Hello Silas,
Thanks for supporting the GGA!
I have spent a fair bit of time working with the 2 species in
question.
In a nutshell, U. henkeli are quite hardy and can be very
productive if a
few basic protocols are observed. Aside from proper husbandry of
adults,
3 important points are:
1) Heavy calcium supplementation for breeding females (land
snails or extra supplements
given orally as well as dusting prey). Some females can lay 9-10
clutches per year,
so keep up with this!
so keep up with this!
2) Incubation temperature. I get 45-55 healthy hatchlings per
year at a constant 76-78 F.
At 80 F, hatchlings are slower to start feeding and generally
weaker. Cooler temperatures
at night would likely do no harm. I've also used 75-76 F with no
problems.
3) Humidity. A constant high humidity is very important. However,
the eggs should
not sit directly on a wet substrate. Try setting the eggs on a
jar lid full of dry vermiculite
and set this on top of saturated vermiculite, peat, calcined
clay, etc. Do not let the substrate
dry out!
U. phantasticus need slightly cooler temps, 72-76 daytime, 55-68
night or even cooler.
They can tolerate slightly warmer night temperatures during the
summer, but seem to do
best when it's cool. Incubation temperatures are the same as for
keeping adults. The same factors
apply as for U. henkeli, except for cooler temps. Instead of a
jar lid, I use a 1/4 inch thick
piece of aquarium filter foam with holes pinched out to hold the
eggs. This allows for
goos air circulation around the eggs. You only need a few pin
holes in the incubation container
for air exchange. I've hatched out 20 eggs in a row with no
losses using this method.
Eggs usually take 2.5-3.5 months to hatch, depending upon
temperature.
U. phantasticus sometimes take over a year to start laying
consistently, sometimes you get
them when they're already cycling. They do well, but only if you
do everything right!
Most of use who had luck have also had disappointments, but they
are worth sticking with,
$50 imports won't be around forever!
Best of luck,
Neil
I just want to say Thanks to the GGA for all the great info I have gotten so far from this listserve, and also to those who supplied it. This is my first post though I have been a member of the list for a year now, and a member to the GGA for about 4 months, and if your not a member yet�your missing out on some cool stuff provided under the membership here at the GGA!!!!
I was just pondering theories on Uroplatus incubation, mainly phantasticus and henkeli. Wanted to see if this could pose true or not.
I have asked a few people about breeding henkeli and most said they can get them to hatch but die 1 to 2 months afterwards. What I was thinking, and this is my theory, is the temps to high. Most of the folks I talk to incubate at 75 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit(23 to 25c). I was wondering, while in the egg, if the temps are causing their metabolism to increase faster then they can keep up with physically, i. e. needing nutrient faster then their bodies can allow them to provide for themselves. I have had a trio of henkeli's for a little over a year now.. and have only hatched out 2 so far...one died 5 days after it hatched...and the second one is going on 4 months now, and seems to be a strong, hardy gecko. The second one was incubated at 68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit(20 to 21 C). The first one the temps fluctuated due to me moving after the egg was laid, and getting settled in the new house before it hatched. I incubated them in similar conditions....a ten gallon with a submersible heater, in a show box with a little on the dry side perlite...not as wet as you would prepare for leopard geckos. 5 quarter inch holes are in the lid of the shoebox.... I figured the humidity in the air would be great for the eggs, and that's why I went with the ten-gallon tank deal. Currently I have 7 henkeli eggs and 3 phantasticus eggs. Only had the phantasticus for about 3 months now.
So would the slight, but not drastic, change in incubations temp alter the metabolism enough to make the gecko need food faster and in more abundance then its physical abilities allow him? Would cooler temps slow his metabolism down to where he can adjust to hunting at a slow pace, without starving to death?
I know that a good bit of you have had nothing but success with the Uroplatus, but if you could, explain your incubation method�.and maybe brief details as to why you chose that way.
Silas Swaim
www.gecko-island.com
--
Neil Meister
Promotions Secretary
Global Gecko Association
http://www.gekkota.com
President
Nova Scotia Herpetoculture Society
Promotions Secretary
Global Gecko Association
http://www.gekkota.com
President
Nova Scotia Herpetoculture Society
