Nov 21, 2007
Albany -- In June of 2007, Chehaw Assistant Curator Ben Roberts became involved with the Population Management Plan for Uroplatus geckos. This species is common to the island of Madagascar and Chehaw is one of five AZA institutions housing 22 Uroplatus phantasticus.
Chehaw chose this particular species for both the size of their population and lack of participation in other AZA zoos. So far only a couple of institutions have bred them and over-all breeding remains problematic at best.
The population manager recommended that the Chehaw purchase two pairs of wild caught leaf-tailed geckos and during the week of August 22, 2007 one of the females laid a pair of eggs. In the wild, they will lay two eggs at the base of the tree or bush they live in, one to two times per year. The gestation period can be somewhat variable, averaging two to three months.
The eggs were incubating at 68 -74 degrees in a deli cup lined with moist sphagnum moss on a shelf in the clinic office for about twelve weeks before the eggs began to hatch. Only one hatched successfully and will be fed fruit flies and 1/8th" crickets.
The adult lizards are now on exhibit in the reptile house and the hatchling is being housed off exhibit until the Population Management group makes a recommendation for future housing.
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Albany -- In June of 2007, Chehaw Assistant Curator Ben Roberts became involved with the Population Management Plan for Uroplatus geckos. This species is common to the island of Madagascar and Chehaw is one of five AZA institutions housing 22 Uroplatus phantasticus.
Chehaw chose this particular species for both the size of their population and lack of participation in other AZA zoos. So far only a couple of institutions have bred them and over-all breeding remains problematic at best.
The population manager recommended that the Chehaw purchase two pairs of wild caught leaf-tailed geckos and during the week of August 22, 2007 one of the females laid a pair of eggs. In the wild, they will lay two eggs at the base of the tree or bush they live in, one to two times per year. The gestation period can be somewhat variable, averaging two to three months.
The eggs were incubating at 68 -74 degrees in a deli cup lined with moist sphagnum moss on a shelf in the clinic office for about twelve weeks before the eggs began to hatch. Only one hatched successfully and will be fed fruit flies and 1/8th" crickets.
The adult lizards are now on exhibit in the reptile house and the hatchling is being housed off exhibit until the Population Management group makes a recommendation for future housing.
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