A fairly easy to care for lizard, the Central American Banded Gecko makes a beautiful pet. These entertaining little creatures can make rewarding captives when cared for properly.

Central American Banded Geckos are terrestrial. They get along fairly well in small groups, usually pairs or in threes, as long as plenty of space is available to them. Males should not be kept together. Many like to burrow, so loose substrates can often be nice for Central American Banded Geckos.

By the time it is full grown, the Central American Banded Gecko usually measures about 6 to 7 inches (180 millimeters) in length. Males can be distinguished by the presence of hemipenal bulges. They are usually larger than females and often have larger heads. Central American Banded Geckos are light tan or creamy white in color. They are marked with dark brown or black patches or stripes.

As their name implies, Central American Banded Geckos are native to Central America's tropical and subtropical regions. They have also been found in South America and have become quite popular as pets.

In captivity, Central American Banded Gecko should be kept at a daytime temperature of about 80 degrees Fahrenheit with a warmer area about 85 degrees. Nighttime temperatures should drop down to the low 70s. The enclosure should be misted every other day to maintain a humidity level of 50 to 60 percent. A water dish and hide boxes should be present. A simple substrate will suffice, or a more natural bark substrate can work nicely to allow natural burrowing behavior. Central American Banded Geckos can be fed on small insects like crickets.

Central American Banded Geckos usually reach sexual maturity between six and nine months of age. Many can be induced to breed by cooling them for about two months. To encourage breeding, provide a nesting box with a substrate of moistened vermiculite and warm the geckos back to normal temperatures. When in breeding condition, Central American Banded Geckos can lay a clutch every three to five weeks, though this can be exhaustive for the gecko. Females should be receiving optimum levels of calcium while they are breeding. Usually, two non-calcified eggs are deposited. Eggs should be incubated at 90 percent humidity and a temperature of 82 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and will hatch in 55 to 70 days. Juveniles should usually be kept singly until they are sexually mature.