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.
My passions have evolved. This is is the site I am growing today. We Heal the World
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.
My passions have evolved. This is is the site I am growing today. We Heal the World
THE LEAFTAIL GECKOS
MOSSY LEAFTAILS
Uroplatus sikorae (sikorae and sameti) - Mossy Leaf Tailed Geckos By Hervé Saint Dizier ,Caen ,France (abridged)
Class :Reptilia ,Order :Squamata ,Sub-order :Sauria ,Infra –Order :Gekkonomorpha ,Micro-order :Gekkota ,Family :Gekkonidae ,Tribus :Gekkonini ,Genus :Uroplatus
The genus Uroplatus is endemic to Madagascar and the coastal islands .The nominal subspecies inhabits the remaining patches of the Eastern rainforest at an average altitude of 3,000 feet .These luxuriant primary rainforests have a very damp climate with rather cool temperatures (average 70°F ,mean range 35-80°F) .There is an alternance of a “dry and cool” season and of a “rainy and warm” one (November-March) ,mating taking place during the first weeks of the latter .The subspecies sameiti ,dwelling on the coastal island of Nosy Bohara ,is exposed to a constantly damp climate (hygrometry above 80%)and to slightly higher temperatures ,in the low 80s .It is thus a little more tolerant to heat peaks in the vivarium .These geckoes rest on tree trunks during the day ,their legs stretched alongside the body and their heads generally oriented downwards .Their dermal flaps all along the body and legs give them a perfect and shadeless camouflage ,along with their basic brown-grey colour enhanced by lichen- or moss-like patches with various hues of green ,grey ;even yellow ,orange or red on some individuals .Their patterns are unique and there is no individual perfectly similar to the other .Furthermore ,The colour and pattern of the young seem totally independant from those of the parents (F.CAVY ,pers.comm.).Their mimicry with rough bark is absolutely stunning ,males tend to be more bark-like than females .They are active at night ,jumping on moving prey in a quite spectacular manner .
Uroplatus sikorae is a mid-size uroplatus (average SVL 4 to 5 inches ,total length up to 8 inches for the sameiti subspecies ).It has a broad mouth enabling it to swallow large prey items ,a long ,rounded snout ,big protudent eyes with a yellowish mottled iris pattern and a vertical cat-like pupil .The eyes are often lined with a bright yellow circle .Endolymphatic calcium sacs are commonly seen in captive individuals .The tail is flat ,leaf-like ,made of dermal tissue and counting for about 40% TL .They can throw off the tail completely ,always the entire tail but never a part of it as some other geckoes do ,in order to escape some threat ,but it never regrows as the original .The belly is often spoted with black tiny points and brick red hues are not uncommon .The body has a “triangular” section being dorsoventrally flattened ,legs are stout enough to enable it to jump quite far and fingers end up with rounded “adhesive” structures made of microscopic hair called setae .
Sexing the adults is unproblematic,as the males display huge hemipenal bulges .There are no femoral pores on this species .
U.sikorae sikorae and U.sikorae sameiti can be distinguished by the colour of their buccal mucous membrane :it is black in the nominal subspecies and pink for U.s.sameiti .It is said (SVATEK and VAN DUIN ,2001) that some individuals in the area of Montagne d’Ambre (Northern Madagascar )reach lengths of 9 inches ,thus building up a “giant morph” .
Longevity in good captive conditions may reach 7 years .
ACCLIMATION
Uroplatus sikorae is a very delicate species ,especially as regards humidity and temperature .It simply does not stand high temperatures ,and a fast death can be expected if exposed to more than 80°F for only a few hours .Wild-caught specimens are also heavily loaded with a broad variety of parasites .Each newly bought specimen should be individually quarantined for a month at least and rehydrated with frequent spraying of the vivarium. These animals are particularly subject to stress ,and handling them is definitely not a good idea .They are good display lizards but handling should be strictly limited to necessary operations like a veterinarian treatment .Too much stress unavoidably kills them on the short term .
I underline that males are not aggressive towards others of their gender ,thus they can be housed together with females without any risk of aggression .
VIVARIUM
Glass tanks taller than they are long are perfectly suited for Uroplatus .I kept a trio in a 32x16x32 terrarium .Ventilations should be sufficient to prevent dampness stagnation and the apparition of mould and rot ,but care should be taken not to allow the vivarium to dry up too much during the day .
The substrate is made of a bottom layer of small clay balls or vermiculite to retain humidity and drain excess water at the same time .Expansed coconut fibers ,or sterilized peat ,makes up the second layer .As uroplatus vividly dive on prey ,no stone ,nor hard or sharp item should be present in the enclosure . Plants like bromeliads ,orchids ,live moss ,small ficus species should also be used to retain humidity and to provide the animals with suitable egg-laying sites .A neon tube with 5% UVB is ,in my opinion ,useful at least for the plants and I am convinced that the animals receive a non-negligible UV dose while resting on tree trunks at daytime in the wild .So it seems accurate to provide them with UV light in captivity too .It will also create a very localised “basking spot”,appreciated by gravid females for instance .Day-and night rythm should be 13 hours of lighting and 11 hours of darkness in he “hot and wet” season ,the reverse during the resting “dry” period .
Heating devices are perfectly useless if the vivarium is kept inside ,they are on top of that dangerous for the animals .If the reptile room is very cold ,8 to 15W heating carpets arranged vertically outside the reptiles environment can be used .The whole installation should also be kept away from everything that dries up the atmosphere like radiators .Above 80°F ,the Uroplatus face a thermic stress ,deadly temperatures begin at about 85°F .The ideal day range is 69-73°F and 60-67°F at night during most of the year ,and 78°F is fine in summer .
An Uroplatus exposed to high temperatures is unavoidably condemned to death .
The vivarium should be sprayed twice daily ,in the early hours of the morning and in the evening as lights are switched off .Spraying must be abundant but it is not a good idea to turn the substrate into a swamp .Hygrometry should slowly go down during the day and come to a peak again at night .Uroplatus with insufficient humidity soon dehydrate and meet severe shedding troubles.
FOOD AND FEEDING
Uroplatus sikorae are mainly insect-eaters .Dead prey will never be accepted ,as far as my experience goes .For lean animals or gravid females ,a living pink mice a month is benefic .They also love small snails and can thus absorb the calcium from snail shells ,which is good for pregnant females or just after egg-laying .The best size for snails is around ½ inch (shell diameter) .
All food insects are properly gut-loaded and given every two days .I don’t use a feeding dish ,I prefer leaving the insects wandering in the vivarium or giving them with tweezers .They are generously coated with Miner-All I on every feeding and every fornight I add extra vitamins in a small amount .Bimaculatus ,grasshoppers ,cockroaches ,waxmoths larvae ,morios are equally accepted.Uroplatus are voracious eaters once acclimated.
BREEDING
As I previously said ,courtship begins shortly after the beginning of the rise of temperatues and humidity .A resting period in the winter month (for the North hemisphere ) is therefore necessary ,as well as for the welfare of the animals .Mating is gentle and I did not witness any biting from males .
There are 3 to 5 clutches a year ,and amphigonia retardata enable the females to be fertilized for several clutches .Eggs are either buried in the substrate ,or in the pots holding the plants ,and are rather soft-shelled ,about ¾ inch long ,and bright white .Female roll them between their hind feet to make earth particles adhere to their surface. Clutches occur at a 4-6 week intervals and females should be well-fed (snails ,pink mice )and supplemented with high doses of calcium afterwards .Eggs ,without being turned ,are transfered with care into an incubator.Young females tend to lay a single egg but two is the common rule .The incubator is made of a plastic cricket box filled with small clay granulate or vermiculite ,laid on a weak-powered heating device (carpet or cable ) ,15W is sufficient .Eggs are half-buried in the substrate which must be very wet .Heating is stopped at night for 10 hours and during the day the incubation temperature vary from 72 to 78°F and a constant hygrometry of 85%-90% .It is harmful for the eggs to receive drops from condensation.Babies hatch after an average incubation duration of 75-90 days .Their basic requirements are the same as for adults but they are extremely fragile ,measuring around 2 inches (SVL ) and should be transfered in 8x8x12 inches individual terrariums for a better monitoring of their health and growth .They are not offered vitamins until 3 months old and their basic diet is made of small crickets coated with Miner-All I and sometimes tiny snails offered every evening .They are even more vulnerable to the lack of humidity and high temperatures than the adults ,so it is better to keep them under 75°F .
LEGAL STATUS
Since October 2004 ,all Uroplatus species are considered as endangered by the Washington Convention ,thus being classified as Annex II of the CITES treaty .
Class :Reptilia ,Order :Squamata ,Sub-order :Sauria ,Infra –Order :Gekkonomorpha ,Micro-order :Gekkota ,Family :Gekkonidae ,Tribus :Gekkonini ,Genus :Uroplatus
The genus Uroplatus is endemic to Madagascar and the coastal islands .The nominal subspecies inhabits the remaining patches of the Eastern rainforest at an average altitude of 3,000 feet .These luxuriant primary rainforests have a very damp climate with rather cool temperatures (average 70°F ,mean range 35-80°F) .There is an alternance of a “dry and cool” season and of a “rainy and warm” one (November-March) ,mating taking place during the first weeks of the latter .The subspecies sameiti ,dwelling on the coastal island of Nosy Bohara ,is exposed to a constantly damp climate (hygrometry above 80%)and to slightly higher temperatures ,in the low 80s .It is thus a little more tolerant to heat peaks in the vivarium .These geckoes rest on tree trunks during the day ,their legs stretched alongside the body and their heads generally oriented downwards .Their dermal flaps all along the body and legs give them a perfect and shadeless camouflage ,along with their basic brown-grey colour enhanced by lichen- or moss-like patches with various hues of green ,grey ;even yellow ,orange or red on some individuals .Their patterns are unique and there is no individual perfectly similar to the other .Furthermore ,The colour and pattern of the young seem totally independant from those of the parents (F.CAVY ,pers.comm.).Their mimicry with rough bark is absolutely stunning ,males tend to be more bark-like than females .They are active at night ,jumping on moving prey in a quite spectacular manner .
Uroplatus sikorae is a mid-size uroplatus (average SVL 4 to 5 inches ,total length up to 8 inches for the sameiti subspecies ).It has a broad mouth enabling it to swallow large prey items ,a long ,rounded snout ,big protudent eyes with a yellowish mottled iris pattern and a vertical cat-like pupil .The eyes are often lined with a bright yellow circle .Endolymphatic calcium sacs are commonly seen in captive individuals .The tail is flat ,leaf-like ,made of dermal tissue and counting for about 40% TL .They can throw off the tail completely ,always the entire tail but never a part of it as some other geckoes do ,in order to escape some threat ,but it never regrows as the original .The belly is often spoted with black tiny points and brick red hues are not uncommon .The body has a “triangular” section being dorsoventrally flattened ,legs are stout enough to enable it to jump quite far and fingers end up with rounded “adhesive” structures made of microscopic hair called setae .
Sexing the adults is unproblematic,as the males display huge hemipenal bulges .There are no femoral pores on this species .
U.sikorae sikorae and U.sikorae sameiti can be distinguished by the colour of their buccal mucous membrane :it is black in the nominal subspecies and pink for U.s.sameiti .It is said (SVATEK and VAN DUIN ,2001) that some individuals in the area of Montagne d’Ambre (Northern Madagascar )reach lengths of 9 inches ,thus building up a “giant morph” .
Longevity in good captive conditions may reach 7 years .
ACCLIMATION
Uroplatus sikorae is a very delicate species ,especially as regards humidity and temperature .It simply does not stand high temperatures ,and a fast death can be expected if exposed to more than 80°F for only a few hours .Wild-caught specimens are also heavily loaded with a broad variety of parasites .Each newly bought specimen should be individually quarantined for a month at least and rehydrated with frequent spraying of the vivarium. These animals are particularly subject to stress ,and handling them is definitely not a good idea .They are good display lizards but handling should be strictly limited to necessary operations like a veterinarian treatment .Too much stress unavoidably kills them on the short term .
I underline that males are not aggressive towards others of their gender ,thus they can be housed together with females without any risk of aggression .
VIVARIUM
Glass tanks taller than they are long are perfectly suited for Uroplatus .I kept a trio in a 32x16x32 terrarium .Ventilations should be sufficient to prevent dampness stagnation and the apparition of mould and rot ,but care should be taken not to allow the vivarium to dry up too much during the day .
The substrate is made of a bottom layer of small clay balls or vermiculite to retain humidity and drain excess water at the same time .Expansed coconut fibers ,or sterilized peat ,makes up the second layer .As uroplatus vividly dive on prey ,no stone ,nor hard or sharp item should be present in the enclosure . Plants like bromeliads ,orchids ,live moss ,small ficus species should also be used to retain humidity and to provide the animals with suitable egg-laying sites .A neon tube with 5% UVB is ,in my opinion ,useful at least for the plants and I am convinced that the animals receive a non-negligible UV dose while resting on tree trunks at daytime in the wild .So it seems accurate to provide them with UV light in captivity too .It will also create a very localised “basking spot”,appreciated by gravid females for instance .Day-and night rythm should be 13 hours of lighting and 11 hours of darkness in he “hot and wet” season ,the reverse during the resting “dry” period .
Heating devices are perfectly useless if the vivarium is kept inside ,they are on top of that dangerous for the animals .If the reptile room is very cold ,8 to 15W heating carpets arranged vertically outside the reptiles environment can be used .The whole installation should also be kept away from everything that dries up the atmosphere like radiators .Above 80°F ,the Uroplatus face a thermic stress ,deadly temperatures begin at about 85°F .The ideal day range is 69-73°F and 60-67°F at night during most of the year ,and 78°F is fine in summer .
An Uroplatus exposed to high temperatures is unavoidably condemned to death .
The vivarium should be sprayed twice daily ,in the early hours of the morning and in the evening as lights are switched off .Spraying must be abundant but it is not a good idea to turn the substrate into a swamp .Hygrometry should slowly go down during the day and come to a peak again at night .Uroplatus with insufficient humidity soon dehydrate and meet severe shedding troubles.
FOOD AND FEEDING
Uroplatus sikorae are mainly insect-eaters .Dead prey will never be accepted ,as far as my experience goes .For lean animals or gravid females ,a living pink mice a month is benefic .They also love small snails and can thus absorb the calcium from snail shells ,which is good for pregnant females or just after egg-laying .The best size for snails is around ½ inch (shell diameter) .
All food insects are properly gut-loaded and given every two days .I don’t use a feeding dish ,I prefer leaving the insects wandering in the vivarium or giving them with tweezers .They are generously coated with Miner-All I on every feeding and every fornight I add extra vitamins in a small amount .Bimaculatus ,grasshoppers ,cockroaches ,waxmoths larvae ,morios are equally accepted.Uroplatus are voracious eaters once acclimated.
BREEDING
As I previously said ,courtship begins shortly after the beginning of the rise of temperatues and humidity .A resting period in the winter month (for the North hemisphere ) is therefore necessary ,as well as for the welfare of the animals .Mating is gentle and I did not witness any biting from males .
There are 3 to 5 clutches a year ,and amphigonia retardata enable the females to be fertilized for several clutches .Eggs are either buried in the substrate ,or in the pots holding the plants ,and are rather soft-shelled ,about ¾ inch long ,and bright white .Female roll them between their hind feet to make earth particles adhere to their surface. Clutches occur at a 4-6 week intervals and females should be well-fed (snails ,pink mice )and supplemented with high doses of calcium afterwards .Eggs ,without being turned ,are transfered with care into an incubator.Young females tend to lay a single egg but two is the common rule .The incubator is made of a plastic cricket box filled with small clay granulate or vermiculite ,laid on a weak-powered heating device (carpet or cable ) ,15W is sufficient .Eggs are half-buried in the substrate which must be very wet .Heating is stopped at night for 10 hours and during the day the incubation temperature vary from 72 to 78°F and a constant hygrometry of 85%-90% .It is harmful for the eggs to receive drops from condensation.Babies hatch after an average incubation duration of 75-90 days .Their basic requirements are the same as for adults but they are extremely fragile ,measuring around 2 inches (SVL ) and should be transfered in 8x8x12 inches individual terrariums for a better monitoring of their health and growth .They are not offered vitamins until 3 months old and their basic diet is made of small crickets coated with Miner-All I and sometimes tiny snails offered every evening .They are even more vulnerable to the lack of humidity and high temperatures than the adults ,so it is better to keep them under 75°F .
LEGAL STATUS
Since October 2004 ,all Uroplatus species are considered as endangered by the Washington Convention ,thus being classified as Annex II of the CITES treaty .
CORKBARK LEAFTAIL
Uroplatus pietschmanni (Cork Bark Leaftail Gecko)
This is a caresheet given to me, original author unknown - all credit to whomever wrote it with my thanks.
Corkbark Geckos (U. pietschmanni):
Along with U. henkeli, U. pietschmanni are amonge the easier Uroplatus geckos to care for. While cool temperatures and humidity are important, as they are with all Uroplatus, U. pietschmanni can tolerate a wider range that some other species.
TEMPERATURE: Temperatures in the high 60s to high 70's are best with a day/night fluctuation. My U. pietschmanni have tolerated nighttime lows to 60 degrees and daytime highs to 84 degrees with no ill effects, but these extremes should not be prolonged.
HUMIDITY: Overall, U. pietschmanni like a humid cage, but not a dank, moist one. The substrate should never become water logged or muddy. because this will lead to bacterial infections. The cage should be thoroughly misted at least once in the evening, and the surfaces of the cage and its furniture should be allowed to dry during the day so that there is no standing water left.
I keep a pair in a well ventilated cage (36H x 20 x 20 inches with a screen on the top and on one side). The cage has several inches of topsoil in the bottom and is well planted, so it holds humidity. I mist the cage thoroughly~~very thoroughly~~ every evening.
Water droplets remain until morning, but during the day the cage dries so that no water droplest are visible. This regime seems to be working well.
FURNITURE: They like thick branches to climb and sturdy broadleafed plants.
FOOD: In my experience, Uroplatus geckos will only eat bugs that have legs, ie., no worms, grubs or caterpillars like mealworms, waxworms or silkworms. My U. Pietschmanni eat mostly crickets, and also receive occasional roaches and moths. I have found that new imports like moths. They must recognize them from back home. They are hardy eaters and don't refuse food. Since I have laying females, I lightly dust nearly every feeding with a calcium supplement, and I add a vitamin supplement about once per week.
BREEDING: I have found that females breed and lay fertile eggs when pairs are housed individually. I recently moved two pairs into a large community cage and now most of the eggs are infertile. This change could be for a variety of reasons. All I can say is that I had better breeding success when the pairs were housed individually.
A female will lay two eggs about every 6 weeks or so. The eggs are brittle, white spheres (amazingly large). I have had hatching success in the following incubator: plastic container with small holes for ventilation; moist vermiculite to sustain humidity; sponge on top of the vermiculite with dimples cut into it in which the eggs rest. Even this arrangement sometimes proved to be too moist as moisture permeated the sponge from the vermiculite. So, I cut a piece from a plastic bag with the same dimensions as the sponge and placed it between the sponge and the vermiculite. Hence, the eggs like a humid environment, but direct contact with moisture quickly drowns them.
Eggs hatch in about 3 months. After a few clutches the female should be separated from the maile and given a couple months to rest.
HATCHLINGS: The hatchlings can be kept like the adults but in a small cage so that food is easily accessible (5 gallon glass terrarium with screen top). The hatchlings shed within their first day of life outside the egg (sometimes within the first hour). They can eat small crickets (3/16 to 1/4 inch.)
PERSONALITY: Females tend to be calmer than the males, and will occasionally eat a cricket from my fingers. Males are more anxious. At night, U. pietschmanni are more active and perky than most other Uroplatus and occasionally vocalize. They are not a shy gecko. I don't recommend handling them, but they become accustomed to their keeper and don't disappear into the foliage just because you are in the room.
This is a caresheet given to me, original author unknown - all credit to whomever wrote it with my thanks.
Corkbark Geckos (U. pietschmanni):
Along with U. henkeli, U. pietschmanni are amonge the easier Uroplatus geckos to care for. While cool temperatures and humidity are important, as they are with all Uroplatus, U. pietschmanni can tolerate a wider range that some other species.
TEMPERATURE: Temperatures in the high 60s to high 70's are best with a day/night fluctuation. My U. pietschmanni have tolerated nighttime lows to 60 degrees and daytime highs to 84 degrees with no ill effects, but these extremes should not be prolonged.
HUMIDITY: Overall, U. pietschmanni like a humid cage, but not a dank, moist one. The substrate should never become water logged or muddy. because this will lead to bacterial infections. The cage should be thoroughly misted at least once in the evening, and the surfaces of the cage and its furniture should be allowed to dry during the day so that there is no standing water left.
I keep a pair in a well ventilated cage (36H x 20 x 20 inches with a screen on the top and on one side). The cage has several inches of topsoil in the bottom and is well planted, so it holds humidity. I mist the cage thoroughly~~very thoroughly~~ every evening.
Water droplets remain until morning, but during the day the cage dries so that no water droplest are visible. This regime seems to be working well.
FURNITURE: They like thick branches to climb and sturdy broadleafed plants.
FOOD: In my experience, Uroplatus geckos will only eat bugs that have legs, ie., no worms, grubs or caterpillars like mealworms, waxworms or silkworms. My U. Pietschmanni eat mostly crickets, and also receive occasional roaches and moths. I have found that new imports like moths. They must recognize them from back home. They are hardy eaters and don't refuse food. Since I have laying females, I lightly dust nearly every feeding with a calcium supplement, and I add a vitamin supplement about once per week.
BREEDING: I have found that females breed and lay fertile eggs when pairs are housed individually. I recently moved two pairs into a large community cage and now most of the eggs are infertile. This change could be for a variety of reasons. All I can say is that I had better breeding success when the pairs were housed individually.
A female will lay two eggs about every 6 weeks or so. The eggs are brittle, white spheres (amazingly large). I have had hatching success in the following incubator: plastic container with small holes for ventilation; moist vermiculite to sustain humidity; sponge on top of the vermiculite with dimples cut into it in which the eggs rest. Even this arrangement sometimes proved to be too moist as moisture permeated the sponge from the vermiculite. So, I cut a piece from a plastic bag with the same dimensions as the sponge and placed it between the sponge and the vermiculite. Hence, the eggs like a humid environment, but direct contact with moisture quickly drowns them.
Eggs hatch in about 3 months. After a few clutches the female should be separated from the maile and given a couple months to rest.
HATCHLINGS: The hatchlings can be kept like the adults but in a small cage so that food is easily accessible (5 gallon glass terrarium with screen top). The hatchlings shed within their first day of life outside the egg (sometimes within the first hour). They can eat small crickets (3/16 to 1/4 inch.)
PERSONALITY: Females tend to be calmer than the males, and will occasionally eat a cricket from my fingers. Males are more anxious. At night, U. pietschmanni are more active and perky than most other Uroplatus and occasionally vocalize. They are not a shy gecko. I don't recommend handling them, but they become accustomed to their keeper and don't disappear into the foliage just because you are in the room.
GETTING GECKOS OFF THE WALLS
Henkel's Leaf-Tail Gecko, Uroplatus henkeli :
http://users.eastlink.ca/~nshs/care_hleaftail.htm
Eyelash, Satanic Leaftail Gecko Care
http://www.forums.repashy.com/uroplatus-discussion/3278-uroplatus-phantasticus-care-sheet.html
Henkel's Leaf-Tail Gecko, Uroplatus henkeli :
http://users.eastlink.ca/~nshs/care_hleaftail.htm
Eyelash, Satanic Leaftail Gecko Care
http://www.forums.repashy.com/uroplatus-discussion/3278-uroplatus-phantasticus-care-sheet.html
