# southern leaf-tailed gecko requirements



## Reptilegirl (Feb 15, 2006)

g'day all
just wondering about the requirements of the southern leaf-tailed gecko (saltuarius swaini)
cheers
Megz


----------



## MrBredli (Feb 15, 2006)

Phyllurus platurus is commonly known as Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko. I think Saltuarius swaini is commonly referred to as Northern Leaf-tailed Gecko? Either way i think their requirements are the same, no heating required, room temperature is fine. Small cage 2ft is ok, lots of hiding places, logs, rocks, crevices etc. Feed mainly on crickets dusted with calcium etc. Mist cage daily. Too easy.


----------



## Saz (Feb 15, 2006)

Swaini like it cool, 20 - 25 degrees, with high humidity. Leave moist sphagnum moss in the enclosure and mist daily. I use an exo-terra mist machine for my pair, which raises the humidity. I feed mine large crix. They are huge geckos (about 20cm) so I always give them about 10 between them and they clean up every single one. I feed mine 3 times a week.

No heating required, calcium suppliment should be given, uv light may be beneficial, climbing vines are great for them. Standard two foot enclosure is fine as they don't move around much!

:0)


----------



## Reptilegirl (Feb 15, 2006)

bloody common names.. :lol: everwhere i've looked.. phyllurus platurus is the broad tailed gecko... anyway saltuarius swaini occur natually where i live so there the ones im after..
cheers for the info
Megz

p.s would a 1.5ft(L)x2ft(H)x2ft(D) be ok for a pair?


----------



## Saz (Feb 15, 2006)

Definitely :0)


----------



## Reptilegirl (Feb 15, 2006)

cheers saz!!
megz


----------



## Saz (Feb 15, 2006)

Here's a few pics of my pair Megz. Would love to see photos of yours when you get them. Also included pic of their tub before I got their mist machine.


----------



## krusty (Feb 15, 2006)

what do they cost.


----------



## krusty (Feb 15, 2006)

that is for the leaf-tailed geckos..........sorry.


----------



## krusty (Feb 15, 2006)

those photos are great......top stuff


----------



## instar (Feb 15, 2006)

Saz, Im assuming you drop the humidity by a major factor in winter? when do you start misting less and dump the moss?

P.s I agree great piocs, Id like a pair of Southerns myself, always liked leafys.


----------



## Saz (Feb 15, 2006)

Hi guys,

Generally $250 per hatchling as far as I am aware. Beautiful animals! I really love the leaf tails. Instar, I've only had these guys for a few months, so as for winter conditions, haven't had them for a winter yet! I've just been keeping them as per the previous owners instructions. Not sure about winter conditions, but now that you mention it, I think I might ask him LOL!

:0)


----------



## instar (Feb 15, 2006)

Sounds like good Idea Saz! Colder temps and humidity are NOT good!


----------



## indicus (Feb 16, 2006)

Hi Megz,
I keep Northern Leaftail Gecko's; i'd say their very similar in their requirements....
I'm useing fish tanks, turned on their ends, with a simple ply door etc.
They are great for holding the humidity, and staying some what damper for longer;
as it's rather hot and dry where i live......I run a aircon during the day to drop the room temp down to around 23-25 degrees, to simulate northern night time drops.....
They get mist sprayed twice a day, soaking branchs, moss etc. 
We try to feed them a varied diet.....crickets, cockaroachs, spiders
and moths ( only feed drab coloured ones, eg browns, greys etc).....beware, they eat heaps!!!!.. :lol: Their fed from the forceps, to ensure they each receive their food requirements...A bowl is placed in each cage as well; with dusted roachs etc.....
I'm sure you'll enjoy keeping them; really incredible creatures :wink:


----------



## Saz (Feb 18, 2006)

YAY! Looked what I walked in on this morning whilst going to feed the dragons! Looks like that Exo terra mist maker I installed in their enclosure recently created just the right ambiance for a little leaf tail lovin'!! Very pleased as I didn't think they would breed until at least next season.


----------



## krusty (Feb 18, 2006)

i love all these pics keep them comeing........thanks.


----------



## redline (Feb 18, 2006)

wow nice pics. do u guys have more pics plz.


----------



## Magpie (Feb 18, 2006)

Indicus, I assume from the egg pic that you breed them. Do you have any for sale or are you likely to have them for sale in the future? Or are they one of thoseherps that are all spoken for long before they hatch?


----------



## Jason (Feb 26, 2006)

great looking geckos, hope they have babies for you.


----------



## Saz (Feb 26, 2006)

Thanks Jason. The female is already starting to look chubbier, am going to check her from underneath later on today. She normally spends most of her time upsidedown at the top of the enclosure, but I haven't seen her do it once since I caught them mating which is very unusual. Maybe it hinders egg development or something?


----------



## Reptilegirl (Mar 2, 2006)

love all the pics... yep Saz when i get mine i'll be putting up heaps of pics.. wont be till next season though.. you may even be able to help me out with gettin some from the sounds of it  

Megz


----------



## SLACkra (Mar 2, 2006)

i used to catch those guys when ever i was in sydney when i was younger! they are awsome geckos i used to find them behind the dart board that was outside.

very nice pics!

andrew


----------



## instar (Mar 2, 2006)

G'day Megz, longtime no see. Whatever happened with your tertle pond/enclosure? did you end up building it?


----------



## herptrader (Mar 2, 2006)

Alas they are not a species we can keep in Victoria :-(


----------



## africancichlidau (Mar 3, 2006)

Ya gotta love hanging off the ceiling to do it eh?


----------



## Reptilegirl (Mar 3, 2006)

hey inny... 
yep i built the enclosure... but dads finches ended up getting it for themselves  but he'll be building more soon so i should be able to get it back 

slacky... you must be talking about the broad tailed geckoes (phyllurus platurus) as the southern leaf tailed gecko (saltuarius swaini) doesnt occur that far down the coast.. 

HT.. g's what can you's keep down there  

its really not that comfortable afro  :lol:


----------



## herptrader (Mar 3, 2006)

Reptilegirl said:


> HT.. g's what can you's keep down there



It is an odd mix based on what people had when they set up the schedules. Basically nobody had any leaf tailed's so they were not included on the schedules. We are lucky that when the schedules were defined some people had crocs and GTP's otherwise these would be off limits also.

Today I read the RSP article in the Australian Reptiles magazine (our copy came in the mail today) and dreamt of owning a pair... then I remembered the schedules and realised that of course these guys were not on them (because of course nobody kept them when the schedules were defined) and realised I had two chances - Bucklies and None! (And moving to NRL central is also not on our adgenda.)


----------

