Crested Gecko (aka Eyelash Gecko)

Rhacodactylus ciliatus

Reptiles Alive Name: Rhacodactylus (aka Rhacky)

Hissstory: Rhacky came to us as an unwanted pet in July 2010.

RA Diet: Crickets and fruit.

Natural Diet: Insects and other invertebrates plus fruit and nectar.

Range: New Caledonia.

Habitat: Cool and humid tropical lowland rain forest from the understory to the canopy.

Size: 6-7 inches long.

Lifespan: 10-20 years.

Reproduction: Females lay 1 or 2 eggs which hatch in about 2 months.

Conservation: Crested gecko habitat is threatened by: deforestation, nickel mining, and the introduction of exotic predators.  Most of the crested geckos available for sale as pets in the United States have been captive bred.

Cool Facts: Crested geckos were first discovered in 1866, but were later thought to be extinct.  However, in 1994, two herpetologists on expeditions to New Caledonia “rediscovered” the geckos.

Spotted Turtle
Clemmys guttata

Reptiles Alive Name: Spot

Hissstory: Spot was donated to us from a nature center.

RA Diet: Earthworms, crickets, meal worms and  zoo aquatic turtle food.

Natural Diet: Spotted turtles are omnivorous – meaning they eat both plants and meat.  Algae, leaves of soft aquatic plants water lily seeds, worms, mollusks, crustaceans, insects, amphibian eggs, tadpoles, and carrion are all eaten by spotted turtles.

Range: Eastern Canada south through the eastern United States including the Washington D.C. region.

Habitat: Small ponds, vernal pools, marshes, swamps and wet woodlands

Size: Grows 3.5 – 4.5 inches, with a record of 5 inches

Lifespan: Can live over 20 years

Reproduction: Spotted turtles breed March – May. Females lay 3-5 eggs in June. The eggs hatch in the fall and sometimes the hatchling turtles overwinter in the nest.

Conservation Issues: Spotted turtles are threatened in many areas due to habitat loss, pollution and the pet trade.

Cool Facts: Spotted turtles emerge from hibernation earlier than most other turtles.  They can function at lower temperatures than most other reptiles species.

Uromastyx

Uromastyx maliensis

Reptiles Alive Name: “Mali”

Hissstory: Mali was donated to us by former RA staff person Jennifer Rafter in 1999.

RA Diet: Greens, vegetables, and zoo herbivore lizard food.

Natural Diet: Greens, grasses, flowers, seeds, and occasional insects.

Range: Northern Africa

Habitat: Rocky deserts.

Size: Can grow to 15 – 17 inches.

Lifespan: 20+ years

Reproduction: Females lay about 15 eggs that will hatch in 60-70 days.

Conservation Issues: Captive breeding has proven difficult for this lizard, most uromastyx in the pet trade are wild caught.  Many people still capture this lizard for food throughout its range.

Cool Facts: These lizards sleep in their burrows with their spiny tails closest to the opening.  If a predator gets too close, the Uromastyx will whip its spiny tail in defense.

Amazon River Turtle

Podocnemis unifilis

Reptiles Alive Name: “Podocnemis”

Hissstory: Along with another Amazon river turtle, Podocnemis was imported from Bolivia to be kept as a pet.  The person no longer wanted the turtles, so he brought them both here in 2001.  We kept Podocnemis and placed the other turtle with another wildlife organization.

RA Diet: Podoc loves to devour greens, fruit, crickets, worms, & dry aquatic turtle food.

Natural Diet: Mostly plants and fruits, but will also eat insects, amphibians, fish and mollusks.

Range: Northern South America including the Amazon rain forest.

Habitat: Ponds, lakes, and rivers.

Size: Can grow to 15-27 inches and  weigh 5-14 pounds. Females are larger than males.

Lifespan: 50 + years.

Reproduction: Lay about 24 eggs in the riverbank. These turtles often lay eggs together in a communal nest. Eggs hatch in two months. Hatchlings are the size of a quarter.

Conservation Issues: CITES Appendix I: Endangered. Turtles and eggs are hunted for human consumption. Today armed guards protect many nesting sites.

Cool Facts: Amazon river turtles belong to a group known as the side-necked turtles, or, the Pleurodira. When frightened, they draw their head into their shell sideways.  Most turtle species, like the box turtle, belong to the Cryptodira – they go straight back into their shell.