Paroedura Picta update

[Elisa]

Here is my fat little guy. hope to get more this spring if I can find the breeders.

Of course he is shedding, as we can't have any good pictures without SOMEONE being in shed.

 

[Elisa]

I don't know how to edit posts so here is another pic to show off his fat lil tail. Picta are quick to drop their tails so they don't store fat as readily as leopards do.

 

[Phish999]

very pretty gecko!

 

[BuzzKillington]

Very nice Picta Elisa, and he's so plump too!

I bought one of these little guys on October 30th of this year and he has already doubled in size. I would estimate him to be about 2 1/2 - 3 months old and he's been eating healthy and he sheds about every week. He's my first reptile so I'm still kind of new at this, but I choose a Pictus because it seems like everyone has a Leopard, so I wanted something different (not to mention how cool these guys look).

He has been getting used to his enclosure so far, and he's pretty curious. Whenever I put my finger on the outside glass of his hides, he would turn his head walk up to the glass and try to lick my finger through the glass. However, he's still skittish and he doesn't do this with my actual finger. When I try to pick him up, he'll scurry away.

I'll admit, I got him with the intention of conditioning him to be used to being handled. Many people have said in order for really any lizard to be okay with being handled, you must do it at a young age. So that's what I've been doing almost every day. I hold him for about 3 minutes but all he mostly does while I'm holding him is try to get down, he hasn't really made any progress. I'm wondering if it's because of how young he is though, because I've also heard the young ones are always tough to handle. How old is yours and is he tough to handle? I hope mine gets to be as big as him! haha. Here is a couple pictures of mine (pardon the crappy cell phone pic):

This is him a few weeks ago:

and this is him earlier this week:

And one up close one:

Any advice is greatly appreciated, as I'm still trying to gather as much info on these geckos as possible and figure out how I can make him more at home.

 

[Retribution Reptiles]

Very nice picta.. We too have some picta but we keep ours in a rack system.

 

[Elisa]

This is the first Picta I have had that just will not tolerate handling. I guess it depends on the individual, although starting young and handling regularly definitely helps.

 

[Elisa]

Oh, and cute Picta!

Here is my guy after he finished shedding, he had VERY unusual markings as a hatchling and still shows the partial tri stripe pattern.




http://i865.photobucket.com/albums/ab211/Pocketpets/geckoforums/PC270011.jpg

http://i865.photobucket.com/albums/ab211/Pocketpets/geckoforums/PC270010.jpg

 

[Retribution Reptiles]

I have a male that looks like that. We are still in the early stages of test breeding as well as getting some stock in from a breeder that has established 3 stripe colony.

 

[prettyinpink]

Very cute

 

[Elisa]

I am definitely on the lookout for three striped females this spring. Hopefully I can find a breeder willing to give one up. :main_thumbsup:

 

[Retribution Reptiles]

Are you in the US?

 

[Elisa]

Yes, I am