PLEASE NOTE
The information on the BambooZoo site is as much as 10 years old and in the hobby much has been learned. Though, I believe there is merit in keeping the site open. There are many controversial issues presented in these pages. Please view BambooZoo as a starting point in your research.
These beings are as complicated as we are and deserve more than a basic 5 paragraph care sheet to maintain their health and well being.
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GIANT DAY GECKOS IN CAPTIVITY
A juvenile Phelsuma grandis demonstrating their ability to walk on all types of surfaces.
ANDY
www.GlasgowGecko.co.uk
Here at GlasgowGecko.co.uk we are firm believers that no single care sheet can fully address all the possible options available to reptile keepers (and yes, that includes our own!). For this reason we urge you to read as much as possible, trust us on this you ARE going to find conflicting advise, but the best way to make a choice, is by being informed.
Giant Day Geckos in captivity
Day geckos from the genus Phelsuma are, in our opinion, some of the most aesthetically pleasing geckos kept in captivity. They hail predominantly from Madagascar and a number of Indian Ocean islands. As with a large proportion of Madagascan fauna, they are highly protected. Only relatively few Phelsuma species are available in the UK as captive bred animals including: The Giant Day Gecko (P. grandis), Standings' Day Gecko (P. standingi) and Gold Dust Day Geckos (P. laticauda). We would recommend the first two of these species for beginners, and P.laticauda and other small, delicate species for those with a little more experience.
Although many years of experience with other reptiles can give good grounding, Phelsumas really need to be considered a completely new discipline. As with all of our care sheets, please remember this is a general guide, we highly recommend further species-specific research before you consider any Phelsuma species.
Housing
There are a variety of different vivaria currently available on the UK market that will successfully house Phelsuma species. We currently have a variety of types, but find that all glass vivaria work particularly well. There is much suggestion that vertically orientated tanks are a must for arboreal species, and to some extent this can be considered true, however surface area can also be considered important. Minimum size for Phelsuma vivarium, is highly debated, and largely is dependant upon species. We would personally recommend 45cm high x 30cm wide x 30cm deep for a single individual or a pair of most of the the smaller species and 75cm high x 45cm wide x 45cm deep for a single individual or pair of the larger. However as a general rule, a larger area can be considered better. Our personal preference is for mesh-topped glass vivaria (Exo terra branded Vivaria are very good, and highly recommended). They have many positive attributes, but this is primarily because they expose the inhabitants to full lighting benefits while allowing easy daily spraying, or auto matic mister installation. When choosing a tank for Phelsuma, please bear in mind how adept these species are at escaping.
Vivaria should be well-planted with a multitude of branches orientated both horizontally and vertically. We find bamboo to be perfect for this purpose, and would recommend a minimum width of the animals body width.
As with most aspects of reptile keeping substrate choice is highly debated. So to make things as much about personal choice as possible, we would consider humidity to be the key factor for consideration when choosing a substrate. Our substrate consists of a layer of small gravel to aid drainage, covered in a layer of peat-free soil. A top layer of moss provides adds a natural look and further aids is maintaining humidity levels.
A variety of live plants will thrive in the vivarium, including: sansoveras, bromeliads & other tropical plants. Plastic or silk plants available from most reptile outlets can also be used. It really is essential that the vivarium is heavily planted with a variety of branches to provide cover and available surface area for the geckos.
Lighting, temperature and humidity
Giant day geckos, and the vast majority of Phelsuma species require a daytime temperature range of 27 - 31C. A night time drop of 5C is also suggested. Relative humidity between 50 - 80% (species specific, P. standingsi for example need a lower relative humidity) is also advisable, and can be achieved by either misting manually twice to three times a day, or by using an automatic misting machine. Daytime temperatures can best be achieved with monitored use of halogen basking bulbs, regular spot bulbs or even ceramic bulbs controlled by a dimming thermostat (and this IS important). Night temperature can be achieved by securing a heat mat to the rear of the tank, controlled by a suitable thermostat if required.
Our personal experience suggests the use of a high quality UV light is essential for both internal biochemistry and also general well-being of these species. We recommend a 5% minimum UVB with a high level of UVA. Evidence suggests that quality of light can enhance behavioral characteristics, resulting in brighter colours and increased breeding success. Lighting can be cycled to reflect natural day lengths. Sixteen hours during the summer months, with a a gradual reduction to 8 hours in mid-winter. The easiest way to do this is with an electronic timer.
Feeding
Phelsuma species in general require a mixed diet consisting of a variety of properly gut-loaded insects and fruit. This really is essential for maintaining individual health. We do not consider any insect type more or less beneficial than any other, and our day geckos will eat all commercially available insects. All insects should be dusted with high-quality vitamin powder every second feed.
Fruit and nectar are heavily featured in the natural diet of Phelsuma. We suggest a variety of fruit including peaches, apricots and other soft fruits, mixed with calcium and a high quality vitamin/mineral powder.
It is possible to feed exclusively on a commercial dry formula Day Gecko food, which is marketed as containing all the nutrients required, although we do not feed this diet, and so cannot really comment on its merit.
Handling
Handling Day Geckos is, in our opinion, something that should be done only when absolutely necessary. Their skin is very fragile and the most apparently harmless rub of the skin, can cause a large amount of damage. Skin injuries can be common between cage mates, and although they can look very bad, they will heal. Careful monitoring should always be employed however. The wound must remain clean at all times, and is likely result in a scar, with a slight discolouration. This will not affect the gecko in any way. There will be occasions when handling is unavoidable - during major vivarium cleaning or replanting, on these occasions we tend to use a plastic tub to catch them.
Giant Day Geckos in captivity
Day geckos from the genus Phelsuma are, in our opinion, some of the most aesthetically pleasing geckos kept in captivity. They hail predominantly from Madagascar and a number of Indian Ocean islands. As with a large proportion of Madagascan fauna, they are highly protected. Only relatively few Phelsuma species are available in the UK as captive bred animals including: The Giant Day Gecko (P. grandis), Standings' Day Gecko (P. standingi) and Gold Dust Day Geckos (P. laticauda). We would recommend the first two of these species for beginners, and P.laticauda and other small, delicate species for those with a little more experience.
Although many years of experience with other reptiles can give good grounding, Phelsumas really need to be considered a completely new discipline. As with all of our care sheets, please remember this is a general guide, we highly recommend further species-specific research before you consider any Phelsuma species.
Housing
There are a variety of different vivaria currently available on the UK market that will successfully house Phelsuma species. We currently have a variety of types, but find that all glass vivaria work particularly well. There is much suggestion that vertically orientated tanks are a must for arboreal species, and to some extent this can be considered true, however surface area can also be considered important. Minimum size for Phelsuma vivarium, is highly debated, and largely is dependant upon species. We would personally recommend 45cm high x 30cm wide x 30cm deep for a single individual or a pair of most of the the smaller species and 75cm high x 45cm wide x 45cm deep for a single individual or pair of the larger. However as a general rule, a larger area can be considered better. Our personal preference is for mesh-topped glass vivaria (Exo terra branded Vivaria are very good, and highly recommended). They have many positive attributes, but this is primarily because they expose the inhabitants to full lighting benefits while allowing easy daily spraying, or auto matic mister installation. When choosing a tank for Phelsuma, please bear in mind how adept these species are at escaping.
Vivaria should be well-planted with a multitude of branches orientated both horizontally and vertically. We find bamboo to be perfect for this purpose, and would recommend a minimum width of the animals body width.
As with most aspects of reptile keeping substrate choice is highly debated. So to make things as much about personal choice as possible, we would consider humidity to be the key factor for consideration when choosing a substrate. Our substrate consists of a layer of small gravel to aid drainage, covered in a layer of peat-free soil. A top layer of moss provides adds a natural look and further aids is maintaining humidity levels.
A variety of live plants will thrive in the vivarium, including: sansoveras, bromeliads & other tropical plants. Plastic or silk plants available from most reptile outlets can also be used. It really is essential that the vivarium is heavily planted with a variety of branches to provide cover and available surface area for the geckos.
Lighting, temperature and humidity
Giant day geckos, and the vast majority of Phelsuma species require a daytime temperature range of 27 - 31C. A night time drop of 5C is also suggested. Relative humidity between 50 - 80% (species specific, P. standingsi for example need a lower relative humidity) is also advisable, and can be achieved by either misting manually twice to three times a day, or by using an automatic misting machine. Daytime temperatures can best be achieved with monitored use of halogen basking bulbs, regular spot bulbs or even ceramic bulbs controlled by a dimming thermostat (and this IS important). Night temperature can be achieved by securing a heat mat to the rear of the tank, controlled by a suitable thermostat if required.
Our personal experience suggests the use of a high quality UV light is essential for both internal biochemistry and also general well-being of these species. We recommend a 5% minimum UVB with a high level of UVA. Evidence suggests that quality of light can enhance behavioral characteristics, resulting in brighter colours and increased breeding success. Lighting can be cycled to reflect natural day lengths. Sixteen hours during the summer months, with a a gradual reduction to 8 hours in mid-winter. The easiest way to do this is with an electronic timer.
Feeding
Phelsuma species in general require a mixed diet consisting of a variety of properly gut-loaded insects and fruit. This really is essential for maintaining individual health. We do not consider any insect type more or less beneficial than any other, and our day geckos will eat all commercially available insects. All insects should be dusted with high-quality vitamin powder every second feed.
Fruit and nectar are heavily featured in the natural diet of Phelsuma. We suggest a variety of fruit including peaches, apricots and other soft fruits, mixed with calcium and a high quality vitamin/mineral powder.
It is possible to feed exclusively on a commercial dry formula Day Gecko food, which is marketed as containing all the nutrients required, although we do not feed this diet, and so cannot really comment on its merit.
Handling
Handling Day Geckos is, in our opinion, something that should be done only when absolutely necessary. Their skin is very fragile and the most apparently harmless rub of the skin, can cause a large amount of damage. Skin injuries can be common between cage mates, and although they can look very bad, they will heal. Careful monitoring should always be employed however. The wound must remain clean at all times, and is likely result in a scar, with a slight discolouration. This will not affect the gecko in any way. There will be occasions when handling is unavoidable - during major vivarium cleaning or replanting, on these occasions we tend to use a plastic tub to catch them.
An adult female P. grandis clutches her eggs with her rear legs until the shells have hardened.
Breeding
Breeding any gecko species should only be undertaken when all conditions required to maintain survival have been achieved. This is very important in Phelsuma as problems often go un-noticed and animals can go downhill rapidly.
Phelsuma species usually produce a clutch of 2 eggs at monthly intervals during the breeding season. Species can be either plasterers (which stick their eggs to vivarium furniture) or non-plasterers. This is important to know to create the strategy for incubation. Eggs should be removed with care (unless the species is a plasterer) and placed in an incubator at a temperature of 28C. A variety of incubation media can be used, we use vermiculite, and would recommend that if you have already had success with this media then stick with it. Others have had success with coco fibre. The desired humidity level is 80%. Incubation times can vary between (and in some cases within) species, but as a general rule, between 45 - 90 days.
Breeding females need a constant supply of calcium for healthy egg development. Calcium deposits are stored just behind the cheeks and are a good indication of optimum breeding condition. A simple way to provide extra calcium is to place a small pot of calcium carbonate in their vivarium.
Hatchling care
As with the adults, hatchlings are VERY delicate, and incredibly fast moving. We like to keep our hatchlings in their hatching box until after their first shed. They can then be transferred to a slightly larger, escape proof terrarium, with a similar substrate to their parents. Terrarium decoration should be similar to those of the adults. All adult procedures should be replicated, with enclosure size increasing as the geckos grow.
Breeding any gecko species should only be undertaken when all conditions required to maintain survival have been achieved. This is very important in Phelsuma as problems often go un-noticed and animals can go downhill rapidly.
Phelsuma species usually produce a clutch of 2 eggs at monthly intervals during the breeding season. Species can be either plasterers (which stick their eggs to vivarium furniture) or non-plasterers. This is important to know to create the strategy for incubation. Eggs should be removed with care (unless the species is a plasterer) and placed in an incubator at a temperature of 28C. A variety of incubation media can be used, we use vermiculite, and would recommend that if you have already had success with this media then stick with it. Others have had success with coco fibre. The desired humidity level is 80%. Incubation times can vary between (and in some cases within) species, but as a general rule, between 45 - 90 days.
Breeding females need a constant supply of calcium for healthy egg development. Calcium deposits are stored just behind the cheeks and are a good indication of optimum breeding condition. A simple way to provide extra calcium is to place a small pot of calcium carbonate in their vivarium.
Hatchling care
As with the adults, hatchlings are VERY delicate, and incredibly fast moving. We like to keep our hatchlings in their hatching box until after their first shed. They can then be transferred to a slightly larger, escape proof terrarium, with a similar substrate to their parents. Terrarium decoration should be similar to those of the adults. All adult procedures should be replicated, with enclosure size increasing as the geckos grow.
