Lygodactylus williamsi is a very small, fast, diurnal gecko from a highly restricted range in Tanzania. It is best treated as a display animal rather than a handling species. Secure housing, bright light, UVB, a real thermal gradient, hydration, and appropriately tiny food matter more than enclosure decoration alone.
Enclosure
Use a vertically oriented, escape-proof enclosure with excellent ventilation and dense usable structure. For one adult, 30 × 30 × 45 cm (12 × 12 × 18 in) is a reasonable minimum starting point; larger is preferable, especially for a compatible pair.
Provide:
- fine branches, cork, bamboo, and broad leaves
- dense live planting and visual barriers
- multiple feeding and basking positions
- absolutely no gaps around doors, vents, cable ports, or lids
Do not house two adult males together. Watch pairs for chasing, food exclusion, weight loss, or a female being unable to retreat.
Light & UVB
This is a strongly diurnal species. Provide:
- bright full-spectrum daylight
- a suitable linear UVB source
- a consistent day/night cycle, roughly 11–13 hours depending on season
UVB strength depends on fixture, mesh, distance, and basking position, so follow the lamp manufacturer’s distance guidance and measure UVI where possible.
Temperature
Create a gradient rather than one uniform temperature.
A practical target range:
- ambient daytime: 24–29°C
- basking surface: about 31–34°C
- night: about 20–23°C
Use digital probe thermometers at the basking site and in a cooler shaded zone. Small enclosures overheat quickly, so heat should be controlled carefully.
Humidity & water
Aim for moderate-to-high humidity with a daily rise and dry-down rather than constant saturation. Roughly 60–80% is a useful working range.
Mist enough to create drinkable droplets on leaves and surfaces, then allow good airflow and partial drying between mistings. Stagnant, permanently wet conditions are not the goal.
Feeding
Offer a varied diet of very small prey:
- fruit flies
- bean beetles
- pinhead or very small crickets
- other appropriately sized cultured insects
A small amount of quality gecko diet or fruit-based nectar diet may also be accepted.
Dust live prey with an appropriate calcium/supplement schedule matched to the UVB setup. Females producing eggs have especially high calcium demands.
Handling
Routine handling is not recommended. These geckos are extremely quick, delicate, and capable of slipping through tiny openings. Work inside a closed room when servicing the enclosure, and use cups or enclosure-to-container transfers rather than grabbing when movement is unavoidable.
Conservation & provenance
This species is Critically Endangered in the wild and internationally protected. Keep documented, captive-bred animals with clear provenance, and verify current import/export or transfer requirements before moving animals across borders.