[robk]

Hi All,

I am looking for information on how people set-up their Chondrodactylus angulifer for breeding.
* Temps
* Lighting and Photoperiod
* Laying sites. Deep substrate all over, or laying tubs.

Any input appreciated.

Many thanks

Rob

[mat.si]

Hi Rob!
I'm a little busy right now, but here's a very short "care sheet" I wrote for people who got my angulifer babies.

Chondrodactylus angulifer angulifer:
I keep my animals singly on a sand substrate about 5 cm deep.
They dig around a lot, so keeping them singly ensures that the male doesn't destroy the eggs during the breeding season. (Eggs are very big and VERY fragile!) I only keep them in pairs for a month or so, before the female starts laying eggs.
I use two heavy clay shelters per terrarium, which are not so easily moved around by animals like plastic hiding places.
I also add at least two tunnel shaped pieces of cork to conceal the entrances to the hiding places, so the animals feel more secure. One part of the sand (one shelter) is kept constantly moist. Small dish with water is available at all times
The temperatures are about 25 to 32 C during the day and about 20 to 22 C at night.
I use full spectrum tube for light and heating cable to heat the drier part of the terrarium.
For breeding adults I turn the heating off during December and January and keep them at room temperatures.
Photoperiod is about 12 hours in the summer and is shortened to about 8 hours during winter.

They will eat anything that moves, although they are a bit clumsy at catching fast insects.
Adult animals prefer larger prey items. I feed them with three species of crickets (they prefer big G. assimilis) and two species of roaches (B. dubia, S. tartara (lateralis))
They can also be fed by tweezers about twice per week. Females have to be fed almost daily during the breeding season.
They also need a lot of calcium for egg production, so besides regular dusting of insects, Sepia (cuttlefish) bone shavings should also be offered to breeding females in shallow dishes.

Babies and young animals are kept the same way, but in smaller terrariums.
Young animals sometimes have problems catching crickets, so I always make sure they eat by giving them at least one or two insects from tweezers and then put a few more in the terrarium.

I hope this helps a bit.

Regards, Matjaz

[robk]

Hi Matjaz,

Thankyou for the info.
Where do you generally find the eggs in this set-up?

Rob

[mat.si]

Females usually lay eggs under the warm shelter.
A lot of digging activity and moved sand indicates that the eggs have been laid.

Matjaz