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By Ira at 05/29/2008 - 15:02
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Thick tailed or Barking gecko(Underwoodisaurus milii)
Size and Weight
Females are generally larger than males in this species. My females are around 4 inches (~10cm) excluding the tail, with the male 3.5 inches (~9cm) excluding the tail. The weight varies depending on the size of the animal, however above 30 grams is a healthy size for an adult.
Geographical distribution
There are actually two physically distinct types of U. milii. The eastern and the southern localities. I'm writing this care sheet with the southern locale in mind because it is the most abundant in herpetoculture today. The distribution of U. milii is from coast to coast, they can be found along the south of the country in a band that stretches from the east coast through to the west coast.
Specie Description
Underwoodisaurus milii has grown immensely in popularity as the species has become more available in the US and European union. Underwoodisaurus milii is a medium to large sized terrestrial lizard inhabiting multiple locations and habitats of the Australian continent. In the wild U. milii have a brown colored background with yellow to white spots scattered across the back of the animal. Around the neck there is usually an aggregation of these spots resembling a collar.
Sexing
Adult U. milii are easily sexable. Males generally have a thicker body structure, however the obvious way to sex them is a male will have hemi penal bulges at the base of the tail that are obviously lacking in a female. Sexing juveniles is fairly difficult until they reach at least 6 months of age.
Natural Habitat
Of the many gekkonid species endemic to the wilds of Australia, the genus underwoodisaurus and Nephrurus have generated an immense amount of interest in the reptile community. There are two species of recognized Underwoodisaurus, U. milii and U. sphyrurus. These geckos generally have a large head and robustly thick tail. U. milii are found over the entire continent of Australia and in a variety of habitats. Generally they inhabit semi-arid scrublands.
Longevity
In captivity this gecko can live upwards of 8-10 years. Breeding females usually peak around 5 years.
Temperature
With U. milii habitat variations, so does the temperatures they inhabit. In captivity I keep my milii around 84 (28.8C) degrees with a hot spot around 88 (31C). This has worked well for me. At night the temperatures drop around 5 degrees.
Food
A wide variety of prey items are accepted by this species. A staple of crickets or roaches is generally used because it is readily accepted by the gecko. To vary the diet, I offer wax worms, silk worms, and mealworms occasionally. Most of the time the only other prey item accepted is an occasional wax worm. I have never had a female large enough that I felt comfortable offering a pinky mouse to.
I've also never observed any of these guys drinking from standing water. I mist their enclosure lightly every 2-3 days at night.
Captive Environment
The captive environment of U. milii can be extravagantly creative or basic. I house all of my U. milii on jurassic sand or a jurassic sand/peat moss mixture and I highly recommend it. This species does not burrow and therefor does not need more than an inch of substrate. Hide boxes are important because this is a nocturnal species. The more the better but at least two per animal is adequate. A pair can be housed in an enclosure that has at least 200 square inches of floor space. Something to note is this species is curious and loves to explore its habitat, the more care furniture the better.
Breeding
Breeding usually occurs after a brumation period of around 2 months. In the late winter-early spring, adults are warmed and introduced to the male. Once together the male will usually go after the female in question. If she is receptive, she will raise her tail straight into the air and flatten her stomach close to the substrate.
Incubation
Incubation of U. milii eggs takes anywhere from 40-75 days at a temperature of 82 (27C) degrees. I use a moist perlite mix.
Juveniles
Care for juveniles is the same as adults. Once they hatch I keep them on a paper towel substrate for 2 months, then I move them to the normal substrate.
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