A tiny, brilliantly electric-blue dwarf day gecko from a single small forest in Tanzania, now critically endangered in the wild and CITES Appendix I listed. It is a dazzling but delicate species; keepers should prioritize captive-bred animals and confirm paperwork, because wild collection devastated its range.
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Up to 3-3.5 in (7.5-9 cm) total length; a true dwarf gecko
Lifespan
5–10 years
Social needs
pair
Native region
Kimboza Forest region, eastern Tanzania (very restricted range)
Origin
Old World
Climate
🌴 Tropical
Family
Gekkonidae
Genus
Lygodactylus
Part of the Geckos
Geckos range from desert ground-dwellers to humid cave and forest specialists; eyelid geckos like Goniurosaurus and leopard geckos have movable eyelids and are largely terrestrial.
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Photo coming soon
Minimum
Tall arboreal terrarium
12 × 12 × 18 in, planted
Lygodactylus williamsi is a tiny critically-endangered day gecko. Single adult needs a 12×12×18 vertical with bamboo, broad-leaf plants, and 5–7% UVB. Day temps 26–29 °C. Captive-bred only — wild trade is decimating them.
Photo coming soon
Recommended
Planted vertical vivarium
18 × 18 × 24 in, bioactive
Bioactive planted enclosure with dense pothos, bamboo, and varied perches. Strong UVB and clear day-night cycle. Females can be group-housed; males must be solo.
Photo coming soon
Ideal
Large bioactive group viv
24 × 18 × 36 in, group bioactive
Large bioactive vertical setup for 1.2 or 1.3 group (one male, multiple females), with dense planting, cleanup crew, and natural-cycle lighting. Conservation-priority species — buy captive-bred only.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Photo coming soon
Egg / Neonate
Most reptiles lay leathery- or hard-shelled eggs incubated by ambient warmth, though some snakes and lizards give live birth. Incubation temperature can influence sex and development in many species.
Photo coming soon
Hatchling
Hatchlings emerge as fully formed miniatures of the adult, often using an egg tooth to slit the shell. They are independent from birth but small and vulnerable, and may show brighter or different juvenile patterning.
Photo coming soon
Juvenile
Juveniles grow steadily, shedding their skin periodically as they enlarge. Coloration and proportions shift toward the adult form, and growth rate depends heavily on temperature, diet, and basking/UVB access.
Adult
Adults reach the species' full length and mass and become sexually mature. Many reptiles show sex differences in size, coloration, or features (such as larger heads, hemipenal bulges, or femoral pores), and continue to shed throughout life.
Habitat & enclosure
Arboreal and diurnal; house a single male with one or more females (males must never be kept together) in a heavily planted vertical bioactive enclosure of at least 12x12x18 in (30x30x45 cm). Provide bamboo, Pandanus-like broadleaf plants, and many vertical perches. Basking spot ~88-92°F (31-33°C), ambient 75-82°F (24-28°C), night drop into the upper 60s°F. Maintain humidity 60-80% with daily misting and strong ventilation.
Substrate
Bioactive coco fiber, orchid bark, and sphagnum with a drainage layer and live plants holds humidity and supports a springtail/isopod cleanup crew. Keep moist but well-drained. Avoid substrates that could be ingested by such a small lizard.
Equipment & setup
UVB (5-6% / T5 in a planted tank) and a small basking bulb are required to create a gradient. Use a fine misting system or sprayer, dense live planting, secure fine-mesh-safe ventilation, and accurate thermometer/hygrometer. Escape-proofing is critical given their size.
Diet
Insectivore-leaning omnivore. Staple of tiny gut-loaded, calcium-dusted feeders (flightless fruit flies, pinhead crickets, bean beetles, small BSFL) offered most days, plus occasional powdered nectar/fruit diets (Pangea, Repashy). Dust with calcium plus D3 and a multivitamin on rotation; provide a small calcium dish. UVB is essential.
Behavior & temperament
Active, bold, and engaging by day, but extremely small, fast, and fragile — strictly a display animal, not for handling. Males are intensely territorial and will fight to the death; keep only one male per enclosure. Females may also squabble, so monitor groups.
Health
Susceptible to metabolic bone disease without proper UVB and calcium, plus dehydration, calcium-deficiency-related issues in breeding females, and stress. Their tiny size leaves little margin for husbandry errors. Quarantine and seek captive-bred stock; wild collection has devastated wild populations.
Tips, DIY & hacks
L. williamsi is CITES Appendix I listed (uplisted in 2017) and critically endangered; buy only well-documented captive-bred animals and confirm CITES paperwork and local/import permit requirements before acquiring. Males show the vivid electric blue; females are typically bronze/green with orange throat markings. Feed tiny prey from a dish to manage portions.
