Pictus hatchling care

K1LOS · 08-11-05, 09:56 AM

Hello all, I just hatched a baby pictus and i have him all set up. My question is how long after it is out of the egg should i expect it to eat? He has a few pinheads in there with him, but he hasn't really shown any interest in them. Your thoughts?

Geoff

K1LOS · 08-13-05, 04:54 PM

nobody? Somebody must have some thoughts.

DragnDrop · 08-13-05, 05:17 PM

I don't have pictus but if they're like the typical geckos, it will be a few days before he'll eat. My guess is within a week of hatching he'll start looking for food.
Pictus aren't that popular right now, a few years ago everyone had them but now they're almost on the rare side.

spidergecko · 08-13-05, 10:20 PM

I don't have them either but they definitely won't eat until their first shed (which you usually won't even see). This happens within the first 48 hours. Also, they still have some yolk they they are absorbing so they won't eat right away. Their little bellies close up but the yolk isn't all gone. As Hilde said, it might take a few days.

I like to use tiny mealworms for small hatchlings because they stimulate a feeding response and they are slow. However, the chitin to "meat" ratio is really high in small mealies so moving them to crickets soon after is a good idea.

Betty Miskie · 08-14-05, 08:55 AM

I had pictus and found that the first couple days they would eat around one to two crickets each day. By a weeks end, they were eating lots of 1/4 inch. The pictus really seems to grow fast so make sure you have lots of small crickets on hand as they love to eat and eat lots once they start. For hatchlings and 100 percent success rate, make sure you have it a bit higher on the humidity at the start as they tend to shed lots as they grow lots.
Betty