spear-point leaf-tail housing question

[lexx]

hi everyone, i just got a job working in the reptile department in a great hobby pet store in the city. there are a pair of juvi spear-point leaf tails that have capture my interest over this past week of me taking care of them,

anyway my question is what would be a good tank size to keep a pair in?

also how interactive are these geckos. yesterday the male came out to see me in the morning when i missed them down. he crawled on my finger for a bit and then i put him back and he hung out in the foliage for the rest of the day.

thanks

 

[jeepboy_90]

I currently keep my 1.2 in an Exo-Terra 18x18x24, which seems to be working just great. I have it planted with two ficus trees and have a fake cork bark tree built into the back.

These geckos are not ment to be handled. They are more of a view through the glass type of gecko. I try to handle my geckos as little as possible and give them space.

Let me know if this helps.

 

[lexx]

thanks that helps alot, we actually carry that tank at the store and i get 25% off all products and animals.

i figured they where display animals but the interaction between us was to keep him from escaping, it was quick, i didn't hold him he just crawled over my finger a bit and then i put him back.

thanks for the info i see you have some eggs did you do anything special?

 

[bigballs]

i keep pairs in rubbermaids measuring 20x10x10. the humidity stays high and it also dims any uv light that i have going into the enclosures. i use bio-vine, cork bark and silk plants and started using aspen as a substrate which seems to be working great. i know aspen doesnt hold humdity well but inside a rubbermaid anything will do. it also absorbs the water from misting which allows me to change the substrate less frequently than using paper towels.

a 10 gallon or the exo-terra tanks would be fine but youre going to have to cover up at least half of the screen top so that you can keep up the high humidity levels that these geckos need.

i handle my geckos no problem and they still eat like crazy, shed propery and give me eggs so i dont see a problem with some handling of these animals. just dont go crazy with them because most likely the ones at your store are wild caught animals.

good luck!

 

[lessthantito]

I am pretty sure Aspen is not a good substrate for geckos

 

[bigballs]

what makes you so sure?

 

[jeepboy_90]

To get eggs from them. I try my best make the vivarium as simliar to there natrual habitat as possible. I also try to keep temp and lighting identical to those of the area in Madagascar, were they are from.

 

[lexx]

thanks for all the info everyone

i plan on creating a natural terrerium using the Exo-Terra 18x18x24 setup. i was wondering any of you guys use an under tank heat pad? i know these guys like it on the cooler side but i was just wondering. also i want to use live plants what do you guys recamend? i'm thinking on the exotic lins, something really nice looking - are orchids ok?

thanks
lexx

 

[bigballs]

they dont need any heat unless the area you are planning on keeping them in is unusually cold. temperatures of 70-75 degrees are perfect for them. they can handle up to around 82 but you wouldnt want them exposed to that type of temperature for too long. in the summer my room could hit 80 during heat waves. they could handle it but you dont want temps too high just to be on the safe side.

 

[east_coast_herps]

Spear-point leaf tails are best kept a cooler temps. temps of 80*F and above for any extended periods can stress and even kill them. they are the smallest species of the leaf tailed geckos. spear-points and satanics alike are more acustomed to and prefer a small scrub and brush habitat opposed to a tall tank set up ( a good enclosure would be a 20-30gal long aquarium) a screen top 1/2 the screen covered to maitain higher humidity levels. substrate should be coconut fiber,peat moss, or potting soil (without perlite)