Bynoe's Gecko (Heteronotia binoei)

<table><tr><td colspan="2" valign="top"><div align="center">Heteronotia binoei (Bynoe's Gecko) GRAY, 1845. Maintenance & Breeding in captivity of the parthenogenic Heteronotia Binoei. By Graham Bruce, UK, Creator of <a href="http://www.geckoworld.co.uk/index.htm">Geckoworld</div> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="92%" height="172" valign="top"><div align="left">Introduction & Distribution Heteronotia are native to Australia, H.binoei cover a wide distribution, throughout Australia, New South Wales, North Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, West Australia except the extreme southeast and southwest. They are found in a variety of habitats from arid deserts to open woodland. A nocturnal, terrestrial species, H.binoei are often found in small groups but individuals are said to be quite territorial. They vary, greatly, in colour and pattern, some being a tan/orange brown with white cream bands and/or light and dark spots; others can be much darker, with different combinations of colour & pattern. They have a total length of between 5 to 7 cm. For parthenogenesis & sexual Bynoes; please refer to <a href="#breeding">BREEDING</a> section (this article will be updated periodically to include information regarding Sexual Bynoe's geckos). </div></td> <td valign="top"><img src="files/sections/gecko/binoei01.jpeg" width="248" height="347"></td></tr> <tr> <td height="112" align="center" valign="top"> <img src="files/sections/gecko/binoei_map.jpeg" width="220" height="166"></td><td> Distribution of Heteronotia binoei </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top">Maintaining Bynoe's Geckos As a private Herpetoculturalist I would encourage hobbyists to make captive breeding efforts.</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" valign="top">Vivarium size and selection Select a floor area of at least 15(L) by 15(W) 12(H) inch; this would house one or two specimens. In my experience it is best not to keep more than 3 specimens in the same Vivarium as they can be quite territorial. The Vivarium can be constructed from wood, but plastic/glass vivaria have also worked well for me in the past. I always use open top vivaria or vivaria with a screen top, these geckos cannot climb very well and require low levels of humidity (more on this later).</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="53" colspan="2" valign="top">Substrate I find play sand (silver sand) works very well, I also use a few bark chips scattered about. Other substrates could be, bark chips, top-soil, gravel etc. I have found no problems using sand with this species. There are a variety of substrates available that would be workable with Bynoes's, choice is down mostly to personal preference but remember to use something that will be easy to keep humidity to a minimum.</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="19" colspan="2" valign="top">Vivarium furnishing Place about 1 - 1.5 inch of silver sand in the bottom, you can add to this, small amount of gravel and bark chips as you like. Have several small hides, these can be constructed from butter tubs, cheese boxes and any other small tubs and cork bark slabs/rounds. Cut a hole in the side at the bottom of the tub about 1 inch diameter. Inside each tub place some sand in the bottom, an inch or so, you can add a small amount of moist sphagnum moss during the breeding season (please see: <a href="#breeding">BREEDING</a>). Small rock piles and pieces of bark/wood make good places for these geckos to forage for food and also for places to hide. </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="19" colspan="2" valign="top">Lighting H.binoei is a nocturnal species; specialist reptile UV/Full Spectrum lights may not be beneficial in this respect, and are to be used at the convenience of the keeper, as these lights will probably not harm them anyway. Incandescent lights can be used (see: <a href="#heating">HEATING</a>), however, a photo period of 12 - 16 hours of day light is necessary during most of the year, I use a photoperiod of 15 hours of day light (also see: BREEDING), fluorescent lights can be used to provide this. </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="19" colspan="2" valign="top"><a name="heating"></a>Heating Heating the Vivarium can be done by using Heat Mats, and/or incandescent light/spot light. Spot lights do work, but ordinary incandescent bulbs work better in my experience. I am assuming that the reader is aware of the basics of heating, and so, will not mention thermostats/timers and methods of using them. At one end of their vivaria should be 78 - 83f (85f up to 90f during the summer months) during the day, and the other end should be cooler around 70 - 75. Temperatures can be allowed to drop to 68f at night. </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="19" colspan="2" valign="top">Humidity H.binoei require low relative air humidity, 20-30% or lower (also see: <a href="#breeding">BREEDING</a>).</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="21" colspan="2" valign="top">Water I provide a very shallow water body in the form of a lid (from a jam jar) which is replenished every other day, they seem to do fine with this. Also, they are misted with tepid water once a week.</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="8" colspan="2" valign="top">Feeding H.binoei are insectivorous, they feed on a range of insect prey. In captivity they should be fed brown crickets, black crickets, and small caterpillars etc, all of a small size. They should be approx the size of the lizards head. They will forage, after dark, all over their housing! They are very active at dusk. All food items should be dusted with a good quality multi-vitamin/mineral powder once every third feeding; I use NEKTON MSA (and provide with this additional calcium carbonate powder) with all of the geckos I breed. </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="8" colspan="2" valign="top"><a name="breeding"></a>Breeding H.binoei breed quite readily in captivity, infact, they are one of the most common first pet lizards in Australia. They can breed year round, but I provide a cooling period of six weeks, during this time the temperature is dropped to 58 - 63f and the photoperiod is cut from 15 hours of day light to 9 hours. Food is not offered. During the fourth week, I offer a small amount of food and raise the temperature to 68 - 70f and the photoperiod is increased to 11 hours of day light. In the fifth week, the photoperiod alone is increased to 13 hours of day light, then in the sixth week; all are returned to normal (78 - 83f, 15 hours of day light). When all are returned to normal, I mist everyday in the morning, this increases the relative air humidity (about 40%), much food is offered, as much as can be taken during a feeding, the prey items are dusted with good quality vitamin supplement.</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="19" colspan="2" valign="top">Egg Disposition & Incubation H.binoei lay usually clutches of two eggs, they can lay multiple clutches of two, up to 3 or 4 clutches per season/year. In order for a female to lay she will search for an appropriate site to lay, this can be provided by using a tub (as described in Vivarium Furnishing) only this time it is useful to provide more humid quarters for this. This can be achieved by placing lightly damp Sphagnum moss inside the tub; the moss should be misted lightly every 3 to 4 days (aim around 40 - 60% relative air humidity). Once laid the eggs should be incubated at 27 - 28c with low relative air humidity as the eggs of this species are hard shelled moisture is less important with incubation, attention should be made as to not disturb the eggs, Heat Spikes (rapid raising and decreasing temperature) can then be avoided as this is detrimental to eggs development. Providing the eggs survival is good they should hatch within 70 days. Young are treated as adults only they are housed separately for the first 6 months to enable healthy rearing.</td> </tr> <tr> <td height="19" colspan="2" valign="top"></td> </tr> </table>

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Bynoe's Gecko (Heteronotia binoei)