[Taito]

Hi all!

I've been wathing this great forum for a while and now I registered.

I would like to start up with a question: I'm interested in keeping Strophurus taenicauda soon and would like to know if there is something special I should think about before.

Background: I'm constructing a terrarium of 50/60/110 cm b/w/h, illuminated by 2 x 24 W T5 ho and a BS desert 70 W, rain machine for some soft rain every evening. Temp. will be 30-34 °C during the day (with 25 °C areas also) and 20-24 °C during night. Decoration: branches, twigs, roots, some flat stones on the sandy ground. Plants: Some Haworthia sp., maybe also Aloe sp. and some dry area Tillandsia sp. on walls and branches. The walls are covered with grayish to pale yellow tile grout. Do I need small caves or cork branch-tubes?

I have experience in keeping Lygodactylus, Phelsuma and Chondrodactylus species.

Hints and constructive critics are welcome.

[python1324]

I think this will make a nice natural terrarium. I think a hollow cork bark would have more use than a cave on the ground. Maybe keep the ground level plants potted with the pots out of site buried under the sand for easy cleaning. I personally hand mist all my terrariums that have sand substrate. Be careful not to let the sand get too saturated, it should be able to dry out completely.

[Taito]

Thanks for reply!

Ok, I have a nice hollow cork bark lying around. I will use it. If the sand should dry out every day this means that I have to water the plants seperately from time to time, right? In this case I think also that it is better to keep them invisibly potted.

[oli]

taenicauda like it hot and dry. they really do not need any hides such as tubes as they will 'hide' on twigs in the open which is nice as you will always get to see them. I don't know how they will do if the air is too humid honestly so be careful with that and the mister

[docwade87]

I am having trouble finding good solid info on this species besides basic husbandry. I have a few questions.....
1) Do you use a lay box for the females and if so what do you use?
2) Can you keep a pair or trio together year round even during off season without the male trying to overbreed or stress the female out? What are the incubation requirements (substrate, humidity, temps)?

Thanks
Chris

[Graham_s]

It is generally accepted as being an essential part of breeding/husbandry to separate them and cool them over winter. I have heard that females don't cope very well if they aren't separated and cooled.

[docwade87]

Cool I thought that was probably recommended for this species. Does anyone know about lay boxes and incubation?

[siebel]

Hi,
I use succesfully plastic boxes (approximately 10cmx10cmx8cm) with a slightly damp mixture of cocos humus and sand (1:1, 5 cm high) for all my Strophurus species. The boxes are covered with a flat piece of corc with a hole of 3 cm in diameter to enter the boxes.
I incubate the eggs in a damp ceramic granulate (the brand in Germany is "Seramis", it has a small particle size of about 3...5mm) at 27-28 grades permanently.

Regards, Hanno

[docwade87]

awesome thank you!, how long are your incubation times at those temperatures? and I assume you produce mostly males at these temperatures?

[siebel]

Hi, yes you are right. Last season I had a substantial surplus of males . The incubation time was about 60...62 days at this temperature. The coming season I will try 26 grades.(expected incubation time is 65-68 days).

Regards, Hanno