Felinus setup!!

lemutron · #1 02-26-2010, 02:24 PM

Hello

Soon I'm hopefully getting a beautiful cateye gecko.
What do I need to buy before getting my cat? Can someone please help me, I'm making a little list

List:
•Crickets
•Food-, waterbowl
•Hide (a small cave or something)

What have I missed?
I already have: Vivarium, substrate, plants

And, do they need any heat?? I'v heard they like it a bit colder.

Thanks very much

Lordoftheswarms · #2 02-28-2010, 12:28 AM

Do not provide extra heat. Should be below room temp 17 C I think at night. During the day up to 22 - 23 C I think is ok, read through these forums on them. You should mist the entire enclosure with reverse osmosis water every night. Crickets are not the best choice for prey for these guys. The best is Blatta lateralis. Do not provide calcium supplementation by dusting prey more than once a week.
They like it quiet, cool, and moist. Having the set up in a quiet basement would be ideal. Refrain from handling it very often.
The user Riverside Reptiles has a lot of cat geckos, and he is pretty active on the forums.

Lordoftheswarms · #3 03-03-2010, 12:37 AM

This is the third time I've tried replying to this thread. I'm getting a little P.O.ed
Edit: Now my post from yesterday shows up today. WTF!

Read through this forum, but here is a summary.

The most important thing about keeping these is that they need HIGH HUMIDITY!
Specifically they need reverse osmosis water, otherwise they get kidney stones or some other renal problem. They can't take the high mineral content of tap water. Get either a reverse osmosis machine and automatic mister, or manually mist store bought RO water.

They need low temps! They should be kept in a basement that is few degrees below room temperature. I think they need a night/day temperature difference as well.

They stress out super easy! Keep them in a low traffic area, don't handle them, and don't overwhelm them with too many insects. You should house them individually because of this.

The best food for them is Blatta lateralis. Don't provide crickets as the main diet. Crickets are fine occasionally to add a bit of variety though.

They thrive in a vivarium with live plants. They like to sleep in the pots, and they forage in the plants. Some plants that they like include:
Umbrella tree/umbrella plant
Pothos
Philodendron

I hope this works, I am sick of replying and it being pointless.

**Riverside Reptiles** · #4 03-03-2010, 10:02 AM

Best place to start for info would be to look in the "care sheets" section and read the care sheet provided. It's basic but provides all the info needed to get started.

lemutron · #5 03-14-2010, 11:17 AM

Thank you guys for the replies!! Very helpful info.
I had no idea that they needed Blatta lateralis. Is there any other roaches that also works?

Sounds tricky when you can't give them tap water. Is a reverse osmosis machines expensive?

Lordoftheswarms · #6 03-14-2010, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lemutron

Thank you guys for the replies!! Very helpful info.
I had no idea that they needed Blatta lateralis. Is there any other roaches that also works?

Sounds tricky when you can't give them tap water. Is a reverse osmosis machines expensive?

Blatta lateralis works the best because of their high nutritional value, and behavior. They will not immediately burrow like most other ****roaches, but are arboreal, which is perfect for the eating habits of A. felinus. Such is what I have heard, I don't actually have any experience with either, B. lateralis, or A. felinus, but I've been doing a lot of research on both.

I just bought an RO machine for 350.00 Canadian.

**Riverside Reptiles** · #7 03-14-2010, 02:14 PM

I got my RO filter for around $100 US if I recall. But that was 5 or 6 years ago.
Crickets work for feeders too although I stick with lateralis myself.

Ashj · #8 08-30-2010, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lordoftheswarms

This is the third time I've tried replying to this thread. I'm getting a little P.O.ed
Edit: Now my post from yesterday shows up today. WTF
I hope this works, I am sick of replying and it being pointless.

This great man...will try on the roaches, getting a dubia soon hope mine will like it..

**Riverside Reptiles** · #9 08-30-2010, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ashj

This great man...will try on the roaches, getting a dubia soon hope mine will like it..

Dubia don't tend to work so well with cat geckos. The dubia tend to bury themselves in the substrate. I would go with either lateralis roaches, or crickets.

Ashj · #10 09-01-2010, 11:12 AM

sad man we have crixs a lot... but not that recomended ...will try to find this lateralis