Reverse Cycling for Phelsuma

[colinmelsom]

I keep my Phelsuma in a heated reptile room in a garage.This last year is the first year that I have had much successs with breeding the various species.I keep them on a regime of day and night suited to the northern hemishere where they breed in the spring,summer and autumn in the main.
I would like to put them outside in the summer[in cages] as I have spoken to various European breeders and they recommend this.My question is I guess that I would have to reverse cycle the seasons to make summer winter and vice versa as I cannot see the geckos breeding in the summer due to the cool English climate.Has anyone tried this ? Or will they breed naturally outdoors over here?I am particularly thinking about borbonica as I want to get their vivid colours back and I know that the only way will be with natural sunlight.

 

[mispentyouth]

i have also thought about putting some of my phelsuma outside in the summer to see if it enhances there colours i think ill try with some quads as they can tollerate the nightime drops ill post my findings in the summer . It would be good to know how you get on . Also do you have any youngsters available pm me

 

[PhelsumaUK]

Problem is that you've got long daylight hours but cool nights....looking forward to seeing how you get on though with breeding..Generally colours should improve (although they'll fade again when you bring them back inside). The non-permanent blue will reappear gradually but more interested to see how quickly the intensity of the reds improve. Be interested to see a photographic log if you get the chance.

 

[colinmelsom]

Sorry I did not make it very clear,I will bring them in at night as there are too many four legged visitors to my garden at night.Its a very good point about the photoperiod.Thinking about this further late summer will be best as we usually have higher temperatures in England during late summer and the daylight hours will decrease condiderably.
I know fom keeping Lacertids that you can never get the same intensity of colour under an U.V.B. bulb as you can with natural sunlight.It will be an interesting experiment.Certainly the borbonica inside are a brick red/brown rather than the bright scarlet that I have seen in some photos.