Description
This is a great species of
gecko for both the beginner as well as the advanced hobbyist. They are a
smooth skinned variety of Knobtail with steel gray eyes and body colors
ranging from dark brown to bright orange, pink, and even lavender. Their
patterning can vary greatly from one individual to another with some
being speckled all over while others may be more banded or even striped.
The striped morph has been proven to be an inheritable characteristic
that is in high demand. There are still very few striped specimens out
there at this time, but I do have the striped line represented in my
collection. I have worked with this species for quite a few years now
and I have developed an amazing and diverse group. I consistently
produce some of the finest offspring available each year. In fact, some
of my Nephrurus levis levis were purchased by the National Aquarium in
Baltimore, MD to be on display in their Animal Planet Australia Exhibit.
It was certainly a thrill to see my geckos on display in such an
impressive venue. As a smooth skinned Knobtail they prefer a hot
environment with a bit of humidity. They average around 4” in length.
They are very hardy and quite prolific under the right conditions. These
are big sellers each year.
General Care Information
I would recommend this species to anyone looking to get their
first Knobtailed geckos as they are very easy to keep. I am going to
give you information on the basics of a breeder set up for these guys,
but you can certainly utilize a more naturalistic vivarium if you choose
to set them up for display. I have mine set up in Boaphile Plastics
“Five Drawer Sideways (Sterilite) Blanket RhinoRaxx” racks. These are
very nice racks, which I highly recommend, but any rack will work just
fine. I keep them in my shoebox racks as hatchlings and move them up to
Sterilite #1754 sweater boxes as adults. I will breed the adult females
in these same boxes. The temps are in the upper 80’s at the warm end of
the cage. I keep them in a slightly humid environment with a red sand
substrate ½” deep. In the box I keep a medium 6” plastic plant saucer
turned upside down with a hole cut in the side. I keep this on the cool
end of the box and mist underneath of it heavily on feeding days to
create a comfortable environment for them within their hide. As adult
females for breeding I add a medium sized Rubbermaid container with a
hole cut in the lid filled with a damp peat moss / sand mix. The females
will utilize this as an egg-laying container. I feed all of my geckos in
the evening as they are nocturnal and this seems to work best for me. I
offer them appropriately sized crickets or Blaptica dubia, which have
been dusted with a calcium supplement such as (Miner-All Indoor). They
receive all of their required moisture, which is supplied in the form of
a gentle mist under their hide and on the cage sides every other day at
feeding time. These are the basics you need to know to successfully keep
this species based on my experience and what has worked for me. I am
always happy to supply my customers with additional information or
answer any questions you may have along the way.
Click thumbnails to view
larger image.
Click HERE to view more photos in my
Nephrurus levis levis
album.
