Reptile & Amphibian Forums

this satanic leaf tail is full grown and i have plenty of 10 gallon tanks to keep him in but i was wondering if i could keep him in a rubber maid for a fiew weeks? the rubber maid is about 2 ft tall and about a foot and a half squared. will this be ok for him or do i need to go ahead and put him in a 10 galon i need to keep a simple set up at first to see if he is properly eating ect.
i have heard both the geckos need high humidity and to use a glass or a plastic lid and i have heard they need misted a fiew times and to use a screen top.
witch is it?
this rubber maid lid fits tight with 2 small opean spaces in the lid about as big around as your poienter finger
i have a 5 watt heat pad on the botom of the rubber maid with lots of spagnum moss and branches in there for climbing
if u guys/girls can give me some more helpfull info i would apreciate it
thanks
:Mike

Unless you live outdoors in Antartica, heat should never be used for any Uroplatus species. A plastic tub with the specified dimensions can be used, although a bit unorthodox. Holes the width of an index finger are very possible escape routes. I wouldn't be surprised to see a phantasticus squeeze through that.
Here is a caresheet, I recommend you read it thoroughly and find others as well before purchasing any Uroplatus.

Robert Gundy
U. phantasticus care sheet

i have kept uroplatus henklies before i keps 2 for 3 years then i moved and had to sell them.
but i haven never kept a satanic leaf tail.
i have read care sheets and i also have read they need
heat and a realy humid place so screen lids wont work, then i have read that screen tops will work thats y i was asking these ?'s
to make shure what was right because i think no one would know better that some one that keeps them now. not because i am realy unexperanced and havet read up on them, i have been reading care sheets for them.
and stuying up on them
before i get one.
thanks for your info
:Mike

I keep a different high humidity gecko... but anyway,
I cover my screen lids with saran wrap. Kinda ugly, and the tape tends to come off, but it works for me. I don't see why a rubbermaid container wouldn't work, they are quite excellent at keeping in humidity. Almost to a fault sometimes, they can get a bit musty. But those holes do sound too big. Smaller holes are easily made with a soldering iron, a drill, or if you're lucky, a blunt penknife. Do not use a ballpoint pen, you will regret it! You can put a whole bunch of holes in for nice air flow and the humidity should still stay ok.

What you use as a top or enclosure depends on where you live and the temperature/humidity of your house and outside. I'm in south Florida so I have the AC on all the time and humidity is not a problem. I keep my trio in a 20H tank with screen top and mist the two-three times a day. If you're an area with less humidity then you may need to partially cover the top. Do not cover the whole top, you need good airflow to keep from it getting musty and causing molds to grow. Fresh air is a must. Before I got my first pair, I ran a "test tank" that I set up just as if I'd already had the geckos and just maintained it like I would if phantasticus were already living in there. That's how I knew that I shouldn't have much problem with temps and humidity. I think this would be a good idea for you because you seem so unsure. Experiment, but I would NOT experiment different things after getting the geckos. One mistake can be costly for the animal and Uroplatus have not been cheap lately.

hope you are having luck but dont use a heat source these uros ,especilly phantasticus, like it cool. my friend keeps them outside and they were eating and digesting at 49 degrees so dont worry about them getting to cool. i keep my uroplatus in reptariums in the basement with a waterfall in each enclosure and a natural setting. running water stimulates them to drink and keeps the humidity up. lots of luck mike