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Common Name:
Big-Headed Gecko, Ocelot Gecko, Malagasy Ground Gecko
Scientific Name:
Paroedura picta (Peters, 1854)
Description:
The most prominent feature of this gecko is its large head perched on a short, cylindrical body. Total length is around 14-15 cm, with males
generally being longer than the females. Adult males can also be easily distinguished by the presence of very pronounced hemipenal bulges.
In terms of color there is both a light and a dark phase. The base color
of the light phase is cinnamon or tan whilst the dark phase is dark, chocolate brown. In terms of pattern there is a striped and a banded phase. The striped phase has a single white or yellowish stripe that runs
down the center of the back from behind the head to the end of the tail. The banded phase has a series of transverse bands across the body. The eyes are large and protuberant and the legs spindly. The body is
covered with fairly regular rows of large tubercles amongst the generally smooth scalation.
The name of this species was changed from P. pictus to P. picta by Nussbaum and Raxworthy (2000).
Distribution:
This species is endemic to Madagascar where it is found in the south of the island, primarily in coastal areas.
Natural History:
This is a nocturnal ground gecko that is fairly common in dry areas. It exists in a variety of habitats such as savannah, dry forests,
semi-deserts, thorn scrub and cliffs. Freed (1994) reported finding a specimen under some debris on a beach only a few yards from the ocean.
During the day P. picta spends its time beneath rocks, pieces of wood or in small burrows. They emerge at night to scurry around in the leaf litter or on the sandy substrate.
Housing in Captivity:
It is best to house P. picta in pairs in a medium-sized terrarium. Adult geckos are not adept climbers but hatchlings in particular can move around on glass. However, due to their predominantly terrestrial nature sufficient ground area is important.
A substrate of a potting compost and sand mixture works well. Be sure to provide plenty of hiding places on the ground by using cork bark or upturned plant saucers. A light daily spray of water in one part of
the enclosure will provide sufficient humidity, plus a water bowl for drinking should always be available.
As always a temperature gradient within the enclosure should be available to allow your geckos to
thermoregulate. Daytime temperatures should be in the region of 28-32º C, dropping to 22-25º C at night.
Food and Feeding:
P. picta have a substantial appetite! All of the available insect fare will be consumed. In terms of commercially bred insects Klarsfeld (1996) has successfully fed crickets (Acheta domestica), waxworms/waxmoths (Galleria
mellonella), flightless house flies (Musca domestica), newly molted two-week old superworms (Zoophobus morio) and small hissing cockroaches (Gromphadorina portentosa). In addition, he has
also been successful with a variety of native insects including pillbugs (Armadillo sp.), earwigs (Forticula sp.), termites (Reticlitermes sp.) and miscellaneous grubs.
Food items should be
offered daily and ideally variety should be provided by alternating the insects presented. Provision of a vitamin/mineral supplement that includes calcium is vital, particularly for the females. Each feed should be
dusted with the appropriate mixture.
Health:
This is a very hardy gecko. Provided you obtain captive-bred specimens from a reputable breeder and keep your animals in accordance with the
guidelines here you can expect trouble-free maintenance. However, due to the prolific egg production of the females, it cannot be emphasised enough the importance of supplementing the food as described above.
Additionally, a small container of calcium should always be available in the enclosure to be consumed.
Breeding:
Mating takes place in the early part of the night and in the typical gecko fashion, with the male biting the female’s neck. Females are able to
store and use sperm from a single mating for a considerable period – Klarsfeld (1996) recorded a period of 170 days.
Clutches of two hard-shelled but fragile eggs can be laid every 8-10 days. The female should
be provided with a small egg-laying box, half-filled with damp vermiculite, although a damp part of the substrate will also be utilised.
Eggs incubated at a temperature around 26-29º C and a humidity of 60-70%
will normally hatch in 55-65 days. If any eggs incubate and hatch in situ the parent animals will not harm the young, although the hatchlings must always be removed to enable proper care to be provided.
Females of P. picta can be egg machines and it is the responsibility of the keeper to ensure that your female specimens are properly protected. Females are able to breed from six months of age – but do not allow them to do so until they are at least ten months old. Females in captivity can breed in all months of the year – but give your females a rest by separating the sexes for a part of the year.
The young are easy to raise using the methods above. Schroder (1987) reported breeding P. picta for sixteen generations without recognisable degeneration in the stock – a veritable rival to the Leopard Gecko.
GGA Rating:
1 – Ideal Choice for the Beginner
Recommended Reading:
Freed, P. 1994. Collection and Maintenance of the Malagasy Ground Gecko (Paroedura pictus). Reptile & Amphibian magazine
Jan/Feb 1994, pp. 41-45
Klarsfeld, J. 1996. The Fecund Madagascar Ground Gecko (Paroedura pictus). Reptiles magazine Vol. 4 No. 8 August 1996, pp. 56-68
Manwaring, N. 1992. An Easy to Manage and Prolific Ground Gecko (Paroedura pictus) from Madagascar. Vivarium magazine Vol. 4 No.2 September/October 1992, pp. 18-22
Nussbaum, R.A. & C.J. Raxworthy. 2000. Systematic Revision of the Genus Paroedura Gunther (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae) with the Description of Five New Species. Miscellaneous Publications, Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, No. 189
Schroder, E. 1987. Beobachtungen an 16 Nachzuchtgenerationen des madagassischen Geckos Paroedura pictus (Peters, 1854). Salamandra 23 (4), pp. 236-240
Seufer, H. 1991. Keeping and Breeding Geckos. T.F.H. Publications Inc. Neptune, U.S.A.
Walls, J.G. 1995. Madagascan Big-Headed Geckos. Reptile Hobbyist magazine Vol. 1 No. 4, pp. 58-62
John Rudge
Email: John.Rudge@btinternet.com
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