knob tail husbandry

[ihaveherps]

Hi everyone,

I have been doing some research before jumping in the deep end, and since i have not kept geckoes before some of the information seems to be strange to my way of thinking. So i was wondering if you guys and gals could confirm some of the queries i still have. Such as:

Being nocturnal they dont require any UV, not even a black-light?
I thought they were of mostly arid regions yet high humidity area needs to be supplied?
Is it suggested to run a normal fluro to simulate photoperiod?
From experience is it better to heat the substrate rather than use globes?
What are some reccomended gecko books?

I appreciate your assistance as i want to provide the best habitat possible.
Simon

 

[Saz]

Hi Simon,

They can be successfully kept and bred in captivity without UV. Although a UV light wouldn't harm them, they hide all day until just after sunset, so they wouldn't come out of their hides when the UV light was on anyway!

In the wild, they dig themselves burrows (Levis and subsp. of Levis) and block themselves in which keeps all the moisture in the burrows. Therefore they need a hide box which is kept moist. Either that or give them deep enough sand one end to burrow in. The sand would obviously need to be kept moist. Amyae and the like are more tolerant of dry conditions, but I also give them a humid hide and they use it as much as their dry hide.

I don't have a fluro on them at all as they get natural light in room they are in. Thankfully my gecko room doesn't get direct sunlight any time of the day, so I leave the blinds open all the time.

It is more natural to them to heat the substrate rather than providing a heat lamp. They don't bask in the sun (which is what a heat lamp simulates). They emerge from their burrows soon after sunset when the sand is still warm from the sun. They bask on the warm sand, so heating the sand is much more natural for them.

I don't have any geckos books, so I can't help you there.

Hope I've been of some help. I'm sure there are some much more experienced herpers out there who can be of more assistance than I can!

:0)

 

[ihaveherps]

Thanks Saz, i just needed to know that the info i had found was correct, and seeing that Mr Crankypants thrives in these conditions, i will be setting up as per your advice.

Thanks again for your assistance
Simon

 

[Rennie]

Hey Simon, you have a good night?

I thought they were of mostly arid regions yet high humidity area needs to be supplied?

I don't know much about them but there are a few species I've seen in Queensland that are from tropical areas. Also I read somewhere on here recently that some stay camouflaged on trees in the day so they may require UV.

 

[Saz]

That's right Rennie, the Strophurus genus are all arboreal and need to have UV provided (although some keepers just provide a D3 suppliment), but none of the Nephrurus genus can climb to any significant degree. They don't have little sucker feet like Strophurus, they have claws and are terrestrial, they don't come out of hiding until the sun goes down.

 

[Saz]

Forgot to ask Simon, what species of knob tail are you getting? Good luck with them!!

:0)

 

[ihaveherps]

not too sure yet Saz, i think i will get levis to start and get it all under control, then keep my ears open for the rest, i pretty well want all of the sub-species and am going to set up a bank of enclosures, thats why i wanted to have my info straight, because it is one thing to set up one tank wrong, but 8 or 9 would be a disaster!

Thanks again for your help!!!

 

[Saz]

Good Luck! Levis are beautiful and easy to care for. They are a good knob tail to start with. I REALLY want some N.Laevissimus, but they are so sensative and can die at the drop of a hat, so I'm going to wait until next season when I have a bit more experience behind me before purchasing any.

Make sure you post photos when you get some!