Ptychozoon kuhli (Flying gecko) info?

[Cat_72]

We just purchased our first flying gecko, and find the little guys really interesting. I talked for quite some time with the gentleman I bought it from, as well as researching online care sheets. We have the beasic husbandry set up as recommended, but there really isn't much good information out there (that I could find anyway) on this gecko, and am just wondering if any out there who has experience with these guys could offer any extra tips or information on them?

We've got him set up in a 20 gal, ambient temps around 85 degrees. Lots of branches and some silk plants, coco fiber for substrate, water dish, and misting him twice daily. Been giving appropriate sized crix and roaches, calcium dusted.

Any additional information you may have, or good sites to go to to read up in more detail on these guys would be appreciated!

 

[Mooing Tricycle]

oh pictures pictures!!

 

[Clay Davenport]

One tip I have to offer is to be aware that in spite of what you may find in a certain book on keeping geckos, kuhli are indeed egg gluers.
I lost my first clutch of this species when I kept them years ago because I had read in a popular gecko book at the time that they were not egg gluers.

They are a very neat gecko however that has unfortunately been largely overlooked in the hobby in recent years. In a proper naturalistic setup they can be almost impossible to locate at times, we used to play find the geckos regularly with this species.
Beware of handling them, they readily leap and demonstrate their gliding abilities. An interesting feat to watch, but it can make it difficult to get them back in the cage.

It's been so long since I kept them I remember few details. I do remember that the 85 degrees you are keeping them at is the upper end of their preferred temperature range. They are a tropical forest species and 78-85 is a good daytime temperature and a nighttime drop into the lower 70s is fine.
I utilized a red light for nocturnal viewing.
They like thick barked furnishings, limbs or sheets of bark, on which they will hide during the day relying on their pattern and coloration for concealment.
Incubation time is particularly long for this species, around 90 days.

Here is the only picture I still have of some of mine. I can't believe I still have it. It was taken years ago before I had computers much less a digital camera. I apologize for the poor quality.

 

[Cat_72]

Thanks for the info and pic Clay, it is much appreciated. We've been playing, "find the gecko" already, lol...their ability to conceal themselves is amazing. We have been leaving one of those blue night bulbs on for him at night, would he benefit more from having the night drop in temp? And I'm guessing from your pic that they do OK with multiple animals in the enclosure, as long as it is of sufficient size?

And Alicia, every time I've tried to get a good pic, he's been hiding in an area that makes the pic pretty difficult to get, but as soon as I get some good ones, they will be posted here right away.

 

[Clay Davenport]

They do fine housed in pairs, or trios. Kinda hard to breed them otherwise.
They are easily sexed by the presence or absence of hemipenal bulges and pre-anal pores. Careful when selecting a mate though, kuhli and lionatum are very hard to tell apart without close inspection. One of the differences involves the scalation, one of the species has enlarged scales on the dorsal area, sort of like very tiny spikes. I believe it's the kuhli that has these and the lionatum lacks them. These are the only two species of the genus that are normally found in the pet trade.

I feel a small drop in temperature at night is good, but I can't say they do better that way, it's just the way I kept them. They do not do well in excessive heat though, and their humidity requirements aren't very forgiving either.
Regardless they are a pretty easy species to keep and are very interesting geckos.

 

[Cat_72]

Here's a couple pics of the new guy......dang, are they FAST. He actually did the "glide" from one side of the tank to the other, quite amazing to see, but ya gotta look fast or you miss it.