|
Leopard Gecko care sheet
Leopard Geckos, Eublapharius macularius and other ground living or night active geckos and skinks.
An Introductory Information Leaflet From Reptile Ranch in association with
Europe's Premier Reptile Product Company
Cage Decor: Desert, Savannah or Rain Forest Substrates and Repti-Sand can all be used bone dry as the cage base. These will blot up and 'clump' any fouling by the lizards. Clumps of waste can be removed without cleaning the whole tank out. Cork Bark Logs or Curio Wood could be used to make an interesting three dimensional display. Flake Rain Forest Substrate scattered over the surface makes for an attractive display and acts as an activity medium in which the lizards can hunt. Draping Repti-Vines in the cage will provide refuges the lizards can hide in or move through to loosen shedding skin. Repti-rock caves and water dishes would lend even more functionality and security.
Food: Crickets, Locusts, Mealworms, and as a special treat Waxworms. Supplement livefoods by dusting insects with Repton or feeding Cricket Diet Plus, Mealworm Diet Plus. Tame individuals may also accept a commercially prepared, fresh meat reptile diet. Water should be fresh and changed every day. These lizards may also eat a small amount of fresh sweet fruit and nectar.
Cleanliness and Hygiene: A routine cleaner for all nonporous surfaces could be Vetaclene. Anything that cannot be easily cleaned should be thrown away and replaced. Any little graze or blemish on the animals themselves would benefit
from the first aid afforded by dabbing the wound with Vetadine. As far as human hygiene is concerned, Vetasept Surgical Scrub will clean hands and surfaces while Vetasept Hand Rub will allow adequate cleansing and disinfection even in
cases when water is unavailable.
Hot Spot: A local area of higher temperature may be created with a hot rock, a spot lamp or a ceramic heater. Use the latter two in conjunction with a HabiStat thermostat for precise control. Hot spots should be maintained for the same day length as the lights, fourteen hours in summer, eight in winter.
Cage Set Up: The cage should be set up to allow an active lizard plenty of scope to climb, bask in a hot spot, move to a cooler spot, drink and hunt for food. The lizards should also be able to secrete themselves into refuges and rub themselves against something when shedding their skin.
Background Heat:
Use a heat mat between half and two thirds the size of the cage
to provide background heating. The hottest spot in the cage should not be above 38ºC while the coolest should not be below 20ºC. Use a HabiStat Mat -Stat if the temperature is too hot, put the whole cage in a cooler place if the temperature is not cool enough.
Simple set up for beginners: A moulded plastic cage is set up with a heat mat taped to the base. The mat should be about half the size of the cage. On to the floor of the cage the substrate is spread as very thin layer of no more than 1 cm. (A thicker layer will act as an insulator and
block the heat from the mat.) Check with a thermometer that the cage is within the acceptable temperature range. Cork Bark or Curio Wood could be used to make hide or a Repti-rock cave could be used. A Repti-rock water dish would be the only other essential. When satisfied everything is OK, add the lizard!
|
|
The Crested Gecko
Crested or Gargoyle Geckos
The Rhacodactylus ariculatus species is often referred to as the gargoyle gecko. Unlike other gecko species the gargoyle gecko tends to eat a large amount of fruit such as Bananas, Plums, Apricots, etc. (Apricots are higher in calcium). Provide a shallow water dish . Feed fresh fruit if possible although baby food can also be used as a substitute when fresh food is unavailable. Gargoyle geckos will also take insects such as crickets, or mealworms. Mealworms should not be fed to animals under six months of age. All foods should be dusted with a calcium and vitamin supplement such as Repton.
Gargoyle geckos have raised bumps on the top of their heads, large teeth and resemble the stone gargoyles found on churches and old buildings, hence the nickname gargoyle gecko. The gargoyle gecko originates from New Caledonia and is the smallest of the Rhacodactylus species growing to a length of around five inches.
Screen type cages are best as they provide more ventilation and a more natural environment than normal vivariums which tend to keep the environment too moist, this can lead to problems with bacteria breeding in the cage and cause ill health. Ventilation is very important when housing these geckos as they require misting regularly. Only one male should be placed in each enclosure although you may keep up to four females with a single male.
Daytime temperatures should reach 74 degrees F.in the centre of the enclosure. Use a basking lamp on top of the screened enclosure to give a temperature up to 82 degrees F. in this spot for the animal to warm itself. Gargoyle geckos are arboreal and need branches or plants for climbing. It is also beneficial to provide hide places with a moist area for the gecko.
The substrate should be a mixture of potting soil and sphagnum moss or Orchid bark chippings may be used. Gargoyle geckos do not need the high humidity that other Rhacodactylus species require. A daily misting of the substrate is all that is required to keep the humidity levels ok.
Female gargoyle geckos are attracted to moist areas to lay their eggs, although they rarely breed in captivity.
Breeding season is from September to January. These geckos are also relatively long lived with captive specimins living 15 up to years. Incubation temperature for their eggs should be around 78 deg F. At this temperature you would produce both male and female offspring. Incubation medium may consist of slightly dampened vermiculite or slightly dampened peat moss. Incubation time for the eggs is around fifty to sixty days.
Accurate sexing of gargoyle geckos may be done at the age of seven to eight months of age. The males have an obvious swollen tail-base.Coloration is achieved by multiple generations of selective breeding.
|
