Let’s take a look at the Velvet gecko group. Fourteen species of velvet geckos occur in Australia, slender Gecko geckos that are beautifully marked and coloured and quite different to [...]]]> Just last week, I had Lesueur’s geckos running around on my house walls at night eating insects. Lesueur’s geckos belong to the velvet gecko group.

An adult Lesueur's gecko

Let’s take a look at the Velvet gecko group. Fourteen species of velvet geckos occur in Australia, slender Gecko geckos that are beautifully marked and coloured and quite different to the Knob-tail. Velvet geckos are very arboreal (able tree climbers).

The Marbled Velvet Gecko is a very able climber

Enclosure Size: The suggested size should be Length x 600mm Width x 300mm x Height x 600mm. They need climbing height.

Heating and Lighting:  Heating from the side. Use a heat mat on one of the sides of the enclosure to provide an ambient temperature or  24 to 32 degrees celsius. A winter cooling period with lower temperatures of  18 degrees celsius should also be offered. Enclosure may be fitted with red or blue globes to view nocturnal activities.

Diet: Feeds on a variety of insects, crickets, maggots, cockroaches and others (dusted with calcium). Food items can be fed three times weekly. Dont forget to provide a permanent water dish.

Sexing: Males have a hemipenal bulges may be seen posterior to the cloaca (towards the tail end, near the vent or bottom opening). Females at mature size are generally bigger.

Breeding: Mating commences in early Spring (September) and breeding season may extend into late summer (February) or early autumn (March) in Australia.

Egg-laying: Clutch size up to 2 eggs; incubation is 70 days. Provide a small dark enclosed container with a small entry. Females prefer to lay eggs in sphagnum or fine Kritter’s Crumble.

A gravid female Marbled velvet gecko. See th egg outline on the right hand side of the belly.

Marbled Velvet Gecko eggs.

Overall: This species is easily kept. They like hollow branches and loose bark and will even use house bricks with holes and tiles to climb. They are very quick and highly active at night, so be cautious if the door is open to enclosure as they can get out quickly.

You might also be interested in reading my profile on the two freshwater turtles (long and short-necked), the Inland Bearded Dragon and Knob-Tail Geckos. And, of course, let me know in the comments below or on our Facebook page if there are any other Australian species you’re interested in learning more about.

Let’s now look at the knob-tailed gecko group. This group has nine large geckos, both rough and smooth skinned knob-tailed species.

It’s interesting when you get asked to do a talk at a convention or for a reptile society. [...]]]> Hi and welcome to Brad’s Pit. It is official I will be talking at REPTCON, The Australian Reptile Convention. I have been invited by the organisers of the event to do a talk on reptiles!

Brad doing a reptile talk with Snap the Salt water crocodile.

It’s interesting when you get asked to do a talk at a convention or for a reptile society. You need to decide, “what will I talk about?” I would love to hear your feedback on this very subject.

If there was a Reptile Convention being held and you were able to attend, what would you like the guest presenter to talk about? Would it be about the care and husbandry of reptiles? Would you like the presenter to show their set up and how they look after their collection or do you just like seeing a few really good reptile photos?

Your thoughts on this subject might help me decide what kind of discussion I’ll be leading.

Would you like to know more about Frogs?

Do you want to know more about Australia's unique and rarer reptiles like this Rough-scaled python?

Mark your calendars: Saturday, June 2 at the Mansfield Tavern Queensland. All proceeds will go to Wildcare Australia. Please get behind this event! If you are able to come along make sure you come up and say hello!

Bye for now from Brad’s Pit.

Size:
Attaining a carapace length between 220mm to 260mm.

Enclosure Size:
The suggested size should be Length x 1200mm Width x 600mm x Height x 600mm.

Diet:
Chopped fish, chopped mince, diced heart [...]]]> There are about eight species of Long necked-turtles and the most commonly kept one is the Eastern long-necked turtle.

A young Eastern long-necked turtle fresh out of the egg

Size:
Attaining a carapace length between 220mm to 260mm.

Enclosure Size:
The suggested size should be Length x 1200mm Width x 600mm x Height x 600mm.

Diet:
Chopped fish, chopped mince, diced heart and liver. You can also feed them crickets, shrimp, worms and red blood worms.

Sexing:
Females are generally larger than males. Males have a slightly longer tail than females.

Breeding:
Eastern long-necked turtles commence mating in Spring (September) nesting is in November to December.

Egg-laying:
Clutch size 8 to 24 eggs. Incubation is 65 days.

Overall:
This species is easily kept, but it is important to remember three important areas when it comes to turtle husbandry.

1. Clean water

2. A water temperature between 22 to 26 degrees celsius

3. Fresh food 2 to 3 times weekly.

Eastern long-necked turtles are equally at home on land as in the water

Long-necked turtles love to swim and interact with their keeper.

I hope you enjoyed the profile of the Eastern long-necked turtle. You might also be interested in reading my profile on the short-necked turtle — and, of course, let me know in the comments below or on our Facebook page if there are any other Australian species you’re interested in learning more about.

There are a number of species of Short-necked turtles, the most commonly kept ones being the Macquaries river turtle and Krefft’s turtle. Both species have similar husbandry requirements.

Size:
Attaining a carapace length 300mm.

Enclosure Size for 1 to 2 specimens:
The suggested size should be [...]]]> Hi, and welcome to Brad’s Snake Pit.

There are a number of species of Short-necked turtles, the most commonly kept ones being the Macquaries river turtle and Krefft’s turtle. Both species have similar husbandry requirements.

A number of young Short-necked turtles, newly hatched

Size:
Attaining a carapace length 300mm.

Enclosure Size for 1 to 2 specimens:
The suggested size should be Length x 1200mm Width x 600mm x Height x 600mm.

Diet:
Chopped fish, chopped mince, diced heart and liver. You can also feed them crickets, shrimp, worms and red blood worms. Short-necked turtles are also herbivorous and will eat duckweed, ribbonweed, water cress, alfalfa and lettuce.

Sexing:
Females are generally larger than males. Males have a slightly longer tail than females.

Breeding:
Eastern long-necked turtles commence mating in Spring (remember, in Australia that’s September). Nesting is from November to December.

Egg-laying:
Macquaries short-necked turtle, clutch size  up to 24 eggs. Incubation is 60 days. Kreffts short-necked turtle clutch size  up to 16 eggs. Incubation 48 days.

Overall:
This species is easy to keep.

Remember three important areas when it comes to turtle husbandry.

1. Clean water
2. A water temperature between 22 to 26 degrees celsius
3. Fresh food 2 to 3 times weekly.

Also important: care should be taken when handling large specimens as they are capable of inflicting a serious bite.

An adult Sort-necked turtle from Coopers creek at Innaminca

I hope you enjoyed the profile of the Short-necked turtles. Let me know in the comments below or on our Facebook page if there are any other Australian species you’re interested in!

There is nothing quite like the feeling when you realise that a reptile in your care has escaped. I am really fortunate because I have made my reptile room escape proof. On the rare occasion something gets out, I have the reptile contained in my room. However if you keep a reptile inside [...]]]>

There is nothing quite like the feeling when you realise that a reptile in your care has escaped. I am really fortunate because I have made my reptile room escape proof. On the rare occasion something gets out, I have the reptile contained in my room. However if you keep a reptile inside in your home and find that your reptile is out, here are a few tips for finding him or her:

1. Place a water bowl in the area where the reptile escaped.
2. Keep the pet cat or dog locked up or outside.
3. Check the enclosure thoroughly as small snakes and lizards can hide really well.
4. Check under substrate or amongst the smallest of objects, for example a thermostat cover.
5. Work out the last time you sighted your reptile.
6. Ensure all internal and external doors are sealed with a towel or a foam strip or something to contain the reptile to that room or an area.
7. Thoroughly check the whole room.
8. Check underneath all furniture. Remove big items from the room to limit hiding spots.
9. Look in warm sunny spots.
10. Check the room at night as most reptiles are active at night.
11. Set up a heat pad on the floor, turn on and place a dark shelter on top of the heat pad to encourage the reptile to find the warmth.
12. If you have not found the escaped reptile in a couple of days. Place a dead thawed-out rodent or a favourite food of your reptile on the floor to entice the reptile out from hiding to eat.
13. Check the area of escape at three-hour intervals, particularly for the first day or two.
14. When reptiles escape, I normally find they will hide for a day or two until they build up the courage to explore.
15. Let your friends and other local reptile keepers know that your reptile has escaped in case they hear of a reptile like yours turning up in the neighbourhood.
16. Be patient because there is a high probability your escaped reptile will turn up.

If you have any tips on any of the two subjects I have discussed today, please send me a Facebook message to let me now your thoughts or tips. Bye for now from Brad’s Pit. Until next time.