Home / Reptiles / Lizards / Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko
Some federal rules applyHenkel's leaf-tailed gecko
Uroplatus henkeli
Reptiles › Lizards (Lacertilia) › Gekkonidae (Geckos)
Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus henkeli), also known commonly as Henkel's flat-tailed gecko or the frilled leaf-tail gecko, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae.
Care guide
Leaf-tailed geckos
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Madagascar rainforest. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Tall, densely planted, well-ventilated enclosures; cooler and humid.
- Nightly misting; many species need a cooler winter.
Climate & lighting
| Warm side / daytime | 74–80°F |
| Cool side | 66–72°F |
| Humidity | 70–90% |
Diet
- Appropriately sized insects.
Health watch
- Very sensitive to heat and stress; avoid wild-caught animals.
- Not a handling species.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
The species is endemic to Madagascar.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus henkeli), also known commonly as Henkel's flat-tailed gecko or the frilled leaf-tail gecko, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | U. henkeli is found in primary forest on the island of Nosy Bé near Madagascar, as well as on the mainland of Madagascar itself, in the region of Ankaranafantsika. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Wild diet | Henkel's flat-tailed gecko is insectivorous, but will also eat snails if they are found. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Behavior | Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko lives an arboreal lifestyle, venturing down to the ground only to lay eggs in soft soil and leaf litter. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Appearance and size | There are two different morphs of U. henkeli, the Nosy Bé form and the mainland Madagascar form, and they can be distinguished by their colouration patterns, though these are not always reliable. Reaching a total length (including tail) of 280 mm, this is one of largest species in the genus. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| History and naming | Named after Friedrich-Wilhelm Henkel (b. 1949), a German herpetologist who specializes in keeping and breeding geckos, among other species. — The Reptile Database |
| Conservation | Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko is currently classified as vulnerable by the IUCN. Habitat destruction and deforestation in Madagascar is the primary threat to this animal's future as well as collection for the pet trade. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 90°F (up to 93°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 62°F (down to 54°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 70–79°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 69–76% on average (driest month about 65%) |
| Rainfall | about 1570 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 14 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
Profile
Profile
Researched for this exact species. Sources are listed under In the wild above.
History
Named after Friedrich-Wilhelm Henkel (b. 1949), a German herpetologist who specializes in keeping and breeding geckos, among other species.
Data and studies
Researched care notes
Researched care notes
Findings checked against veterinary, zoo, welfare, keeper and peer-reviewed sources. Air, basking-surface and water temperatures are kept separate, and where sources disagree both are shown. “Study” notes report what a paper measured, not a universal rule.
Henkel’S Leaf-Tailed Gecko (species)
- The guideline describes daytime enclosure temperatures around 22–26°C and cautions against prolonged overheating. Exact probe position is not specified.1
- Feeding uses varied suitable invertebrates.1
- Reported pairs or groups require similar sizes and monitoring because smaller animals may be suppressed. Institutional success does not guarantee compatibility. Confidence: LOW.1
Sources for this sheet
- Myhrvold et al. (2015). An amniote life-history database. Ecology 96: 3109 Peer-reviewed researchPeer-reviewed compilation of life-history data for over 21,000 birds, mammals and reptiles.
- Species+ (UNEP-WCMC and the CITES Secretariat) Zoo, university or veterinaryThe official database of species listed under CITES.
- USFWS International Affairs: CITES Zoo, university or veterinaryFederal agency that issues CITES permits.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management and husbandry of reptiles Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional, metabolic and endocrine diseases of reptiles Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- The Reptile Database Peer-reviewed researchScientist-curated catalog of every reptile species, with taxonomy and literature.
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) Peer-reviewed researchInternational scientific taxonomy used here for classification.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
