A yellow-headed day gecko with turquoise stripes on a green leaf. — Photo: Hectonichus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Yellow-headed Day Gecko

Phelsuma klemmeri

A tiny, neon-bright Madagascar gecko that hides inside cracks in bamboo canes.

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About the Yellow-headed Day Gecko

Yellow-headed day geckos, also called neon day geckos, are only 3 to 4 inches long including the tail. They have bright yellow-green heads, turquoise-blue backs and black side stripes. They live only in two small areas of northwest Madagascar, in bamboo thickets of coastal forests. Special toe pads help them climb. They eat insects, plus some nectar, pollen and soft fruit.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Phelsuma klemmeri^[1]
Size: 3 to 4 inches long, including the tail.^[1]
Lifespan: About 6 to 8 years in the wild; over 10 in human care.^[1]
Diet: Omnivore. Mostly insects, plus nectar, pollen and soft fruit.^[1]
Habitat: Bamboo thickets in coastal forests.^[1]
Where it lives: Two small areas of northwest Madagascar.^[1]
Group life: Small colonies with one dominant male. Active by day.^[1]
Babies: 1 or 2 eggs every 3 to 5 weeks.^[1]
Conservation status: Endangered (IUCN Red List, assessed 2011).^[2]

Fun facts

It squeezes into cracks in bamboo to hide.^[1]
Madagascar has more than 150 kinds of geckos.^[1]
Unlike most geckos, day geckos are active during the day.^[1]

Vocabulary

diurnal: Active mainly during the day.
toe pad: A sticky pad on the toes that helps a gecko climb.
colony: A group of animals of one kind that live together.
omnivore: An animal that eats both plants and other animals.
endangered: A conservation label meaning a species faces a very high risk of dying out in the wild.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Reptile Discovery CenterSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Yellow-headed day gecko.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/yellow-headed-day-gecko (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Phelsuma klemmeri (Yellow-headed Day Gecko).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/172981/6952389 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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