Sphaerodactylus torrei - Information please??

[oeamon]

As a newbie, I was just reading the latest topics when I came across the ad for Gekkoni Day. The pictures of Sphaerodactylus torrei really amazed me. I tried a google search and didn't come up with alot of information... Searching the forums yielded that a book on caring for them but I don't read German :biggrin:

Can anyone tell me more about these amazingly colored geckos? Are they ever available in the US?

Thanks

 

[Michel14]

Hi,
maybe I can just help you a bit?!
Actually, I don't keep Sph. torrei but Sph.nigropunctatus.
However, the conditions are nearly the same. They just need a small terrarium, i.e. 30x30x30 centimetres will do.
I keep my pair in a larger terrarium (50x40x50) together with a young pair of Gonatodes caudiscutatus. The temperature varies between 22 and 30 degrees Celcius (sorry, I don't know what that is in Fahrenheit), humidity between 60 and 80 degrees.
In comparison to Lygodactylus they are shy. Mostly, they hide during the day and hunt at dawn. They feed from small crickets, flies, small spiders etc.
I saw at least ten pairs of splendid Sph.torrei at the last Hamm show here in Germany, but I don't know if anybody of the US who was there brought some of them back???
I hope I could have helped you just a bit.
Bye
Michael

 

[oeamon]

Michael-

Thank you very much for the information. It was very helpful. I keep lygodactylus and phelsuma, so it sounds like the conditions are similar. I'm assuming they would enjoy a thickly planted tank because they sound shy. I'll keep an eye out for offerings here in the US. Thanks again!

 

[Michel14]

Hi again,
exactly. Although they don't need sun spots necessarily, I've never seen my Sphaerodactylus sunbathing. Keep my fingers crossed for you. They're really interesting and amazing species.
Bye Michael

 

[Ken Bartenfeld]

S. torrei are some awesome critters. I have a loan female and searching for a male...all in good time. Rearing young though I've found with Sphaeros are quite tricky, but once you get the hang of it it's all timing ;-)

Take Care,
Ken

 

[Douwe]

I know you can't read German but there is a lot of information on Torrei and other small geckos on the site below.

Willkommen auf www.zwerggeckos.com

I. or Michel i guess, will be happy to translate some of it if you have any questions though I guess Michel explained the most important parts of it already. Torrei are also on my wishlist.

Grts Douwe

 

[oeamon]

Thank you Douwe! I was able to translate those web pages through Google translate. Interesting translation but I get the gist of it.

Thank you again for the valuable information.