Uroplatus giganteus?

[Salzy]

I have never heard of these before but just found an ad for them on Kingsnake.

http://market.kingsnake.com/detail.php?cat=31&de=528050

Does anyone else have some information? I did a Google search that pointed me to the Geckophile forums where they chatted about it back in December 06. Here is the link for that to see the discussion they had about. Apparently it is a white eyed U. fimbriatus?

http://www.geckosunlimited.com/forum/viewtopic.php?=&p=65689

Why haven't I read about this before?

[slygecko]

It's a newly described species that was formerly considered a large, white-eyed locale of U. fimbriatus. I can get you the paper that describes it if you want.

[Andrew Gilpin]

They apparently can get up to 17" in total length according to Jason P's supplier, and he said they are just.... well..... 'gigantic'. They are what he says they are, and there are maybe a dozen or so in the entire country. There may be a few more here and there imported as regular fimbriatus that people just don't know what they have.
Here's a link to the arrival of the shipment which had the giganteus:
http://www.geckosunlimited.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12285
they sure would be cool to get, although I don't think I'd even come up with $1,000 for the trio, especially knowing how tough fimbriatus are to work with to begin with.

[Silly-atus]

Olaf Pronk has a few pictures of them in his Webshots geckos of Madagascar album (http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/551878011hXyWGA)
They're pretty impressive looking geckos.

[Salzy]

Nick, if you could provide that for me, that would be awesome. Thanks a bunch!

Thanks for all the replies also with links. I never knew anything about these guys.

[rey]

oh man...i'm in love....

[ominously]

Here's a link to the arrival of the shipment which had the giganteus:
http://www.geckosunlimited.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12285 (http://www.geckosunlimited.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12285)


I think I want one of those crates for Christmas...:eek:

[jtmoney528]

Those things are amazing looking. When they have hatchlings do they end up as giants too? Suprized there are not more of those on the Market.

[Salzy]

Holy moly. :eek: I would take a crate like that as well. Thanks for the link Mike, those are some sweet pics. I love the U. pietschmanni. So awesome. I'm looking forward to seeing these giganteus more in the coming years.

[beccari]

There will not be very many giganteus coming into the market. They are incredible difficult to find with a limited range. Currently I have the only definitive group imported into the US. I took 3.4 with a standing order for whatever is collected, there are a few more coming in but not many. I took photos last night for the parties interested in them and will post them last today. The largest female is nearly 17 inches in length and weighs about 135 grams. She's a beast and is a total bully too. In person its a dream working with them.

I cried when i recieved that crate. Trust me it was worth everything i paid for it. The 6 months of waiting made it iritating but well worth it. I'll have another large shipment coming in September when i come back from hamm. There will be close to 300 uroplatus and 50 brookesia plus a few other things. I know some obscure geckos, ebanavia and matoatoa as well as some out there paroedura. Worth all the struggles it has given me. Won't be doing anything with the mantellas anymore though. They require too much work and eat to much.

I am passionate about my animals but more passionate about terrariums nowadays.

Feel free to drop a line if yall would like to talk uroplatus.

Jason P

[beccari]

when i saw only definitive group imported, I mean the only group actually imported as white eyed fimbriatus. They were specifically collected as white eyed fimbriatus. I know others have been lucky to receive them in the past but they were mixed in with regular fimbriatus.

[Salzy]

Nice. Thanks for popping on here Jason. Glad to have you around and would like to see more of you and your animals.

[beccari]

i tend not to frequent forums anymore. I have had too many negative experiences with people who seemed great from forums and then they turned out to be a**holes in the end. The drama of forums really makes me keep to myself more than anything. I have a few good gecko friends but mainly just keep to myself and just work on the animals and the cages. Its frustrating but its just not worth the hassles that occur here. I don't mind talking via phone or emails/pm's. To many self appointed experts that really are clueless. I'm an idiot when it comes to animals but i still keep them and learn from them. Only expert thing i can say is that I am great at farming gecko poop. Sorry for the banter, just wanted to put that out there as I really don't do forums anymore. Truthfully, they are the reason I'm getting out of the live animal business to some degree and focusing on my terrarium business. Its going well and will only continue to prosper.

Cheers
Jason P

[slygecko]

Hey, it took a while, but I finally got a pdf of the U. giganteus description paper. PM if you want it.

Cheers,
Nick

[Salzy]

I read over that article and it is incredible. They did a lot of work and figured out some great things. Very interesting how they figured out even more on the species after analyzing the colors of preserved specimens. Great thought since they are so variable when alive. Sounds like there are some characteristics that still need to be looked at with the other Uroplatus species also. In the coming years there could be plenty of species or subspecies being recognized. Very glad to know about U. giganteus now.

Dang though, I wish I would have payed closer attention in my Wildlife Statistics class. Those tests always confused me and I wish I understood them better. Familiar with them, just not skilled in knowing what it all means. I'll have to read it a couple more times to understand it all.

Thanks so much Nick. It was a big help and I love reading that stuff.