Barking Gecko Enclosure

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The barking gecko enclosure covered here is for Underwoodisaurus milii. This Australian thick-tailed gecko is most often sold under the name “barking gecko.” The same common name is also used for Ptenopus garrulus, an unrelated burrowing gecko from southern Africa.

Ptenopus garrulus is rarely kept as a pet and has almost no published husbandry data. Field work in South Africa describes it as a crepuscular gecko whose males call at dusk from exclusive home ranges. This page does not mix numbers between the two species.

Everything below applies to the Australian species. The daily routine that goes with this setup is on the barking gecko care page.

The species overview covers size, lifespan and legal status in Australia.

Barking gecko tank size

A single adult does well in about 40 x 40 cm of floor space. Those are the figures in the Responsible Herpetoculture Foundation (RHF) husbandry paper, which houses a pair in 70 liters (about 18.5 gallons). The Victorian Herpetological Society keeps its pairs in standard 61 cm (24 inch) aquariums.

This gecko does not climb glass, so floor area matters more than height. A low, wide terrarium works better than a tall one. Hatchlings and juveniles start smaller, in a container around 20 x 20 cm, which is a common keeper standard rather than a published figure.

An oversized tank can make a young gecko harder to feed. It also raises the animal’s stress level. A trio can share a 70 to 90 liter enclosure if floor space allows it, a point covered under group housing below.

Substrate and digging depth

Coarse sand at a depth of 2 to 4 cm is the substrate in the RHF husbandry paper. The Victorian Herpetological Society uses fine desert sand or a peat moss and sand mix about 50 mm (2 in) deep. Paper towel or newspaper also works for a bare bones quarantine or hatchling setup.

Museums Victoria records this gecko in rocky areas, dry forest, mallee and shrubland, where it shelters under cover rather than digging deep tunnels. That is why a shallow sand layer is enough.

The Merck Veterinary Manual lists newspaper and similar liners among acceptable general reptile substrates. Their advantage is that keepers can replace them fully at each cleaning. Sand cannot be swapped out as easily.

A separate moist patch gives the gecko a place to dig a humid retreat. Mix coconut fiber and sand 1 to 1 and keep it damp. Contain this zone in a corner or a sunken tub rather than dampening the whole floor.

Standing dampness across an entire arid setup invites mold. Full substrate changes are worth doing on a schedule, not only when soiled. Sand and coconut fiber trap waste below the surface even when the top looks clean.

A monthly full change suits a lightly stocked enclosure. Pair it with daily spot cleaning of visible waste. This is offered here as a common keeper standard, not a figure tied to a published study.

Temperature, heat source, and lighting

Underwoodisaurus milii does best on a daytime range of 24 to 28°C (75 to 82°F), the RHF figure. Keep the warm end near the top of that range. At night the RHF paper lets the enclosure drop to 22 to 24°C (72 to 75°F).

The Victorian Herpetological Society runs slightly cooler: 23 to 27°C by day in summer and low to mid 20s at night. It cools adults to around 18°C by day in winter, with nights as low as 9°C. The RHF paper uses a milder 18 to 20°C winter rest for two to four weeks.

Cooling is for keepers who intend to breed the species. A cool rest period is part of the reproductive cycle for many arid Australian geckos.

This gecko hides during the day rather than basking in the open. The RHF paper warms one corner to 30 to 32°C with a 30 W heat cable, and VHS runs heat tape under a brick that sits 4 to 5°C above the rest of the tank. Size the heat source to warm one third to one half of the floor.

An overhead basking bulb aimed at open ground is not the right tool here. This species avoids exposed heat in the wild. A heat source without a thermostat is not safe for any reptile.

The Merck manual is explicit that heaters must be thermostat controlled and screened. Unregulated heat sources, including “hot rocks,” are a documented cause of burns in captive reptiles.

The RHF paper lights the enclosure 10 to 12 hours a day, extended to 12 to 14 hours in the breeding season, which is close to Merck’s general 12 hour photoperiod guidance. It suits a species that is more active at dusk and after dark. UVB is not required, and the RHF paper keeps its colony without it.

The RHF paper lists a 5.0 or 10.0 UVB tube run for several hours a day as an option. Some incidental daytime exposure still happens even for a sheltering species.

Humidity and the humid hide

Ambient humidity of 40 to 50% suits this species, the range RHF maintains. Keep it there with 2 to 3 light mistings per week, not constant dampness. Merck gives a lower figure of roughly 20 to 40% as an example for arid scrub reptiles generally.

The small gap between those figures makes sense for a burrowing gecko. Ground level moisture runs higher than open desert air. A dedicated humid hide still matters even at a slightly higher ambient reading.

Fill a small enclosed box with damp sphagnum moss or moist coconut fiber. Merck’s general reptile husbandry guidance treats a localized humid microclimate as important even for arid species. It lowers the risk of dysecdysis, incomplete shedding that traps skin around the toes and tail tip.

Ventilation matters as much as the humidity number itself. Merck warns against closing off airflow to hold humidity or temperature steady. Poor ventilation is a frequent cause of skin and respiratory disease in captive reptiles.

A humid hide with a small opening beats sealing the whole enclosure. The goal is a damp pocket, not a damp tank.

Hides, burrows, and rockwork

Underwoodisaurus milii is almost entirely nocturnal and spends daylight hours hidden. Museums Victoria notes that wild animals are often found in aggregations of several individuals in their daytime shelters. Hide count matters more than tank decoration, so add two or more tight fitting hides per animal.

Size each hide so the gecko’s body touches the top and sides. That snug fit encourages it to settle rather than keep wandering. A single loose hide in an open tank often goes unused.

Flat rocks and cork bark stacked to form crevices copy the rock piles this gecko uses in the wild. Stack cover at several points across the gradient. That gives the animal a thermal choice, not just a spot at the heat mat.

A shallow layer of leaf litter or bark chips on top of the sand adds cover between hides. Live plants are optional and mostly cosmetic for this species, since it spends little time in the open.

Hardy succulents in pots add visual interest without disturbing the sand layer. Keep them potted rather than planted directly into the substrate.

Group housing rules

Pairs and small trios can share an enclosure under the right conditions. The Victorian Herpetological Society houses this species in pairs or as one male with two females. There must be at least one hide per animal, and floor space needs to be large enough that no gecko is ever trapped without an exit.

Two males housed together will fight, sometimes seriously. A group setup should hold no more than one adult male alongside one or more females.

Watch a new group closely in the first weeks. Look for tail loss, missing toes, or one animal monopolizing the warm hide. Any of those signs means the group needs to be split.

A gecko that loses its tail regenerates a shorter, differently shaped one. Avoiding fights in the first place beats managing the aftermath.

• One adult male maximum per enclosure, regardless of how many females share it.
• At least one hide per gecko, plus one spare, so no animal is forced into the open.
• Separate immediately at the first sign of biting, tail loss, or one gecko refusing to feed.

Barking gecko habitat setup checklist

Building a barking gecko enclosure in order keeps a first time setup from missing a step. This species is burrowing and nocturnal. A few steps matter more here than they would for a basking lizard.

An infrared temperature gun or a probe thermometer confirms actual surface and hide temperatures. A thermostat’s own display can drift from reality over months of use. Check both ends of the gradient weekly during the first month.

Switch to a monthly check once the setup proves stable. Equipment failure shows up in these numbers before it becomes a health problem.

Keepers who want more than plain sand have two common choices as a base layer under the sand cap. A premixed desert bioactive substrate suits a planted, self cleaning setup. Burrowing clay as a dig friendly base layer works for a simpler tank, though neither is part of the published RHF or VHS setups.

A dimming or pulse proportional thermostat keeps the heat mat or cable within the target range. It avoids the temperature spikes a basic on and off thermostat allows.

A note on the smooth knob-tailed gecko

Keepers comparing setups sometimes look at the smooth knob-tailed gecko, Nephrurus levis. This is another Australian burrowing desert gecko. A published society care sheet for that species describes a 61 cm tank with about 7.5 cm of sand for a pair.

It also gives a similar 22 to 28°C seasonal range. Those figures come from a hobbyist society sheet, not a zoo or university source. They are given here only as a point of comparison for the related knob-tailed gecko, never as confirmed barking gecko numbers.

The broader pattern holds across both species. A fossorial, nocturnal Australian gecko wants deep enough substrate to dig. It also wants a moderate daytime heat range, a cooler night and winter period, and cover to disappear into by day.

For general principles that apply across gecko species, see the site’s gecko housing guide.

The lizard enclosure guide covers tank materials, lids and rack systems for ground dwelling lizards in general.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size tank does a barking gecko need?

A single Underwoodisaurus milii does well in about 40 x 40 cm of floor space. A bonded pair does better in a 70 liter enclosure. Floor area matters more than height for this species.

Does a barking gecko need UVB lighting?

No, UVB is not required for this mostly nocturnal species, and the RHF husbandry paper keeps it without one. A 5.0 or 10.0 tube run for a few hours a day is the optional extra that paper lists. A calcium supplement with vitamin D3, dusted on feeder insects, covers vitamin D needs without UVB.

How deep should the sand substrate be?

A layer of 2 to 5 cm of sand suits an adult barking gecko enclosure, matching the RHF and Victorian Herpetological Society setups. That is enough for shallow scrapes and shelter. A dedicated burrowing species like the smooth knob-tailed gecko needs much deeper sand than this.

Can barking geckos be kept in groups?

Females and a single male can share an enclosure with enough hides for each animal. Two adult males together will fight. Watch a new group for tail loss or one gecko avoiding the warm hide, and separate them if either sign appears.

What temperature drop should the enclosure have at night?

A drop of about 2 to 4°C from the daytime range matches this species’ natural pattern. That puts the night reading at roughly 22 to 24°C in the RHF setup, and Victorian keepers report low to mid 20s. A colder winter period around 18 to 20°C suits keepers preparing adults to breed.

Is a humid hide really necessary in a dry setup?

Yes, even arid reptiles need a localized humid microclimate to shed cleanly. The Merck Veterinary Manual lists poor shedding as a common result of skipping one. A small box of damp moss or coconut fiber in one corner is enough.