Info on G. marginata

[cindy]

Hi,

Since a couple off weeks now, I'm thinking about adding a couple off G. Marginata's to my collection. Since I'm in no hurry to purchase them, I would first like to know a bit more about keeping this species.
Since they are rather large; what would be a good tank size for two??
And since I am not quite good in keeping plants (even a cactus would die under my care...:sad; is it recommanded to use live plants, or could fake plants be just as good??

Any info regarding their behaviour in captivity would also great!
greetings,

Cindy

 

[3reptiles]

Hello! I will be keeping an eye on your thread as well. We just picked up a 9 mo old GM this weekend. We love it so far! It's acts very different from our crestie. And it really WAS turning different colors

The people we got it from had regular white printer paper on the bottom of the critter keeper and plastic plants in it. Also 2-3 toilet paper tubes for hiding. I thought the paper was weird at first. But when misted the water does stay on top for quite a while. And our little one went right for it!!

Eventually I would like to do live plants too ...

 

[Ingo]

They are rainforest dwellers and thus I do recommend a heavily planted tank. If you want, you can use fake plants, but than you have to take special care on humidity control. My marginata not only deposit their eggs in Bamboo and in bark crevices, but more tend to hide them in the leaf litter layer I use to cover my subtrate (natural soil from deciduous forests, containing a lot of microfauna which helps a lot to removedetritus and fight growth of fecal bacteria.
With respect to overall tank construction think of Phelsuma grandis and the moister variant of a good grandis setup. G. marginata grow quite large. My male has a total langth of 11.5 " and more than twice the weight of an adult Phelsuma grandis male. Thus they do need some space. A 65g tall IMHO should be the minimum. I do keep my pair together with a pair of P. grandis in a tank of 100 x 80 x 175 cm and this combo works very well for me.

This is my male:
http://www.sonyuserforum.de/galerie/details.php?image_id=75018&mode=search&

Ingo

 

[3reptiles]

That is a awesome set up! (drooling)

 

[cindy]

thanks Ingo, for your reply!!!
Now I only have to figure out, how to keep such plants alive...
Greetings,

Cindy