YELLOW-HEADED DAY-GECKOES

THE ROTTING ROOT VORTEX

Phelsuma klemmeri

It posed quite a sensation, when it was introduced to science and herpetoculture in 1991.
A very attractive species, adapted rather well to captivity. The initial group should be the origin of all captive specimens, but rumors about (illegal) other imports are abounded.

Anyway, these small and rather flat day-geckoes adapt well to vivaria, if provided with sufficient heath and drought. They need a really dry zone in the vivarium, which actually comes more or less naturally in the upper layers of a vivarium, where just below the hood they find what they need. Also, just below the hood, the intensity of light is the greatest, and that is another requirement of these geckoes.

Furthermore, like all Phelsuma’s they like a dry and smooth spot to sit. Rough bark does not appeal to them. They rather have a stick of bamboo to sit on. A smooth wide leaf of a Phalaenopsis (or, to stay closer to their origin, an Angraecum) will do well too.
Food for these small geckoes is the normal insect stuff, but they can live on special prepared day-gecko-food as well, for generations. If not provided with this specially prepared food, be sure to add minerals and vitamins to the insects.


Excellent escapist

The flattened complexion of these geckoes makes them excellent escapists, but if your vivarium is well designed that should not be too much of a problem. If crickets stay in,
so should Phelsuma klemmeri’s. And on the other hand, experiences from people with escaped Pk’s are, that they do not stray too far away from the safe environment of the vivarium. That means they do not live so much in the vivarium as on the vivarium.
If they are running for food or shelter they head for the interior.


Minimal aggressiveness

Another nice character of these yellow-headed geckoes is there minimal aggressiveness. Several individuals, including more then two males can be kept together in a vivarium, without much trouble, provided they are put in the vivarium at the same moment. An established group or individual will not allow a newbie in his territory, unless it is a small hatchling. Phelsuma klemmeri is not aggressive towards small juveniles of its own species and these can be reared in the same vivarium for quite a while, even to adulthood.
There is of course one small disadvantage to this species. However bred regularly,
it is still hard to get and expensive.

Lygodactylus kimhowelli

Another yellow-headed day-gecko, is not so very different at first sight but is a lot cheaper. That is because these bluish-gray bodied yellow heads are imported instead of captive bred.
 

These geckoes are from eastern Africa where the have a rather limited distribution in Tanzania: one natural population in a coastal forest and another a possible incidental translocation into a suburban site. The small geckoes do well in vivaria too and breed occasionally as well, but they need an overall drier climate. In natural conditions other white and yellow headed Lygodactylids live between rough bark of trees, where they are able to take a sun bath from time to time, and I expect these Lygodactylus kimhowelli will do the same.

Due to the relatively low prices, people tent to think Lygodactylus kimhowelli is quite common, but East African herpetologist think they are an endangered species and it is urgent to establish a captive population of them, if we want them conserved for herpetoculture in the future.

THE ROTTING ROOT VORTEX

Water is essential to all plants. To take up water, plants have various means, but the most common is a root system. Roots are quite sensitive. The root hairs do the main job in picking up water and are extremely important. The problem is, they are quite vulnerable too and prone to rot when they are not allowed to dry occasionally.

 

Except for a couple of bog-plants which have systems of aerating their roots, all roots need an occasion suck of breath which they can only get if they are dry. If they do not get their ‘breath’, they will suffocate and start to rot. This can happen if the roots are too wet all the time. Over watering is no good to a plant. But once the roots start to rot, the water uptake is no longer sufficient to sustain the leaves. These will wither or hang down, giving the impression (and not at all a false impression) of a plant in need of water.
The caretaker will do as asked and add more water. But that does not help much.

The roots had started to rot due to an overdose of water and are now even more overdosed. More roots will start to rot. Water uptake is hindered even more and the plant looks even thirstier. Few people can resist giving such a plant a little more water, but that only enhances the problem. It will turn into a kind of vortex.

If a well-watered plant starts showing signs of drought, root rot is the most common reason. What you should do now is the following. First check the roots health. Then, allow the plant’s roots to dry. If the leaves hang, you could cut off a few so the little roots that still work can cope with the water demand of the remaining leaves.