# dark giant day gecko



## adamrf (Jan 9, 2010)

Hi my giant day gecko keeps going from a dark green to his normal colour then to a dark colour again i was wondering if anyone would be able to explain to me why this could be happening
thanks adam


----------



## buddah (Dec 23, 2009)

hiya adam, its a sign of its mood if its unhappy or theres something wrong, mine also go dark at night when the lights go off.

how long have you had it ?


----------



## adamrf (Jan 9, 2010)

hi thanks for the reply ive had him about a month now he seems to be going back to normal now as ive just put in an extra hide so hopefully he should be okay thanks


----------



## buddah (Dec 23, 2009)

ok, you should try adding more things to the viv live plants and large bamboo incase its stressed.


----------



## adamrf (Jan 9, 2010)

will do thanks very much


----------



## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

Usually its either stress or too lower temperatures.


----------



## GlasgowGecko (Feb 23, 2008)

When you say you have added an extra hide, what exactly do you mean? Can we see a picture of your setup?

As Colin has said, it could be temperature or a variety of other things. Can we have some more setup details?

Andy


----------



## adamrf (Jan 9, 2010)

hi heres the setup a few weeks back since then ive added a couple more branches and a hide, the hide for now is a cricket tub upside down and covered inthe substarte. But i have ordered some of those coconut hides, are they any good? Thanks adam


----------



## adamrf (Jan 9, 2010)

Btw he seems to be fine now he has his usual colour and is moving about abit


----------



## adamrf (Jan 9, 2010)

Just had a thought could it be due to loud sounds as the smoke alarm was going of lol


----------



## GlasgowGecko (Feb 23, 2008)

OK, thanks for that.

What is the basking temperature?
What is the ambient temperature?
What is the humidity level?
How do you maintain the humidity?

Personally I don't thnk this setup is particularly well suited to P. grandis. Ideally there would be many more plants and vertically & horizontally (but not on the floor) orientated bamboo. I would not recommend having hides located on the ground.

Andy


----------



## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

I agree with Andy but I would also put guards around the lightbulbs.


----------



## adamrf (Jan 9, 2010)

Hi the basking spot te,p is about 31, the temperature is about 29, the humidity is on about 55, I maintain the humidity by regularly spraying and the moss along with theplants tend to bring it up.
Also would it be better if i put the hides n the wall then? and im just waiting on some bamboo at the moment. As i said theres alot more branches in the viv now as that was an earlier pic. How many liveplants would you recommend? and are airplants any good?
thanks


----------



## adamrf (Jan 9, 2010)

Hi colin what should i make the guards out of? thanks


----------



## GlasgowGecko (Feb 23, 2008)

'Hides' like terrestrial animals would use are not ideal for this species, and IF the animal IS using them, then this would worry me, as they would generally only come to the ground to feed. Personally I would add some large plants which will provide arboreal cover for the gecko.

The picture appears to show a terrestrial viv, which really doesn't give enough height to add horizontal bamboo.

Andy


----------



## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

You can buy them or I suppose wire mesh.There is the chance that your gecko will try to climb on the lightbulbs and burn himself.


----------



## adamrf (Jan 9, 2010)

Hi thanks as i said there is alot more climbing available to him now and ill get some arboreal hides for him


----------



## colinm (Sep 20, 2008)

Big plants are good as this is a large species and they will offer somewhere to hide.Lots of Phelsuma keepers use Motherinlaws Tongue (Sansivera) but plants like Philodendron are good.
I personally dont like Beech chips as they dont hold the moisture very well or go mouldy when wet.


----------



## Lew (May 31, 2009)

day geckos are arboreal, they need very dense foliage in the middle and upper part of the tank. Add loads of branches and plants


----------



## adamrf (Jan 9, 2010)

Thanks for the help everyone ill show you a piccture after ive got the hides and more plants e.t.c thanks


----------



## buddah (Dec 23, 2009)

this is my day gecko viv if you want some ideas


----------



## adamrf (Jan 9, 2010)

Thanks buddah, really nice setup btw, as i said ill send you a pic of my finished setup when its completed if that ok. hopefully it will be as good as urs lol


----------

