Looking for Advice: Cyrtopodion scabrum - Page 2

**Elizabeth Freer** · #11 06-15-2010, 09:32 PM

Nice you found it locally! Go, go, GF

!

Argent · #12 06-16-2010, 07:44 AM

so is there a trick to dusting his crickets and mealworms? do I just toss them all in a bag and give it a shake? use the fairy godmother method and just sprinkle some over their heads?

(BTW - thank you Elizabeth for taking the time to respond to my topic - seems no one else cares or knows anything)

**Elizabeth Freer** · #13 06-16-2010, 08:09 PM

Paul ~

Perhaps a more specific new thread entitled Advice Sought: Rough-tailed Gecko (Cyrtopodion scabrum) would get some replies? GU does care

.

I am not a fan of mealworms and scarcely have any experience with them. I have heard that crickets offer more protein. Recall that the calcium powder did not "stick" to my mealworms at all because of their tough exoskeleton.

A variation of the "shake and bake" method does work. I take a tall deli cup, say the 32 oz size, or any tall plastic container. Place the ultrafine powder in the bottom and then add the crickets. Swirl the crickets in the powder until they are well-coated. I use a tablespoon-size measuring spoon with the really curved sides to get the crickets out and into the tank. In most of my tanks I use a feeding dish of some sort just to confine the crickets. Your gecko should scarf up the crickets soon. Extra crickets crawling around should be removed, so they don't stress out your gecko. The longer the crickets are in the tank prior to being eaten, the more powder will fall off.

Argent · #14 06-17-2010, 11:35 AM

Thanks for the suggestion Elizabeth - guess I just assumed people would read my post and chime in (you're the only one who responded to my introduction post as well)

Guess maybe if I had a more 'popular' gecko I'd get more responses

you've been quite a big help though!

I'm thinking of getting one of those fake rock walls for the back of his tank - and I would really like to 'upgrade' from the green reptile mat I have to the bag of desert sand that came with the tank - was told to not to put him in sand yet because he might ingest sand when he tries eating his bugs (because he's young?)

Want to give him more of a 'natural' environment to hang out in

Ozymandias · #15 06-18-2010, 04:40 PM

impaction is a worry (eating sand), i would defiantly get rid of the reptile mat because it can cetch in there tows and absorbs ura. i would suggest for the time being going with tiles and some type of drift wood. the one sort of care sheet i found suggested a tank with sand (for digging) and lots of rocks. if you do use sand i would use fine play sand like you find in home depo.

Cyrtopodion scaber - Reptile Forums

Wanderer · #16 06-18-2010, 05:22 PM

Congrats on the find!!

My nactus pelagicus came as stowaways in shipments of fish from Vanuatu. This doesn't surprise me as they seem to have an affinity for dark and moist spaces. When I was there I used to always find them hiding under damn near anything that remained moisture.

the store I used to manage had routine shipments from vanuatu, the marshalls and fiji. we had a variety of Vanuatu geckos roaming free in the 7000 square foot store. the Lepidodactylus escapees even started breeding! The auto parts store next door used to call and ask "why are we finding geckos in our warehouse?"

Argent · #17 06-18-2010, 05:33 PM

Hahaha - that's a great story! Its interesting to hear about other random stowaways finding new homes.

Wanderer - I'm guessing you work for a saltwater aquarium store with shipments from Vanuatu, marshalls and fiji (live rock, inverts, and fish I'm guessing)

I also have a 24G AquaPod HQI reef setup in my dining room....

Wanderer · #18 06-18-2010, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Argent

Hahaha - that's a great story! Its interesting to hear about other random stowaways finding new homes.

Wanderer - I'm guessing you work for a saltwater aquarium store with shipments from Vanuatu, marshalls and fiji (live rock, inverts, and fish I'm guessing)

I also have a 24G AquaPod HQI reef setup in my dining room....

yeah it was primarily an aquatics store. I have worked in the saltwater industry for about a decade now. In the mid east, europe, oz and north america. I work for a wholesaler now that specializes in high-end german brands.

**Elizabeth Freer** · #19 06-19-2010, 06:11 AM

Paul ~

Right now I would use either paper towels or slate for the substrate till your gecko is about one year old. I'll admit this is my bias, but I advise all (especially beginners) to steer clear of any silica-based sand. Check the sand in question out under a magnifier or a microscope. Silica sand has pointy crystals which can accumulate in a gecko's gut and cause impaction. Quartz-based sand has rounded crystals and reduces the possibility of impaction. Even though it is more expensive, I highly recommend geologist Jerry Bergosh's Jurassic Reptile Playsand which he collects from the Utah deserts. It is exceptionally clean and has 100% quartz granules.

Argent · #20 06-19-2010, 10:16 AM

Wow - thanks for the move again Elizabeth - as for the ID that I had - it was given to me by someone over on Flickr when I posted my pics of him up there asking for an ID....

If it's wrong - well then - I'd love to find out just what Cicso is

EDIT: and I just checked to see what my bag of 'sand' that came with my tank was - and it's actually Desert Blend Lizard Litter - Ground English Walnut Shells

I'm guessing I won't be using this