

  • Maintain a dry surface layer with some burrowing depth (2–4 in) beneath. Ensure your substrate layers are dry on the top and moist in the middle and bottom. 

  • Add rocks, cork bark caves, half logs, flat ledges, or shallow tunnels to simulate natural microhabitats. Rocks are great because they will not only hold onto the heat and aid with thermoregulation. These geckos will also lay their eggs under the leaf litter, inside rock crevices, and under larger structure they find to be secure. 

  • Sturdy, arid plants such as Opuntia Cacti, Agaves, Sanservias, tillandsia, aloes and succulents can be utilized in your bioactive habitat. Be sure to properly rinse, de-dirt, and disinfect your plants prior to introducing them into your habitat. 

Temperature, Lighting & Humidity

Temperature gradients

• Warm hide/body temperature: ~ 88–92 °F (32–36 °C)

• Ambient (cool side): 75–80 °F (24–27 °C)

• Night lows: 68–72 °F (18–20 °C) a

It is recommended to utilize a Halogen Heat bulb that emits IRA and IRB, such as the Arcadia heat bulb placed into an overhead reptile heat dome of appropriate size. If you are having issues regulating the above gradients, the utilization of a thermostat is recommended to ensure you are providing proper thermogradients.  Utilizing a Bio Dude thermometer/hygrometer will also help ensure your above parameters are correct.  When keeping babies, the ZooMed nano lighting family is a great option for those smaller terrariums. You MUST use a thermostat when heating the tiny habitats. 

Lighting & UVB

• Though crepuscular, a lower ferguson zone UVB bulb, such as the Arcadia Shade Dweller is strongly recommended to promote calcium metabolizing and natural behavior. If you are providing UVB, be sure to use a calcium supplement that does NOT include D3. It is recommended to utilize a Bio Dude Solar Lamp Fixture to house the individual UVB if you are not buying a UVB kit and connect that fixture via daisy chain to the Bio Dude Solar Grow LED for your live plants. 

• Use a 10–12 HR photoperiod, shifting seasonally (10 h in winter, up to 14 h in summer).

• Place the UVB fixture so it’s unobstructed (no glass/plastic between bulb and animal). Be sure to utilize a Solar Meter to check the Ferguson Zone you are providing to ensure it is not an incorrect spectrum. 

• Replace UVB bulbs every 6–12 months (even if the light still functions) because output declines. Utilize a Solar Meter to confirm this and follow the manufacturer's instructions. 

Humidity & shedding

• Keep ambient humidity around 35% and provide one moderate spike at bedtime to about 55%. A spray bottle can be utilized to help maintain this.

• The humid hide will also play a vital role in shedding and humidity. 

• During shedding, it is important to check the toes of your gecko. Leftover skin or incomplete sheds should be carefully removed. Leftover shed can cause toes to fall off! 
  

• A light mist each evening can provide a small humidity spike that these critters absolutely love!

Diet, Feeding & Supplements

Feeding frequency & prey size

• Juveniles: feed daily. A varied diet is of paramount importance. 

• Adults: feed every other day or 3–4× per week. A varied diet is of paramount importance. 

• Offer prey items not exceeding the width of the space between the geckos eyes (e.g. small crickets, dubia roaches, black soldier fly larvae, silkworms).  Anything larger than that can cause injury or internal issues and is not recommended. 

• Do not feed them superworms. They are unable to digest them fully and can cause internal issues. 

• Waxworms or butterworms can be occasional treats (sparingly, as fat sources). 

• A feeding bowl can be utilized with this species.

Gutloading & supplementation

• Gutload insects 24–48 h prior to feeding with high‐quality diets such as the Bio Dude's Bug Grub, Carrots, Cucumbers and Leafy Greens. Remove any uneaten food 24 hours after providing. 

• Dust feeders with calcium (without D3 if you are providing UVB,  or with D3 if you are NOT providing UVB) at most feedings (adults every other feeding). We recommend Repashy Calcium Plus. 

• Use a multivitamin supplement occasionally (e.g. once weekly). Do not mix the Calcium with your  Multivitamin as they will offset.  We recommend Repashy Supervite. 

• Offer a shallow dish of clean water daily (change daily and disinfect often to prevent bacterial buildup). If you are seeing your feeder insects, isopods or springtails drown feel free to put a tiny piece of cork in the bowl (it will float) and give these critters a way out without stagnating the water source. Due to their size, ensure it is not deeper than 1/2". Babies should be offered a shallow water bowl no deeper than 1/8" and must be easily accessible to get in and out of. 

Viper Geckos are hardy, active, and fascinating reptiles that thrive in bioactive desert-style enclosures. With proper heating, humidity, UVB, and a varied insect-based diet, these geckos will reward you with natural behaviors and, with the right conditions, successful breeding.

Explore everything you need for your Viper Gecko setup at thebiodude.com

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