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Size: The mossy prehensile-tailed gecko or "Chahoua", as it is commonly referred to by hobbyists, is the third largest in the Rhac Family, reaching a snout to vent length of almost 6 inches with an overall length of approximately 10 inches.

Distribution: The Chahoua is found in tropical forests on Grande Terre and on the Isle of Pines.

Description: This New Caledonian Beauty gets its nickname from its "lichenous" or "mossy" coloration.  Isle of Pines animals are generally more colorful having a mottled brown and green background with a varying degree of red pattern. In captivity, Isle of Pines animals tend to achieve a larger size than the mainland variety.  There are several colorful morphs of this species. That, combined with their favorable personality, has made the Chahoua a favorite among many Rhac Hobbyists. Many specimens become very tame. Be sure to check our availability page as we will have these guys available from time to time.

Sexing: The sex of a mature Chahoua is easily determined. Males have a pronounced hemipenile bulge and enlarged cloacal spurs. Once they reach a snout to vent length of approximately three inches, the sex of juveniles can be determined with the use of an 8x loupe, by looking for the presence of preanal pores in males.

Longevity: Upholding the family tradition, the Chahoua is another long-lived Rhacodactylus. There are animals currently in captivity that are over twenty years old. Many speculate that the Chahoua has a potential lifespan of about thirty years.

Temperature: This species can be maintained at 25-28°C (77-82°F) during the day and 22-24°C (72-75°F) at night.

Food: R. chahoua does well on the same dietary régime as other Rhacodactylus.  We generally offer dusted crickets once a week and Clark's Gecko Diet twice per week.

Captive Environment: Husbandry for the Chahoua is very similar to that of the R. Ciliatus (Crested Gecko). Their enclosure should be tall and landscaped with thick horizontal or diagonally placed branches, as well as vertically placed cork bark sections to climb on. Hollow logs or cork bark sections laid on their side make good shelters. This species is well suited for display in planted tropical viviaria. There is some debate among hobbyists however with regards to humidity levels. Some insist that the Chahoua needs a higher level of humidity, provided through daily misting, while others claim this is not necessary as long as clean water in shallow containers is provided at all times. As with most geckos, adult males of R. Chahoua should not be kept together in the same enclosure as they will fight and injure each other. Chahouas can, however, be kept in small breeding harems consisting of one male and several females. In contrast to their Rhac cousins, Chahouas do not appear to be prone to cannibalism. Many hobbyists raise together juveniles of different sizes and even temporarily house them with R. Ciliatus and R. Sarasinorum of similar size.

R. Chahoua has the most prehensile tail of all the Rhacodactylus and is the only species that will coil its tail into a spiral. Unlike the other Rhacs, Chahouas are very reluctant to drop their tails. As a rule, R. Chahoua that autotomize their tails at the base will only regenerate a pointed tail stub and not a full tail. On the other hand, if the tail is broken off at a distance from the base, it may partially regenerate.

Breeding: Chahouas must be at least 12 months of age to reach sexual maturity, more typically between 14 and 18 months. Allen Repashy, a well known expert in the Rhac Community, recommends keeping young maturing males and females apart until the animals are at least 18 months old.

R. Chahoua follows the same breeding patter as other Rhacodactylus with breeding beginning as early as March and, for some animals, extending as late as November. The clutch interval seems to be around 60 days with three clutches a year being the norm. Because their eggs are highly calcified, female Chahouas are very susceptible to calcium deficiency and metabolic bone disease. The production and shelling of eggs can be taxing to the calcium reserves of females. You must pay close attention to proper calcium and D3 supplementation of the diet. You should carefully monitor your animals so that you can detect early signs of metabolic bone disease. A common sign is a "zig-zagging" of the tail (actual kinks in the tail). This is commonly seen after a female deposits her eggs and will usually disappear once she has the opportunity to feed and recover. More serious signs would be twitching of the limbs, a droopy lower jaw and, eventually, the inability to eat or move. If any of these signs are witnessed, get the animal to a qualified veterinarian or it will surely die.

The Chahoua is different from other Rhacs in that it will not dig a nest and bury its eggs in substrate. The eggs are usually laid on the surface and covered with bits of litter at best. Unlike other Rhacodactylus, which produce eggs with a leathery, flexible shell, the shells of R. Chahoua eggs are covered with a calcium matrix that makes them relatively rigid. Like the R. Leachianus, female R. Chahoua will guard and defend their eggs, growling and striking at intruders.

The eggs are incubated in the same way as other Rhacodactylus, but they are more problematical to successfully hatch. Because the shells are highly calcified, and semi-rigid, eggs may appear externally healthy, even when they are actually dehydrated and house a dead embryo. Under calcified eggs with a thin calcium matrix, will seldom hatch because they are also indicative of insufficient calcium reserves. On the other hand, highly calcified eggs can sometimes have shells so thick that only the most vigorous neonates will have the strength to break through at the time of hatching. On a positive note, a hatchling that makes it out of the egg is typically vigorous and has the highest survival rate of any of the Rhacodactylus.

Incubation: The eggs should be incubated in a container with moist vermiculite or perlite. The incubation time, depending on the temperature regime, is typically between 65 and 90 days.

Juveniles: Hatchlings will have a total length of 3.5 - 4 inches. Temperature does not appear to have an effect on sex determination with the sex ratio of offspring staying pretty even. As with other Rhacodactylus, that very first shed is critical. Care should be given to assure a moderate relative humidity is maintained through daily light misting of the enclosure, at least for the first two or three shed cycles. Babies that have just shed should be carefully inspected after each shed to ensure that no unshed skin remains, especially around the toes.

Some juveniles will exhibit a unique defensive behavior. When threatened, they will curl up in a ball and drop from a limb onto the ground. They will then remain immobile and in this curled position for an extended period of time.