The Big-Headed Gecko is an average-sized gecko native to Madagascar. They are moderately easy to care for and breed, making them good pets for the novice hobbyist.

Most common in areas such as forests, scrubland and cliffs in eastern, southern and western Madagascar, the Big-Headed Gecko is a nocturnal animal. This means they do most of their hunting during the night, although they are known to sometimes be active in the day as well. They spend much of their time in burrows or caves. They are terrestrial, meaning they live on land rather than in trees. Female Big-Headed Geckos are well known for their fertility. The males are territorial and so should be kept separately. They are carnivorous, feeding primarily on insects in the wild. In captivity, they are often fed crickets and mealworms. The young grow very quickly. They can be sexed at around three months and mature between six and ten months. Adult Big-Headed Geckos have an average lifespan of six to ten years with proper care.

The Big-Headed Gecko is a moderately sized lizard, around six inches in length from head to tail. The tail is quite short. They have thin legs with two small, leaf-like pads on the toes. The head, from which the Big-Headed Gecko derives its name, is very large and wide near the back. The neck and trunk are very slender, making the size of the head even more noticeable. They have large, dark brown eyes that protrude from the head and attractive markings.

Big-Headed Geckos make their homes in arid regions on the eastern, southern, and western coasts of Madagascar. They often make their homes in dense, thorny areas, in succulent plants, and in sand.

The ambient daytime temperature in the Big-Headed Gecko's living environment should be 80 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day with a basking area about 90 degrees. At night the temperature should be in the low to mid 70s.

Female Big-Headed Geckos can lay clutches of two eggs as often as every three weeks. They should be provided with a plastic container with about 2" of moist vermiculite in which they will lay their eggs. Incubate the eggs at a temperature of between 82 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit (28 to 29 degrees Celsius), with a humidity of about 80%. The eggs will usually hatch after 55 to 65 days of incubation. The juvenile geckos grow very quickly and males can become aggressive to each other very early. Males should be separated as soon as it is possible to sex them. The juveniles are prone to dehydration and so should be kept at a higher relative humidity than adults.