Mourning Gecko Diet: The Full Breakdown
| Primary diet | Complete MRP powder, 3–4x/week |
| Insects | Optional enrichment, 1–2x/week |
MRP is the foundation, not a supplement
Unlike an insectivorous species, a nutritionally complete commercial MRP (Pangea, Repashy) already balances calcium, D3, protein, and vitamins specifically for this species. Offered fresh 3–4 nights a week in a shallow dish, it alone can meet all dietary needs.
Insects are optional enrichment
Many keepers still offer dubia roaches, crickets, or BSFL once or twice a week for hunting stimulation and variety — genuinely optional, not required, unlike species that depend on live prey nutritionally.
Treats, occasionally
Small pieces of mango or papaya make an occasional treat, echoing this species' natural fruit-eating habits — but shouldn't replace the balanced nutrition a complete MRP already provides.
What to avoid
Superworms and mealworms are generally too large or hard-bodied for this small species' mouth and jaw, waxworms are too fatty, and citrus, avocado, and wild-caught insects should be avoided outright.
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A single adult mourning gecko needs a minimum 12"x12"x18" front-opening, well-ventilated enclosure — taller matters more than wider since this species is highly arboreal — furnished with cork bark, branches, and dense foliage for climbing.
A complete mourning gecko setup needs a tall 18"+ front-opening enclosure, cork bark and branches for climbing, coco fibre/moss substrate, a misting routine to hold 60–80% humidity, and complete MRP powder — no heat lamp is required in most homes.
Hatchlings can start in a small (roughly 5"x5"x8") enclosure to make food easier to find, juveniles move up around a few months old, and adults need a minimum 12"x12"x18" vertical enclosure.
Mourning geckos generally do best at normal room temperature, roughly 75–82°F, and can suffer heat stress above about 82°F. Most homes need no basking bulb or heat mat at all — just monitoring during hot weather.
Low-level UVB (roughly 5–6% output) is increasingly recommended as good practice, though it isn't strictly mandatory for mourning geckos the way it is for a strongly basking desert species — their diet's built-in D3 from MRP covers much of the gap.
Mourning geckos need roughly 60–80% humidity, achieved through misting once or twice daily, with good ventilation to prevent the dampness from turning stagnant.