With all of the recent success is hatching Uroplatus I figure an article focusing on rearing the young is in order. As with everything on the U.I.C., this is a work in progress and additional pictures and information may be added in the near future. :)
Introduction
Raising young Uroplatus can arguably be the most uncertain time in any Uroplatus breeder's career. The first 24-48 hours are the most crucial for any Uroplatus species and is when most issues occur. I often get emails from folks on how to best house, feed and supplement their newly hatched Uroplatus and with the recent success from hobbyists around the world, I figured it was time to discuss these topics in a bit of detail for all to reference when needed or desired. :)
Incubation and Hatching
If you are lucky enough to be expecting hatchlings, now is a great time to begin setting up the rearing enclosures. It is certainly better to be prepared ahead of time than panicking when there’s a hatchling in the incubation cup waiting for your attention!
Most species will incubate between 68°-77°F (20°-25°C) for an average of 70-120 days. Pietschmanni and guentheri have been known to frequently hatch on the later end of the range while most species such as lineatus will often hatch on the shorter side of the range. Most species stick to the median of the range, often hatching after an incubation time of 90-100 days. More often than not you will not witness a Uroplatus hatching as they typically emerge just minutes after pipping. All hatchlings will undergo an post hatch shed, typically within 24-26 hours of hatching.
When this moment arrives, you should stop and take a pause for the cause. Just admire the gorgeous little miracle and smile at your (and the parents’) achievement.
Post Hatch Shed
It is crucial that no shed remain on the baby after this initial shed. Once dried, the stuck shed can restrict blood flow to limbs or harbor bacteria or other unwanted issues. Should there be any stuck shed, mist lightly with luke warm water and attempt to gently (I can’t stress that enough) pick the remainder of the shed with a pair of thin tip tweezers. It is imperative to be gentle and not pinch or damage lamellae on their toes. Many babies, however, will undergo their first shed in the incubation cup during the night they hatched.
Housing
There are many opinions on how best to house baby Uroplatus. It is thought by many that smaller enclosures make finding food easier for the hatchlings. While this may be logically true, care must be taken to ensure the geckos are allowed to move freely to build strength and dexterity as they grow. We house hatchlings in custom glass enclosures measuring 8”x12”x12” moving them into the larger 12”x12”x18” glass enclosures when they reach two to three months of age. All enclosures are kept at similar temperatures as the adults, 72°-78° during the day, 68°-74° at night. Substrate is made up of our own ABG mix variation and along with a few simple branches, the cages are sparsely decorated. A stem of Pothos or a small branch of Schefflera both make ideal plants for juveniles but it’s a good idea to keep the hatchling enclosures simple at first. The key is keeping the entire setup easy to maintain during the first few months.
Juveniles can be moved into larger enclosures. This 12"x12"x18" enclosure houses two CB U.guentheri.
Feeding & Supplementation
Baby Uroplatus can refuse food up to seven days after hatching. Typically, most will begin feeding within one to two days. Start with food that is of suitable size, 1/8” to 1/4” crickets or roaches will suffice for most species fed every night after lights out.
Tip: If you’re working with a smaller species such as U. phantasticus or U. ebenaui, be sure to have a good supply of one to two week old crickets on hand.
It’s important to maintain a good balance as young Uroplatus can suffer from both over supplementation or vitamin deficiency. Since calcium is so important for a growing Uroplatus (especially females) MinerAll is offered at every feeding while Herptivite is offered once every week. Needless to say, all crickets should be gutloaded with a combination of fresh vegetables and prepared dry gutload mix.
Many will say that baby Uroplatus will take a plethora of food items but in reality it isn’t absolutely necessary to provide anything other than roaches and/or crickets. We’ve had mixed success with other food items (they absolutely hated the house flies) and have never had a Uroplatus grow bored of properly gutloaded and dusted crickets or roaches. This isn’t to discourage anyone from providing a variety of food items, however. :)
Lighting
Another topic that has stirred debate in the hobby is whether or not Uroplatus, in general, require UVB. The rule of thumb I like to stick with is… if at all possible, provide some form of UVB, either 2.0 or 5.0 and a normal 12/12 day/night cycle is recommended.
Divided glass enclosures can hold a number of different Uroplatus hatchlings. This cage is housing CB U.sikorae, U.aff.henkeli and U.guentheri. Note the UVB lighting...
Hydration
Hydration is primarily provided by misting the enclosures. Being so small, it doesn’t take much misting, but be sure to allow a few droplets to form on all walls but do not allow water to puddle or soak the substrate. Moist or wet substrate can harbor bacteria or mold and will cause health problems down the line.
Conclusion
Raising Uroplatus has to be one of the most exciting times to be a Uroplatus keeper. I am always delighted when I find hatchlings in their incubation cups and with each hatchling I anticipate the next. Hatching and raising Uroplatus is an exercise that may never be mastered yet will continue to provide smiles to enthusiasts the world over.
CB U.sameiti female
