Coleonyx Mitratus Care
Range:
coleonyx mitratus come from south america..
Selection:
When selecting your gecko look for obvious signs
of health. The gecko should be alert and if possible try and see the lizard
feed. Make sure the gecko is captive bred and not imported. With the massive
quantities of geckos being produced by captive breeders each year this
shouldn't be a problem.
Appearance:
\Mitratus geckos are a medium gecko with a slender
build,Adults can grow to be 6-7 inches . Juvenile geckos have a
striped pattern that fades with age. They differ from many geckos in that
they have eyelids and are terrestrial , meaning they can't walk up vertical
sufaces.
Housing:
An aquarium is a perfect home although many people
have success with plastic sweater boxes. Since they are a terrestrial species,
a long aquarium is better than a high one. A 20 gallon long aquarium is
adequate for 3 or 4 geckos. Make sure that you only have one male per enclosure
as males will fight each other. The substrate can be anything from bark
mulch or coco bedding(ground up coconut shells).A mixture of 25% sand,25%
bark and 50% coco fiber creates the most natural setup, and you can
buy these materials from most pet stores and sometimes at a good hardware
store. Rocks and logs can make the terrarium more natural looking and they
provide your lizards with places to climb and get exercise. A hide box
is also recommended for each lizard for use in times or conflict and for
sleeping.We suggest paper towels until they are atleast 6 months old this
reduces the chance of impaction.
Lighting and Temperature:
Mitraus geckos are a nocturnal species so no
form of UV lighting is necessary.Although you can put a spot light with
a low wattage bulb on the tank to simulate day and night cycle. Daytime
temperatures should be around 85on the hottest side and 72 on the cool
side. The nighttime temps can go down in the low 60s.Mitratus do require
somewhat of a high humidity around 50-60% is perfect We feel
that it's best to provide any reptile with a temperature gradient and let
them regulate their temperature.
With the use of undertank heatpads be sure to
only put the pad under 1/3 of the tank to allow for a temperature gradient
also it is a good idea to use a thermostat so you can more closely monitor
temperature.NEVER USE HEAT ROCKS THEY CAUSE THERMAL BURNS!
Feeding and Watering:
Mitratus geckos will thrive on insects. A diet
of crickets along with occasional waxworms and mealworms make a good diet.
Adult geckos can also be fed Beetles at times . Juveniles can be feed every
day and adults every other day. Supplementation is a must for mitratus
geckos. Two supplements should be used: one that is just calcium/D3 and
another that is a reptile multivitamin.We recomend sticky tongue farms
miner-all 0 . Juveniles should be supplemented at every feeding and adults
at every other feeding. Gravid females should also be supplemented at every
feeding to make up for the large nutritional depletion caused by egg laying.
Insects can be coated with these supplements and it's always a good idea
to feed the insects a high quality diet so as to "gut-load" them and increase
their nutritional value.
A shallow water dish should be provided at all
times and changed daily to stop bacteria and fungus growth. Allowing mitratus
geckos access to a moist area That has no light coming through is
a good idea that aids in proper breeding activity . . Make sure that the
overall cage isn't wet or overly humid
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