Can Day Geckos Swim?

To cut it short, yes, day geckos can swim. They’re naturally inclined towards environments with higher humidity levels, so they’re not strangers to dealing with water. They are also reptiles which means it’s in their blood.

The real problem here is whether they should swim, and the answer is no. In the wild, geckos only swim when they absolutely must, such as when chased by a predator, landing in the water by mistake, etc.

They will also stick to their safe areas, preferably located at a height.

Do Day Geckos Need a Swimming Pool?

The answer may differ based on your geckos’ habitat layout. Geckos naturally require a lot of humidity, preferably around 60-80%, depending on the time of day, temperature, and physiological state (shedding geckos require higher humidity.)

Several ways to increase the humidity levels in your gecko habitat include spraying, adding live plants, relying on a moisture-retaining substrate, and even adding a water bowl in the terrarium. The latter brings us closer to the point of discussion here.

Depending on the environmental conditions, geckos will sometimes drink water or even bathe in their water bowl. They may be more inclined to exhibit that behavior if the temperature is too high, forcing the gecko to look for alternate means of cooling off.

That being said, geckos prefer drinking water off of the leaves of the plants decorating their habitat.

So, geckos don’t really have any use for a swimming pool since they are natural climbers. Geckos will spend most of their time climbing around various decorations, branches, terrarium’s walls, or any other structure that can hold their weight.

If you want to add a personalized pool to their terrarium, ensure it has very shallow water to prevent your gecko from drowning.

How Well Do Day Geckos Swim?

Geckos aren’t great swimmers. As land creatures, they aren’t exactly made for prolonged or effective swimming.

As I’ve already mentioned, they will only swim when absolutely necessary and will avoid larger bodies of water except in any other case.

For these reasons, you should never force your geckos to swim. Not only do they risk drowning, but they will also get stressed because of it.

And stress also kills, albeit at a different pace.

Do Day Geckos Enjoy Swimming?

There is a lot of hot debate over this issue since different gecko owners report different things. Some claim that their geckos do enjoy swimming occasionally, while others report that they hate it.

A different group has reported losing their pets due to them drowning even in shallow water and under supervision. This can happen due to the gecko ingesting water fast due to panicking.

In short, different geckos react differently when placed in water, but one thing seems to remain fundamental to the species – the aversion towards frequent or prolonged swimming.

I would advise against forcing your geckos to swim or placing a large water source in their habitat for this purpose.

Geckos may fall in and drown fairly quickly.

How Long Can Day Geckos Survive in Water?

Day geckos won’t survive more than several seconds to a minute in the water. While these reptiles can hold their breath for a while, they will easily panic when taken out of their comfort zone. A panicked gecko can drown even in shallow water.

Day geckos don’t need a water source for recreation or for drinking or humidity purposes, for that matter.

That being said, geckos do need stable humidity levels to remain healthy in the long run, and you don’t need a terrarium pool for that.

The most effective ways of boosting humidity levels in your gecko’s habitat include:

• Spraying regularly – You should spray your gecko’s habitat at least once per day to ensure proper humidity. In some cases, more frequent spraying may be necessary, depending on the environmental temperature and the size of the enclosure.
• A proper substrate – I recommend soil as the main substrate base for improved humidity-retaining effects. Soil is great at retaining humidity and releasing it gradually into the environment.
• Live plants – Consider adding some sturdy live plants that will contribute to improved humidity levels in the long run. Keep in mind that geckos tend to drink water off of the plants’ leaves when thirsty, so a planted environment is key for them.

Keeping the gecko’s habitat humid and warm is key to their health. Improper humidity levels will leave geckos vulnerable to respiratory infections and skin issues, especially during the shedding process.

Conclusion

Geckos don’t have any use for an interior pool since they use swimming as an emergency-type activity rather than a recreational one.

Don’t force the day geckos to swim, and don’t add a deep water bowl in their tank.

Your geckos will get all the water they need from plants and the atmosphere. Plus, so long as the temperatures and humidity are optimal, your geckos won’t feed the need to swim or bathe.