Mourning Gecko Substrate: What's Actually Safe
| Standard substrate | Coco fibre + sphagnum moss |
| Safest for hatchlings | Paper towel |
| Avoid entirely | Sand, walnut shell, cedar/pine |
Humidity retention is the priority
Unlike an arid-species substrate choice focused mainly on impaction risk, mourning gecko substrate needs to hold moisture well to support the 60–80% humidity this species needs. Coco fibre (eco earth) with a sphagnum moss topper is the standard bioactive-friendly choice.
Hatchlings on live insects
A hatchling actively hunting live crickets on loose substrate can accidentally ingest particles along with prey. Paper towel is the safer choice for very young geckos still being fed live insects, transitioning to bioactive substrate once established and mostly on MRP.
What to avoid outright
Sand carries an impaction risk and doesn't hold humidity the way this species needs, walnut shell is sharp and indigestible, and cedar or pine shavings release oils toxic to reptiles while holding moisture poorly.
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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.