[rhachic]

Is anyone successfully breeding these guys? I almost never see them available and was wondering if they're difficult to breed or just not commonly kept. They seem like a really interesting animal!

[Riverside Reptiles]

Try doing a search on here. I know that we have/had some people working with them. And there were past posts pertaining to them. But it's been a while. So I don't recall much detail.

[rhachic]

Yeah, I've seen people that put up pics of pairs they purchased but most are very old posts. I know Tremper breeds them and it seems most people buy them from him but was curious if anyone else had recent success keeping and breeding them, preferably in the USA.

[Riverside Reptiles]

Hopefully someone will see your post and give some fresh insight. For whatever reason, they just don't seem to be worked with very often. I think they're an awesome looking gecko. Certainly one that I'd like to try my hand at one of these days.

[rhachic]

Yeah they're cool looking in pics but even sweeter in person :P A friend of mine got a pair from Tremper a few years ago so I got to see an adult pair in person. They're quick, observant, and straight up neat looking. He sold his pair though and never sucessfully bred them. I'm wondering if the biggest reason most people don't have them is because of trouble breeding or hatching them :/ I've been emailing people I see owned pairs or asked about incubating so hopefully i'll find some good information!

[Geitje]

Generally speaking, this species is rather easy to keep, not too difficult to breed initially, but in the long haul they can be problematic from a few different reasons:

1. Keeping males and females together for extended periods of time can be extrememly stressful on females.
2. Quality lighting is important in the long run.
3. Best to keep juveniles and adults individually and only periodically introduce male into female terrarium.
4. Historical tendency for this species to breed well one year and then take a year or two off and not breed.
5. This species (and all other Pristurus for that matter) only lay a single large egg, thereby cutting the reproductive potential in half when compared to other typical hard-shelled egg producing Gekkonids.
6. Females capable of producing an egg every 8 days, therefore creating a very high and strict need for superior lighting and supplementing!
7. High demand = driving value up = most are sold in advance, never publicly offered.

Pristurus are very interesting due to being largely diurnal, very active and enthusiastically waving and curling their tails. Hopefully, they'll be more available in the future.

Jon

[rhachic]

Wow, thanks for all the input as usual Jon! I've never read 1/2 of what you just explained! 1 egg every 8 days is crazy, no wonder they need great care and attention. I'm not discouraged though, just more intrigued

[sciteacher]

Thanks Jon,

Those are some super helpful tips. I lost my female this spring after she had layed about half a dozen eggs. I've got a young replacement female on hold and will be picking her up next week. Any tips on egg incubation? None of my eggs made it.

Gary

[Geitje]

Gary,

I use 16 oz plastic cups that are prepunctured for ventilation, 1" dry sand, eggs half-buried, kept dark, 82-86 F., with the addition of a single bottle cap that I keep water in during the duration of incubation.

Jon