Sliding

[the moof]

Well, I guess it's been quite a while since I posted a topic on here that actually had anything to do with my animals, so I suppose it would be quite an idea to perhaps fill you in on a bit of the situation.

I obtained two young Uroplatus guentheri in February of this year. They are about the same age, give or take a week, and were approximately 3 months old when I bought them I believe. Well, now they are about 9 months old, have started vocalising on occasion, and it would seem that it is a 1.1 combination. They are misted once a day, have a UVB light, various plants and perches, as well as platforms. The cage is lined with cork bark. They are fed every day or every other day, at the moment with undusted crickets. But I have a few (perhaps noobish) questions to ask

1, Will Uroplatus eat nectar as Phelsuma do, or do they stick strictly to being carnivores?

2, At what age should I put a dish of calcium in the cage for the female?

3, I noticed a few minutes ago that my female was quite dark (she has been for a little while now) and sometimes slides when she is climbing a vertical glass surface. Could this be due to a calcium deficiency? She has not shed in 2 or 3 weeks, so I will spray more to attempt to induce that.

If I remember any more questions, I won't hesitate to ask.

Thanks a lot,
Best regards,
Mark

By the way, here's a picture from a while ago of these wonderful geckos.

 

[camo]

The darkness could be from stress. The darker the color the more stressed the animal can be. What temperature do you keep the cage at?

 

[gollum]

They are fed every day or every other day, at the moment with undusted crickets

Why undusted crickets? Babies need dust insects for me.

 

[the moof]

gollum, in response to your question, because I accidentally locked my drawer that has the dust in it, and the key was lost until very recently. Now I try to dust every, or every other time.

Camo, I don't actually know the temperature at any given time during the day. It is always warmer than my room, which is kept constantly above 23°, but I believe the problem lay in the Humidity. I wasn't spraying enough methinks. I sprayed HEAVILY last night, and she brightened up significantly. I think I was worrying for no real reason. (oh, and for future reference, I know the stress habits of most reptiles hehe. I am glad you were being thorough though )

 

[camo]

Ya, it could just be to warm and the humidity is to low. My uroplatus's enjoy much cooler temp's than my other reptiles and so I have to sort of even it out. They dont like it at all when it is warm.

Also, u said your gecko was sliding. That may be from a sheddig problem. I have had that in my adult uro pietschmanni. You can buy skin conditionar spray and that helps smooth and soften there skin which makes it easier for the animal to shed. I dont know the name of the stuff of the top of my head. If you are interested in it i can find it for you.
Thanks

 

[Koda]

Also, u said your gecko was sliding. That may be from a sheddig problem. I have had that in my adult uro pietschmanni. You can buy skin conditionar spray and that helps smooth and soften there skin which makes it easier for the animal to shed. I dont know the name of the stuff of the top of my head. If you are interested in it i can find it for you.
Thanks

T-REX Bio-Mist Skin Conditioner works well for my frogs. I'm not sure if that's what you're talking about but I thought I would throw it in there.

 

[camo]

Ya, that is the stuff I am talking about

 

[Geckoworld]

Are you still keeping the male and female together?

 

[the moof]

yeah I am.

Nah, I think i'll try to do this without chemicals for at least as long as it's not desperate. there is almost no glass in the cage, so it's alright.

best regards,
Mark