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Eublefar spotted, leopard lizard. Leopard gecko - an exotic pet Size and life expectancy

The spotted eublefar, or leopard gecko, is one of the most popular and beautiful lizards kept in captivity. Eublefar is valued for its amazing coloring and peaceful disposition.

Description

The main color of eublefar varies from pale beige to rich yellow. top head, back and tail of adults are covered with dark spots irregular shape, reminiscent of the colors of a leopard. The belly has a soft pink tint. Sides are almost white. There are also eublefaras - albinos, which are relatively expensive. The color of the cubs is striped. At the age of 8 months, eublefaras acquire adult colors.

Eublefara geckos have remarkably delicate skin and large almond-shaped eyes resembling those of a cat. The body length of this lizard reaches 16 cm. The length together with the tail reaches 25 cm. The head is massive. The tail is thick and swollen, it is deposited and stored reserves nutrients. An adult weighs up to 80 g.

Lifespan in captivity reaches 20 years. Puberty in the lizard eublefara occurs at the age of 1-2 years. Females are slightly smaller than males.

The nature of this lizard is flexible. Captive geckos bred calmly allow themselves to be picked up and can even distinguish the owner from other people.

In nature, spotted eublefar lives in dry steppes and on the mountain slopes of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. This lizard often rises to a height of up to 2500 m above sea level. Males actively defend their territory.

Temperature in the terrarium should be 28-31 ºС during the day and 20-21 ºС at night. in winter backlight should be turned on 12 hours a day, in summer - 14 hours a day. Spotted eublefar requires relative humidity 40-50%. Spray the terrarium once a day drinking water from a spray bottle. Healthy eublefaras molt 2 times a month. At this time, it is especially important for them high humidity. Eublefar also needs a lot of different shelters.

Feeding

Eublefar adults are fed every other day, and cubs and pregnant females are fed daily. Sometimes an adult may refuse food a week or even longer. These lizards feed on crickets, cockroaches, flour worms, centipedes, termites, wood lice. Some individuals eat mice. They can also hunt for their own cubs and other small lizards. Feed should be sprinkled several times a week calcium powder.

It is better to remove uneaten insects from the terrarium, otherwise they may disturb the lizards. It is also important to ensure that eublefars always have a bowl of clean water. The health indicator of the eublefar is its tail. If the tail is thin, then the lizard is exhausted.

reproduction

Eublefaras breed from January to April. During this period, the female can postpone up to 10 clutches, each of which contains 1-2 eggs. The eggs are buried by the female in moist sphagnum. The incubation period for the development of eggs, as well as the sex of future lizards, depend on the temperature in the terrarium. At a temperature of 26-28.5 ºС, females hatch, at a temperature of 29-30 ºС, the chances of hatching females and males are approximately equal, and at temperatures above 30 °С, males are born.

The Cubs are starting feed after first molt(usually this happens on the 5th day of life). Adults and cubs are kept separately so that the former do not eat the latter.

Spotted eublefar - leopard gecko won the hearts of terrumists. Under such an attractive and mysterious name is a lizard that can live not only in nature, but also at home. In narrow circles, it is customary to call it "leopard", due to the presence of spotted coloring. However, in character, one can find similarities between the spotted gecko and the cat: both can lap water with their tongues. The content turns out to be easy even for beginners.

general information

The spotted eublefar most often lives in Asian countries and prefers rocky areas. However, people who are reptile lovers prefer the gecko.

The lizard can only lead a nocturnal lifestyle. Natural instincts encourage you to hide in other people's minks.

Life expectancy in nature is from five to ten years, and males always live longer than females. At home, life expectancy increases to thirty years.

Advantages and disadvantages of keeping eublefar at home

Advantages:

  1. The gecko has a friendly nature.
  2. Care implies ease and unpretentiousness.
  3. There is an opportunity to buy and use a small terrarium.
  4. There is the possibility of easy breeding in captivity.

Flaws:

  1. The terrarium should be maintained a certain level humidity.
  2. Eublefar will always be awake at night, so not every person will be able to see their pet active.

Description

Appearance can be different in natural and domestic conditions. This is largely due to the influence of selection.

Any gecko should have a spotted coloring.

The dimensions indicate that eublefar is a small lizard: the body length is 20 centimeters, but in some cases representatives can grow up to thirty centimeters.

The tail is most often massive and thick. Moreover, in nature, the tail is required to retain moisture. A lizard can drop its tail due to injury, being sure that it will definitely grow back. However, the subsequent ponytail will be shorter and narrower. The lizard has a large and triangular head. It can be noted elongated and bulging eyes, reminiscent of a cat. The body is covered with numerous small scales. Pimply scales stand out among them. The lizard has thin legs with five fingers.

The color may be different, because it depends on the conditions of the lizard:

  1. Natural factors cause a yellowish-gray body color with dark spots. On the tail you can see the transverse rings.
  2. Domestic individuals have a completely different color. In addition, selection has increased the number of variations to 100.

Main content features

What should be the care of a gecko at home?

Individuals are distinguished by their unpretentious nature, due to which any potential troubles are eliminated. The most important thing is feeding. Lizards have a sweet and harmless character, but when eating, the predator instinct appears. AT natural conditions The gecko preys on various insects.

So, what to feed a domestic lizard?

  1. The best choice is crickets, cockroaches, grasshoppers, newborn mice. If the terrarium has enough free space, eublefar can enjoy the process of hunting.
  2. It is desirable to exclude insects of very large sizes from the diet.
  3. It is advisable to feed once every 1 - 2 days. However, up to 3 months, you need to feed the domestic lizard daily.
  4. A gecko may refuse to eat for several days. However, this circumstance should not lead to panic. The tail of a lizard contains a large number of nutrients.
  5. Sometimes you need to add calcium powder to the meal.

Knowing what and how to feed your pet, you can help maintain his health and guarantee a long life at home.


house for the gecko

Which terrarium is ideal for a pet lizard?

  1. It is advisable to use a small terrarium. At the same time, you need to provide enough space for an active lifestyle.
  2. The optimal dimensions for 1 - 2 individuals are 50 by 40 by 30 cm.
  3. Sand should not be used for soil, as it can be accidentally swallowed with food. The best option is pebbles and small pebbles.
  4. The terrarium needs to be heated. During the day, the temperature should be 29 - 31 degrees, at night - a couple - three degrees less.
  5. Sharp fluctuations in temperature are unacceptable, otherwise the lizard will feel bad.
  6. The optimum humidity should not exceed forty-five percent. This requires spraying.

Basic selection rules

How can you choose a eublefara? What factors should be taken into account when trying to ensure the good health of the lizard?

  1. The tail should be thicker. Moreover, if the thickness should be as large as possible. This primarily applies to adolescents and adults. Babies have thin tails that should only "gain strength". Thick, a long tail testifies to the good health of the eublefar. It is in this part of the body that nutrients are stored that must be deposited for stressful and difficult situations. The functions of the tail can be compared with the hump of a camel, which contains fat reserves for heat, drought, hunger. In order to understand how properly caring for eublefar is carried out, you need to monitor the tail, because a decrease in its thickness indicates constant stress, malnutrition, and illness. Please remember that when moving to new house the lizard's appetite may worsen, and the tail will lose weight, but subsequently the animal will get used to the conditions and everything will return to normal.
  2. One terrarium cannot be suitable for several males. This must be remembered if you plan to breed a pet. The ideal option is a careful examination of sexual characteristics.
  3. Eublefar sex can only be determined from five to six months. For this reason, the first gecko can be bought earlier, but then you need to buy an adult and know that 2 males will not be kept in the terrarium. If solitary confinement is intended, gender is no longer important, since beautiful appearance and cute character have males and females.
  4. It should be noted that a large terrarium is required if you need to keep several females. Only with this approach it is possible not only to guarantee comfortable conditions for lizards, but also the possibility of their peaceful life together.
  5. Eublefar breeding involves the need to purchase an additional terrarium. It is important to remember: the male should not be with the female on a permanent basis, because otherwise the females will have to constantly mate and breed, undermining their health.
  6. When choosing a eublefar, you need to make sure that there are no small scratches, abrasions. Such damage to the skin indicates skirmishes between individuals that are included in one group. Scratches and abrasions can heal quickly if they are treated with a healing ointment. In any case, you need to pay more attention to the lizard and try to understand the features of its character.
  7. It is advisable to carefully examine the eyes and eyelids, after which you can go to the toes. You should make sure that there is no old skin left after molting. Such skin is harmful to the pet, so it must be removed with water.
  8. The complexion of a lizard deserves attention. The abdomen should be plump, but not bloated, otherwise pregnancy or illness can be suspected. Rickets, which the gecko often suffers from, is manifested by thinness, a thin neck, the absence of a thick tail, apathy and lethargy, twisted legs, and staggering when walking. The presence of hanging sides indicates obesity. With such deviations in health, more nuances will need to be taken into account in order for the content to be favorable for the pet.
  9. In cubs and adolescents, as they grow older, the color often changes, so you need to be prepared for the fact that the initial color can change dramatically.

The gecko must be healthy, beautiful and friendly.

The most important questions

What should be the content of geckos?

  1. The terrarium should have a size of 40x60x40 centimeters. A large and tall house is undesirable to choose.
  2. The temperature regime must be controlled. It is important to remember: at night it is advisable to turn off some lamps, preventing the temperature from dropping to 20 degrees. Moreover, sudden changes can lead to pet diseases.
  3. The gecko needs ultraviolet light. For this reason, UV lamps labeled 10% should be used, ensuring that they burn 12 hours a day.
  4. What to feed insectivorous lizards if they live at home? The diet should consist of a variety of small insects. However, mealworms alone are not suitable, as if they are fed frequently, there is a risk of fatty liver.
  5. How often should a gecko be fed? Optimal scheme- five to ten insects per feeding. When the lizard is sleeping, crickets and grasshoppers should be removed, which can damage the lizard's skin.
  6. It is important not only to feed the lizards regularly and properly, but also to give them vitamins and mineral supplements. In order to fully feed the young animal, you need to use special mineral powders.
  7. How to decorate a terrarium? Several shelters, a reservoir are obligatory. The most important thing is to avoid sharp objects that can cause injury.
  8. The terrarium must be with soil, with the exception of fine sand and shavings.

Remembering how care should be and observing important rules, you can be sure: the gecko will please good health, long life, friendliness and become a true friend.

Eublefar spotted(Eublepharis macularis)

Class - reptiles
Squad - scaly

Family - geckos

Genus - eublefars

Appearance

The size of eublefar is small, about 20 cm, and is only occasionally found. major representatives- up to 30 cm.

The head of the lizards is large, tapering in front and thus resembling a triangle. Their entire body is covered with small scales, on which pimples stand out here and there - separate cone-shaped scales, and on the chin the scales are larger, shielded. The paws of spotted eublefars are thin, middle length with five elongated and rounded fingers, and under the front paws are the so-called armpits - leather pockets, the purpose of which scientists have not yet determined. Even spotted eublefaras have rather large bulging and elongated eyes, similar to a cat's and protected from above and below by movable eyelids. As for coloration, in nature the general tone of the body of lizards is yellowish-gray with dark spots. These spots are located mainly on the upper body, on the sides, on the head and near the lips. And on the tail, besides them, there is a different pattern - wide transverse rings, which are more clearly developed in young animals.

Habitat

Distributed from eastern Afghanistan through Pakistan to western India.

Inhabits rocky foothills and semi-fixed sands.

Lifestyle

By the nature of activity, this lizard is rather a nocturnal animal.

Spotted geckos live in the wild in small groups, in which the male leads, and with him several females. It is common for male lizards to guard their territory, protecting it from intrusion by other males.

Spotted eublefaras drink water like cats, lapping it with their tongues.

They mainly hunt insects, but sometimes they are able to "feed" their own kind, only smaller relatives. And sometimes spotted geckos eat the offspring of other geckos.

reproduction

Male spotted eublefars, feeling the proximity of the “girl”, vibrate their tail and make a kind of crackling, and also behave quite aggressively towards females, not to mention rivals. Therefore, in the wild, each group of eublefars with one male at the head has its own territory. The female spotted eublefar arranges the first clutch in February, laying 3-4 pairs of eggs. Then, at intervals of a month, other clutches of approximately the same characteristics follow, and this can continue up to 10-13 times per season. To preserve the eggs, females hide them in wet sand. The incubation period directly depends on the ambient temperature. At 27°C it is about two months, at 30°C - about one and a half. The temperature also affects the sex of the offspring of spotted eublefars. Females hatch at the same 27°C, and males at 30°C. In addition, the pregnant spotted eublefar becomes especially voracious, and before laying begins to actively hide in shelters. When the offspring is born, after 5 days its first molt begins, after which the babies begin to eat.

The life expectancy of this reptile is average: stronger males can live up to 8-10 years in nature, females a little less - 5-8 years, and fertile lizards rarely live up to 4 years.

These reptiles show an amazing attachment to humans for lizards, over time they are even able to recognize their master among other people. Spotted geckos are incredibly clean. They learn to defecate in a certain place and never litter its entire territory.

At the age of 6-7 months, animals can be kept in groups with 4 or 5 females and one male. When kept in captivity, lizards do not require large areas. For a group of animals, a 40x40x30 terrarium is sufficient. It requires a small container of water. Although geckos eat at + 14-16 ° C, for good health and growth they are warm in the place of heating. Heating can best be provided by installing a heating cable in a hiding place under the bottom of the terrarium.

Up to 3 months of age, eublefors require a daily feeding regimen, from 3 to 6 months - every other day, then - 2-3 times a week.

It should be noted that the spotted eublefar is quite unpretentious in food. He willingly crickets, cockroaches, grasshoppers, mealworms, spiders, newborn mice and will never refuse to feast on a lizard of a suitable size. Adult females willingly eat pieces of juicy fruits (bananas, apples, pears) and vegetables (cabbage, carrots).

Small eublefars are fed by insects of a suitable size, while the addition of calcium-containing preparations and weekly fortification are necessary.

Under favorable artificial conditions, the spotted eublefar can last up to 30 years.

Among lovers of observing the life and habits of reptiles, the most common and popular is the leopard gecko, or spotted (leopard) eublefar - an unpretentious manual domestic lizard.

Spreading

These lizards are widespread in Asia - India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Iran. They prefer dry areas of these territories, perfectly adapted to local climatic conditions. Eublefar spotted is a nocturnal animal: in the hot time of the day, he hides from the scorching southern sun. Only with the onset of dusk do the lizards go hunting.

Under natural habitat conditions, eublefar feeds on various insects, small vertebrates, including smaller lizards. During dry periods, cases of eating their offspring have been recorded.

Variety of species

Eublefar was described by the British zoologist Edward Gray in 1827, but even today this lizard causes a lot of controversy about their belonging to a particular species. This is probably due to the fact that some of them have not been fully explored. Today, five types of zublefars are distinguished:

  • Iranian

Lives in Iraq and Iran. Much less common in Turkey and Syria. Differs in the largest sizes in the family and long legs.

  • Eublefar of Hardwick

Sometimes this species is called East Indian spotted. It is a native of India and Bangladesh. To date, little studied. Individuals of this species are distinguished by reddish-brown stripes on the back, and in addition, in case of danger, they can make shrill sounds.

  • Afghan eublefar

Scientists conditionally consider it a separate species, although some zoologists prefer to consider it a subspecies.

  • Turkmen

This lizard lives in the southern regions of Turkmenistan. It is considered an endangered species, which is listed in the Red Book of the Republic. A feature of this species is the presence of scales (pholidosis) and the ability to make loud sounds. Enough controversial view, most likely, is a subspecies of the leopard gecko. It is distinguished by yellow transverse stripes on the tail and back.

  • Leopard (spotted) eublefar

The type that is most often kept at home. We will talk about it in more detail.

External Features

It should be noted that appearance spotted eublefar can differ significantly from counterparts living in natural conditions. This is due to the fact that in nature this gecko lives in deserts, and the domesticated spotted eublefar is the result of selection. But this is one of those rare cases when human intervention was beneficial: it was possible to achieve a more saturated bright color compared to the natural one.

Today, there are about a hundred different color variations - from very light to very dark. An indispensable condition is the presence of dark rings on the tail and spots on the body. It is for the spots that the gecko got its name - leopard. In addition, he drinks water like a cat, lapping it with his tongue. The eyes of the spotted eublefar also look like a cat's - they are slightly bulging and elongated.

It's pretty large lizards- length adult averages from 20 to 25 cm, but sometimes there are representatives up to 30 cm. The head is triangular in shape, the paws are small with five fingers. The tail is massive. During the period of drought, zublefar spotted accumulates the necessary liquid in it. Like most lizards, in case of danger it can shed its tail, which grows back over time, but is no longer as massive as before.

Sex determination

Inexperienced owners of these lizards are interested in: "How to determine the sex?". Eublefar spotted (male) noticeably larger than female, it has a more powerful build, a broad neck, a massive head, a tail thicker at the base with several preanal pores (yellowish-brown small dots). It is possible to accurately determine the sex of eublefar at the age of six months.

Eublefar spotted: content

Undoubtedly, eublefar is exotic home pet. However, this does not mean that he needs complex care. Even for an inexperienced owner, spotted eublefar will not cause big problems. Keeping it in an apartment is not difficult at all. Some who wish to acquire such a lizard fear that it is a natural predator, but at home it does not pose a danger to humans, because, born in captivity, these lizards are not aggressive, quickly get used to a person and very soon go to his hands. It's time to find out what you need to keep a spotted eublefar.

Terrarium

Of course, the first thing you need to think about is a home for your pet. The terrarium for eublefar must be at least 30 x 30 x 30 cm in size. As a rule, young animals are kept in a container of this size. For older individuals, the size of the terrarium should be larger - 40 x 40 x 40 cm. For three eublefars, a horizontal terrarium measuring 50 x 30 x 30 cm is suitable.

You can also use a vertical container, but on condition that the side or back wall is designed in such a way that the lizards can move freely along it, hide in shelters built into the wall, and sit on the shelves. For young animals, it is not at all necessary to immediately acquire a large volume: it is difficult for them to hunt there, so they feel much more comfortable in small spaces.

However, after six months, geckos begin to travel and explore the territory with interest. Many owners believe that in a large volume, spotted eublefar grows much faster.

shelters

It is necessary to create several shelters for your pet throughout the terrarium: in a warm corner where the heating is located, and in a cold one. The gecko will choose for himself a comfortable place to rest. Eublefar needs a wet chamber for molting. It should always be in a warm corner, otherwise the gecko will hibernate itself and may refuse to eat. We will describe below how the wet chamber is equipped.

Coconut halves can be used as practical, eco-friendly, inexpensive shelters.

Temperature

Because the leopard gecko- a cold-blooded lizard, then it needs heat to digest food. The most popular option is the bottom heating. For this purpose, you can use a thermal cord or a thermal mat purchased from a specialized store.

In the place of heating, the temperature must be maintained within the range of +28 to +32°C. Heating is placed in one corner of the terrarium, thereby heating from a third to a quarter of the area of ​​the bottom of the terrarium. If the air temperature in the room does not fall below +22 °C, then the heating can be turned off at night. For young animals up to three months, the heating must be turned on all the time.

Humidity

The terrarium for eublefar does not require constant maintenance of the humidity level, since it is a desert lizard for which dry air is a normal habitat. But to create a small wet zone(camera) is necessary. To do this, take any container, fill it with wet sand (paper, sawdust) and place it in a cool area. It is necessary for the gecko in order to more easily endure the molt, or for rest.

Priming

We have already said that spotted eublefar at home does not require complex care. So he does not apply too strictly to the soil in the terrarium. Sand, and newsprint is better, especially for young lizards, is ideal. But if the owner wants beautiful design terrarium, you should use small pebbles with rounded edges.

In addition, it should be borne in mind that eublefar is an extremely curious creature and almost everything that comes in its path is tried on the tongue. In this regard, it is better to refuse various mixtures and fillers.

Lighting

Eublefars are twilight animals, so they do not need lighting. You can install a regular 40 W incandescent lamp (mirror), which will help create an imitation of solar heating.

Water

Any low capacity is suitable for a drinker. Eublefaras drink clean settled water, lapping it with their tongues like kittens. Meanwhile, these lizards, like all geckos, love to lick off drops of fresh water, so there is no urgent need for a drinker when spraying every day, although it will not become superfluous.

Food

At home, eublefara can be fed with the following foods:

  • flour worm;
  • crickets;
  • locust;
  • mice;
  • food cockroaches.

Calcium must be constantly present in the terrarium. To do this, it is mixed with a vitamin mixture (for better absorption), placed in a low container.

To control the amount of food eaten, it is better to use tweezers than free feeding. With proper care and maintenance, the leopard eublefar lives in captivity for up to twenty years or more.

Of everything species diversity of the gecko family, one of the most common lizards to keep at home among both beginners and professional terrarium keepers is the spotted eublefar. And this is not surprising, because along with good looks and a positive character, leopard geckos show an amazing attachment to humans for reptiles.

Eublefar spotted (Eublepharis macularis) or leopard gecko belongs to a fairly large family of Gekkonidae (chain-footed). This family received such a peculiar name because of its peculiarity, it is easy to move around and lead a more vertical than terrestrial lifestyle. This is related to physiological structure bodies of these reptiles and unique adaptations on their fingers.

The spotted eublefar is distinguished by a very calm and docile nature, which is combined with a pretty and very fragile appearance. The lizard looks at the world as if smiling affably. Absolutely not aggressive, he quickly gets used to his owner and shows interesting habits.

There is no smell from it, it does not cause allergies. Some pets are so attached to a person that they just ask for pens. In the morning, in a warm human palm, a gecko may doze off. And it seems that it is about to purr like a cat.

As a terrarium animal, eublefar is easily suitable for families with small children. In this case, you should not even think about such curiosities as bites or any other injuries caused by animals to humans.

Despite the fact that in nature they are nocturnal animals, in the terrarium the gecko quickly gets used to feeding during the day and is always in sight.

The appearance of the "leopard"

Eublefar reaches a length of 30 cm (this is together with the tail). He, like other geckos, has a fairly large head and, unusual for lizards, a thick tail. The body is covered with small scales.

The color of eublefars is mostly yellow with various variations of dark brown spots and tubercles. Juveniles also have white on their bodies. Although there are albino forms.

The paws are thin, of medium length, with five elongated and rounded toes. Under the forelimbs are the so-called armpits - leather pockets, the function of which is not yet clear to scientists. On the paws are thin claws, with the help of which lizards can move on soft surfaces.

The eyes of a leopard gecko are similar to those of a cat - large, bulging and elongated. Unlike other representatives of the Gekkonidae family, the spotted gecko has developed movable eyelids, which makes this animal even more attractive.

Habitat

The habitat of the spotted eublefar extends from Afghanistan, Pakistan and to western India. The lizard prefers to settle in rocky areas of the foothills and sandy areas, but is most often found in semi-fixed sands. In open desert areas, the animal feels uncomfortable and avoids them.

The lifestyle of the spotted eublefar

Like most geckos, our hero leads a twilight and nocturnal lifestyle, and spends the day in shelters and burrows. Enlarged eyeballs with vertical pupils testify to the nocturnal nature of his life activity. Therefore, you should not be alarmed if the pet is not active during the day, and lying in a shelter or climbing out into an open area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe terrarium, sleepily warms up. With the onset of twilight, the eublefar will get out to "hunt".

Under natural conditions, spotted eublefaras live in small colonies consisting of one male and several females. The male jealously guards his territory from invading competitors.

The life expectancy of males in nature is 8-10 years, single females - 5-8 years. Females, who constantly lay eggs, live even less - only 3-4 years.

In captivity, under favorable conditions, spotted eublefar can live for more than 20 years. There are cases when these lizards lived up to 30!

What to feed a spotted eublefar?

In nature, "leopards" mainly hunt insects, but sometimes they can profit from their own kind, only smaller relatives.

The favorite food of spotted eublefars at home is crickets (brownies, bananas, two-spotted). The Turkmen cockroach (Shelfordella tartara) has also proven itself as a food object, since it is very soft and easily reproduces without requiring special conditions. Eating it, eublefar even squints with pleasure.

Not bad eaten marble (Nauphoeta cinerea) and larvae of Madagascar (Gromphadorhina portentosa) cockroaches. A mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) can also be included in the diet of eublefars. Before serving insects, it is advisable to feed them with various greens, and then sprinkle them with vitamins for reptiles or calcium powder (this is especially important for females during the breeding season). Some individuals will not refuse newborn mice, but it is often not worth giving them. Do not forget that the gecko is still an insectivorous reptile. Spotted geckos do not eat various fruits, berries and other vegetation.

Feeding a leopard gecko is very exciting. It is advisable to present food to him from the hand or with tweezers: this way the reptile will receive its portion and will not swallow pebbles when hunting, and you will be sure that cockroaches that could run away and lead wild image there is no life in your apartment, in a terrarium. Moreover, eublefar will be happy to accept the proposed food in this form. In addition, hand-feeding will speed up the process of taming the animal. "Hunting" for food, the gecko stands on outstretched paws and briefly taps its tail.

In the summer, various orthopterans (Orthoptera) from the grasshopper (Tettigoniidae) and grasshopper (Acrididae) families can be caught in the lizard meadow. This should be done away from agricultural fields and gardens, as insects can be poisoned by pesticides. If you feed grasshoppers, then crush the head before feeding large individuals, since grasshoppers have strong jaws that could injure your pet.

Eublefars older than a year are fed 2-3 times a week. For one feeding, an adult gecko can eat an average of 5 crickets.

The diet of young people is different. Very small geckos under the age of 1 month are fed 1-2 times a day - 1 cricket per feeding is enough for them. Lizards from 1 to 3 months old are fed once a day - they give 2 crickets. At the age of 3 to 6 months, geckos are fed every other day - an average of 1-3 large crickets per feeding. And for animals from six months to a year, it is enough to give food 2-3 times a week in the amount of 3-4 large crickets at a time.

The terrarium must have a drinking bowl with water. It is good to use a Petri dish in this case, which has low edges. Water must be renewed at least every other day.

The content of eublefars in the terrarium

Eublefars can be kept both singly and in pairs. Under no circumstances should several males be placed in one terrarium - fights in this case are simply inevitable. Eublefaras can fight for territory up to lethal outcome one of the competitors. By themselves, lizards are not aggressive, but they are exclusively territorial, they do not tolerate strangers. If you want to keep more than one gecko, it is better to get one male and several females. Since males are too loving, it is recommended to settle with a gecko not one girlfriend, but at least two. He will constantly terrorize the one and only “wife” with his harassment. By the way, under certain conditions, eublefaras breed relatively easily in captivity.

For one individual, a 40x40x40 cm terrarium is enough, for a pair - 60x40x40 cm, and for a group of three to seven lizards - 100x40x40 cm. 35 cm

The terrarium is recommended to use glass, not plastic, as the leopard will scratch it with its claws and over time the plastic will become dull. The terrarium should be well ventilated with tightly closing doors.

The temperature should be maintained at 27-31°C, and in the coldest corner of the terrarium, the temperature should be around 24°C.

Both an infrared lamp and a heating cord or stone can act as heating devices, although the option with a heating lamp is more preferable.

Humidity in a room with a lizard can range from 40 to 55%. It is achieved by spraying or placing a drinker in the terrarium, which has large area bottom. During the molting of lizards, the humidity must be increased. To do this, it is enough to put a wet rag folded 2-3 times into the terrarium. Animals sometimes lie down on it to soak old skin.

Lighting is of great importance when keeping a spotted eublefar. Be sure to install an ultraviolet lamp (for example, Hagen "Repti Glo 5.0").

Since eublefar - night view geckos, he will need shelter during the day. As such, well-fixed pieces of bark, stones, bamboo tubes are suitable. You can also use a humidity chamber as a shelter, such as a ceramic pot with a lid or a food container, in the wall of which you need to drill a passage for your lizard.

Eublefars periodically molt. At first they begin to fade, then turn completely white. When the head becomes white to the tip of the nose, the lizard begins to peel off the old skin itself, under which fresh and bright is already visible. The entire molting process can take 2-3 hours. Shedding is more successful with high humidity. If the humidity in the terrarium is not high enough, molting does not go well (on the tail, body and fingers), and this is especially dangerous. The remaining old skin, which shrinks when dried, can lead to the death of the animal. If even the smallest particles of the old skin remain, the terrarium master must intervene, soak the remnants of the old skin with a swab and remove them. On average, a young spotted eublefar molts every 25 days.

Eublefar's house can be decorated with living plants - they will also help maintain moisture.

The choice of soil should also be taken seriously - sand is not suitable for this purpose, since dust, getting along with sand, can cause complications in the respiratory and digestive system lizards. Small gravel is also not suitable - geckos constantly swallow small pebbles. It is necessary to use pebbles of such a size that the gecko cannot swallow them. At the bottom of the terrarium, you can also lay a plastic mat that imitates grass.

Place at least one large stone in the terrarium and, if possible, a snag. On a stone heated in the daytime, lizards are going to warm themselves at night, and rub against a snag during molting. Leave the snag with the bark, as eublefaras have straight fingers with claws, without extended plates, which do not allow them to climb slippery surfaces. For disinfection and disinfestation, scald the snag with boiling water and treat with a solution of potassium permanganate. If there is not enough heat, the geckos will climb onto the snag closer to the light bulb.

Eublefars are clean animals, for the toilet they choose one of the corners of the terrarium and will go there all the time, which, of course, makes life easier for the terrariumist. For cleaning, it is enough to replace dirty stones in this place with new ones.

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