Beaked Geckos (Rhynchoedura ornata)

[moloch]

I found five Beaked Geckos (Rhynchoedura ornata) in this dry grassland on red sand. One was found while I explored the area on foot soon after dark but the other four were found while night-driving.

These were fast running geckos that were easy to loose from view. Beaked Geckos have a strangely shaped head that somewhat resembles a bird when viewed from the front. They seem as if they would have a specialized diet but my books do not indicate what this would be.

Gecko 1

Gecko 2

Are these geckos kept in captivity? I don't recall seeing any posts of these to the Geckophiles forum.

 

[kanopy]

"They seem as if they would have a specialized diet"
Yes they are termits specialist. They had been kept in europe in captivity but I'm not sure they still are.
Fred

 

[Tariq Stark]

It was also my understanding that they are termite specialist. Excellent pictures! You're a lucky man. I wish we had geckos in the wild here in Holland. Oh, well we have some wonderfull reptiles here.

Tariq

 

[EMS]

Again wonderfull photos. They ( landscape photos) are very informative, the pictures of the geckos are excellent!!!
Good work!
Show us more geckos with their habitats!

EMS

 

[Ken Bartenfeld]

I agree with everyone else, they are really interesting looking geckos. Thanks for the habitat shots!

 

[markvij]

Again, great pictures!

Thanks for sharing
Mark

 

[geckodan]

Are these geckos kept in captivity?

I've had a group going for close to 9 years now. The feed exclusively on termites but are a great species otherwise. Very similar to Byrneii in many respects.

 

[Justin]

i love this species.

 

[Ari]

Just curious has anybody actually tried to wean them of termites and onto say crickets? I was thinking crickets with hopper legs removed & slightly dusted may somewhat resemble termites to a degree.

Furthermore juveniles bred incaptivity instantly offered crickets as first choose of food, would they not know any different?

This is rather interesting any feed back or experiences trying the above would be great to know.

Cheers all

 

[geckodan]

Generally, they are just not interested. My captive bred juvies would rather starve than eat pinhead crickets. Even scenting pinhead crickets with termites never worked as they would follow, grab and then spit out. Diplo conspiccilatus on the other hand will take termite scented crickets and eventually crickets on their own. I still feed termites anyway as they are just so easy to feed that everybody gets them.

 

[Ari]

Thanks Danny

Very interesting - I guess termites are a easier & cheaper source of food anyway as its just a matter of going out in the bush and getting some. Being up here in Cairns termite mounds particularly on the tablelands are very abundant. Someone told me that the termites in the high mounds of red sand dont eat wood - strange - is that correct?

 

[Ari]

Sorry Danny forgot to ask - what about D.Stenodactylus, are they ok converting to crickets or similar to R. Ornata? I think there common name is Sands Plain gecko is that right? The reason for so many questions is I am looking for a more challenging species to trial.

 

[geckodan]

Steno's eat anything you put in front of them. Rynchies are definately the most challenging species, next would be Pseudothecadactylus.

 

[Tariq Stark]

Steno's eat anything you put in front of them. Rynchies are definately the most challenging species, next would be Pseudothecadactylus.

Danny,

What is it that makes Pseudothecadactylus challenging? It like to keep these guys one day (even though it would be difficult I suppose because I'm from the Netherlands).

Tariq

 

[kanopy]

"Generally, they are just not interested. My captive bred juvies would rather starve than eat pinhead crickets. Even scenting pinhead crickets with termites never worked as they would follow, grab and then spit out. Diplo conspiccilatus on the other hand will take termite scented crickets and eventually crickets on their own. I still feed termites anyway as they are just so easy to feed that everybody gets them."

Interesting facts Danny.
We have had the accurate opposite experience with both species:
Not so many problems to feed R.ornata but nearly impossible to make D.conspicillatus eat something else than termites. Nevertheless termites are by far harder to get here.
Fred

 

[Ubergecko]

I kept two male D.conspicillatus for a little more then six years. Both of them would eat crickets on a regular basis. I did have to pull off the hind legs and the feelers from the crickets though. I noticed they both hated being touch in the face by them. They would lose interest in feeding right away. I never could breed them though, since no females were ever around.

Al

 

[geckodan]

We have had the accurate opposite experience with both species:

Both Rynch and conspicc did not occur in our system until I collected them on licence in 1998 and 2003. I would expect it would depend a lot on what they were eating when you got them so ours have a distinct preference for more natural diets. Did you do anything special to get your rynchs onto crickets.

Pseudothecadactylus are challenging because 90% of the problem is stopping them killing each other long enough to mate. Cranky little buggers.

 

[kanopy]

Did you do anything special to get your rynchs onto crickets.

Not really, several years ago a friend of mine had the opportunity to get some R.ornata, those were emaciated when he got them but they readily accepted "undersized" crickets with leggs off.
I hoped this method would have been succefull with D.conspicillatus but that's not the case. I will try to offer them termite scented crickets but I'm not really optimist.
..I will let you know.

Fred

 

[geckodan]

I was also able to get conspic to take termite scented waxworms and maggots. I think its the slow steady movement they recognise. A half legless cricket would certainly be a little slower.

 

[Ubergecko]

In the states we are able to get a small species of mealworm. My animals would also take these on occasion, but not like the crickets or termites.

Al