Mossy Prehensile-Tailed Gecko

Rhacodactylus chahoua

Description

Mossy prehensile-tailed geckos, or chahoua, as most people hobbyists refer to them, are a relatively large Rhacodactylus, obtaining lengths of up to 26 centimeters and weights of half a pound or more. Their common name reflects the fact that they are lichenous in color, resembling the lichen and moss covered branches and trunks of their native habitat. Their colors vary from orange/maroon mottling to black and brown splotches, usually on a predominantly green or olive background pigmentation. R. chahoua are found both on Grande Terre and the Isle of Pines within the territory of New Caledonia. Cursory examination suggests that Isle of Pines animals are more patterned than the Grande Terre individuals, displaying more mottled coloration with varying degrees of maroon splotching. In captivity, Isle of Pines chahoua tend to grow slightly larger than their mainland counterparts. Chahoua geckos have the most prehensile tail of the Rhacodactylus species, and is the only species that will coil its tail into a spiral. Actual longevity is not known, but there are many captive specimens that are over twenty years old. Most believe their lifespan to be approximately 30 years.

Natural Habitat

As mentioned above, R. chahoua are native to New Caledonia, more specifically the main island, Grande Terre and the adjacent Isle of Pines. R. chahoua are an arboreal species found in tropical forests, with a penchant for wooded areas abutting waterways. Also as the common name implies, they have an affinity for moist, cool areas of umbrage. Like the other Rhacodactylus, chahoua are nocturnal and spend the majority of the day wedged in hollows or niches within their favored habitat.

Artificial Habitat

The habitat requirements of chahoua are similar to those of Rhacodactylus ciliatus, in that they benefit from numerous vertical and diagonal climbing structures. For such a setting, enclosures should be taller than they are wide. This being said, since the chahoua is one of the larger Rhacodactylus species, they should have a larger enclosure, preferably the equivalent of a 29 gallon aquarium or larger. Also because chahoua are relatively large and heavy, foliage should be thick and sturdy if it is to be utilized by the gecko(s). Bromeliads, dracenas, snake plants (Sansevieria spp.), jade plants (Crassula argentes), ficus, umbrella plants (Schefflera) and the like are good choices. Despite the fact that chahoua live in trees near waterways, and some references suggest that a high relative humidity is essential, we have found that they do quite well as long as clean water is consistently available in a shallow water container. Chahoua will also readily drink from the water droplets associated with misting.

Diet

Chahoua, like the other Rhacodactylus species, are omnivorous lizards affording the hobbyist numerous choices for feeding. In the wild, they eat a variety of insects, fruits and nectars, and may also ingest bee pollen (presumably while seeking nectar). Until recently, Rhacodactylus were generally fed a pureed mix of fruit and/or meat supplemented with insects. Baby food has often been the puree of choice, but is severely limited in the nutrition area. This need led to the advent of a complete diet created by Allen Repashy of our ranch. These diets incorporate the Rhacodactylus' natural preferences for fruits and nectars and combines this with the necessary supplementation to ensure a complete nutritional diet. We have been able to maintain our entire Rhacodactylus collection solely upon these diets. This being said, we believe that the geckos also benefit from the occasional feeding of crickets and/or superworms. Insects should be coated with a calcium/D3 dust, or one of our ICB (Insect Cricket Balancer) dusts.

Caveats

Chahoua, like most gecko species, are extraordinarily mobile and can be quick to jump, in some cases to their own peril. Since chahoua are heavy bodied, these leaps can be particularly detrimental. In order to avoid injury to your gecko we suggest employing the hand to hand method of handling whenever you must handle your gecko. In this method the gecko is allowed to walk or climb across from one hand to another, by repeatedly placing the free hand in front of the gecko. Geckos handled in this way may calm down for brief periods. Though none of the chahoua that we have at the ranch have autotomized (dropped) their tails, occasionally tailless individuals are encountered in the trade. Usually chahoua that drop their tails near the base will only regenerate a small nub. It is possible that tails automized farther from the base may partially regenerate.

Why would I want a chahoua gecko?

Chahoua are undoubtedly one of the more beautiful and unusual of the Rhacodactylus genus. It is not uncommon for individuals of this species to become very tame. These factors in addition to the substantive size of chahoua have made it a favorite among many gecko hobbyists. In addition to its beauty and personality, chahoua are a long-lived species that can offer several decades of enjoyment.