N.amyae:Housing as Trio or all seperated?

Happygecko

Happygecko

New member
Hi all of you!
I am new to Nephrurus spec. and I got my first amyae at the Hamm show just 2 weeks ago. I have experience in keeping Phelsuma and Paroedura picta, as well as R. ciliatus but these are my first Knob Tails so far....

I got a trio, with the older female beeing 8 months old and about 30 g in weight.
The younger female is around 14-15g and 6 months old, the male is 8 months and has around 13-14 g.

All are eating well and walk trough their enclosure at night. By now I keep all of them together. I figured I'd keep them all separated before I'll try breeding next year but the breeder told me I could keep them all together all year, since that's the way he does it, and it seems to work out fine for him.
But from other sides I heard of Amyae bitting and even killing each other. I am alarmed at that moment, not just because of the money loss that would cause but of the loss of such an amazing animal. It would really hurt me loosing one of them bc of a housing problem I have caused myself...

I just separated the smaller two in another enclosure. Now they are sitting there 1.1. and the biggest female all by herself.

I use a red desert sand from south africa (hererored), which is not 'digable'.
Is that wrong? Might that sand cause problems when swallowed with crickets?

How do you keep our amyae? as pairs all year long, or only separate in winter in order to get better breeding results and is it possible to keep two females together? Or do you keep them always by themselves and only pair them up for breeding
Someone just wrote me he keeps them as pairs, no females together, not bc of bitting but bc of better breeding outcome. And he said he separated them during winter months bc otherwise his pairs would not breed at all...

Have you had problems yet with amyae bitting each other?

I hope you can help me, since I just wanna do everything as right as possible, and not loose one of them....

Thank you for reading.... Cindy

Here some pics:





the sand we use:


the set up:
 
Casey Lazik

Casey Lazik

New member
I think it may be best to keep them separated, especially since the size differences you have with your group. It is much easier to monitor how much they eat this way. I think the presence of a larger gecko(s) may stress the smaller amyae out. Most geckos I've kept seemed stressed by larger geckos in their enclosures.
I put mine together for breeding only. I used to keep colonies of one male and two to three females in a large enclosure years ago. I found it was difficult to determine how much each gecko ate so I started keeping them one per enclosure. I did not see any aggressive behavior towards each other while they were caged together. There was not so much of a size difference among individuals in the groups, however.

The only biting between two amyae I have observed is during breeding. The male biting and holding the female, usually on the back of her neck. I've seen unwilling females nip the exceptionally amorous male on occasion. This is usually as a last resort to get him to leave her alone.

I wouldn't worry about the sand you use. I have used sand from many areas that I gathered without any problems. I think the sand from Africa is probably most like the sand from Australia anyway, although amyae come from rocky areas where the ground is hard pan or rocky.

I keep my amyae in a very simple set-up. Each box in a rack with heat from underneath. The cage having a light amount of sand and one hide box.

Your set-up looks great! Providing as many hiding places as you have may give your geckos the security they need, if you choose to keep them together.

Best of luck!

Casey Lazik
 
Happygecko

Happygecko

New member
Thank you luc and especially Casey for your answers!

Since I was alarmed I contacted my breeder again and asked him all my questions. He answered me he never had any problems with aggression either during the years, and he keeps all his amyae in enclosures the size I choose which is 100x50 or 100x60 cm. He also kept trios without problems in those enclosures.

He also told me he never had problems with that sand I am using and the asian breeder he got all his amyae from never had such problems either.

That made me cool down ;-)
But I will have the smaller two guys separated and when one becomes bigger than the other, or eats more so the other is having stress I will separate them as well.
Maybe then we will separate the big 100x60 enclosure in two halves.
That should still be ok then for one amyae with the size of 50x60 cm isn't it?

I really wanted to make a more naturalistic enclosure! I am glad you liked it Casey!

Thank you for your help!

Cindy
 
Casey Lazik

Casey Lazik

New member
Happygecko said:
Thank you luc and especially Casey for your answers!
Maybe then we will separate the big 100x60 enclosure in two halves.
That should still be ok then for one amyae with the size of 50x60 cm isn't it

Cindy
Click to expand...

You're welcome! :)

I think that is plenty of room for one (50x60 cm).

Best wishes!

Casey
 
C

Charles

New member
Hi Cindy,

Better for you to seperate them like what Casey said.


Charles
P.S. We never buy Knob tailed Geckos from Asian breeder if we have choice
 
Happygecko

Happygecko

New member
Hi Charles!

Thanks for your reply...

I bought mine from a european breeder, but he bought his from asia.

But is there a special reason to your statement, why you would choose not to buy from asian breeders?

regards

Cindy
 
Ira

Ira

New member
luc said:
??? Why, check this site Kin's knob-tailed geckos he's from hong kong and one of the best breeders of knobtails in the world i've been told. I think Cindy's geckos are probably from his bloodlines.
Click to expand...

There are some breeders that send large orders to asian importers who re-sell them. On the other hand Kin is a great guy!
 
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