[elcaptain]

Hey,

I just bought 2 tokays off of craigslist. 2 females. I have no idea how to care for these animals. I picked one up, and it barked and tried to bite me. Is this normal?

hahaha, I'm kidding. I research before I buy.

Anyways, they are captive bread--owner seemed like a good guy. One of the females looks a little skinny to me... and she stays on the floor, kinda. I've seen her on the walls, and I watched her eat last night--crazy fast one. During the day (I've only had them 3 days now) she seems to sleep on the floor in the dark corner of the cage against the heat matt on the other side of the glass (it's an exo terra and not very powerful).

I rigged up an ultrasonic humidifier, and it works amazing for the humidity--better than I expected.

I know the cage is dirty... and there seems to be far too much substrate... I just wanted to let them chill in their new home before I took them out and re-did the cage, make sure they were eating and everything.

My day-time temps are between 95ish and 70ish on the bottom on the cool side
Night time drops to about 80 right under the red light and 70ish on the bottom.

It's a 30" x 12" x 18" They're still juvies, but I know I'll have to get a taller enclosure in the future.

I just wanted to know if the tank was too cluttered (I plan on a re-model when I clean the tank after they've acclimated)... and I also wanted to know if tokays needed a humid hide... they have plenty of places to hide in the tank now... but opinions seemed varied on whether or not they need the humid hide.

I'm also going to get a 30" fluorescent. I figure better safe than sorry, and the uvb helps with coloration too.

They like crickets... I've also read the occasional baby food is good too for these guys. What I haven't read is if I need to put a calcium dish in their like for the cresteds/leos.

I think that's it... I'll post pictures later when they wake up and stuff.



blake


IMG_1149 by blake.t.morgan, on Flickr



IMG_1151 by blake.t.morgan, on Flickr



IMG_1158 by blake.t.morgan, on Flickr

They're still hiding a lot... but eating well. I managed to get a couple pictures. I rarely see the darker one out



100_2658 by blake.t.morgan, on Flickr



100_2661 by blake.t.morgan, on Flickr



100_2655 by blake.t.morgan, on Flickr

they seem to be getting less and less shy with the cage... still haven't tried handling them yet. when cleaning up after them they don't bark at me anymore and haven't tried to bite me... but I haven't tried to touch them yet, either.

I've got some crickets and mealworms coming in the mail. I'm using repcal and herptivite to dust. I also got some Repashy Gut Load and also some Repashy Gecko food--I read they sometimes like to eat it from time to time... figured it'd be healthier than baby food. If they don't like it, I'll just gutload the crickets with it.

Thoughts would be appreciated

[elcaptain]

I meant: thoughts would be appreciated, please.

[PrettyInInk]

Hi!

Cute little girls you have there... I haven't had my tokays long enough to give you full detailed instructions but what you have been doing seems fine.

The enclosure doesn't look cluttered to me and i'm sure they enjoy all of the different hiding places to hang out. I do have one suggestion, if you want to fatten your thin one up I recommend you feed them a monthly pinkie or even a fuzzy. They will LOVE you for that. I feed mine a fuzzy once a month, they really enjoy them, and keeps them fat and healthy. I like to change it up on them from crickets, to wax worms, pheonix worms, and fuzzies. I use wax worms very sparingly and again use fuzzies once a month and it'll keep them happy for a couple of days to 3. I do not feed any of my geckos mealworms because I just have read lots of horror stories about them causing impaction, eating their ways of the stomache, therefore leading to death. I don't know if it's entirely true since I have not experienced it myself but why risk it, right? If you do decide to feed them mealies you can cut the head off and crack the exoskeleton a bit so that the intestinal juices can get in there and digest them.

Sorry for all of the blabbering and if you already know this, awesome! Welcome and good luck! You will fall in love.

P.S. I got mine from Craigslist too.

[elcaptain]

Thanks Gabbie!

isn't Craigslist amazing? I say that now... the next thing I buy I'll end up beat over the head and locked in someone's basement haha.

Having tokays is definitely interesting. I had a bearded dragon for a while. He died, but he was 8 years old so he had a pretty good run. I adopted him, though... only had him for a couple years.

But it's definitely different going from a desert species to a tropical one. And I'm still not used to seeing them crawling on the walls. I'll be looking for them in the hiding spots, and then I see one hanging upside down.

Still have to figure out names too.

And I'd like to get a male eventually... is 2 females a male too much for one cage even if it's roomy?

Anyways, thanks for the reply and I'm sure I'll see ya around the boards.


blake

[PrettyInInk]

Tell me about it, i'm in love with Craigslist pet section. Lol! Most of my pets have been rescues as well. Let me give you the run down... This whole thing started with a couple of Bullfrogs my bf caught in a canal. I only had a 10 gallon and thought "man, these guys are going to get pretty big eventually." so I re-homed them to a pond and did some research on some frogs. I finally decided on a couple of Fire Belly Toads. I had them set-up in a 10 gallon and eventually upgraded to a 55 and now have 5. I bought my first 3 and got my other 2 from craigslist for free. I have my Crested Gecko Ace whom I traded my i-pod chromatic for along with his set-up, paid 60 for my female Crested Nani, got my Tokays for free, got 4 tarantulas for free, 3 Corn Snakes for free, and just got a beautiful Red Harley Crested also for free and all from Craigslist. All of these awesome guys also came with their set ups. Great deals right? I mean why go and buy from a pet store or from a breeder when there are LOTS of animals who need homes(personal opinion).

Anyway, yes you can introduce a male as long as they do have the extra room to accomidate. I actually re-homed one of my Tokays thinking both were male but that's a whole other story. As long as you don't house 2 males together you can put as many females as you want as long as they are all the same size or very close to it. You also have to monitor them at first because just like any other animal they might just not like eachother for no reason. Think of them as if they were a Crested at least in the whole communal part of it.

Thank you as well and also look forward to seeing you around!

[TokayTom]

Real nice Tokays indeed, yet very young, be prepared to move them into a larger vivarium when they grow, on wich they grow fast... you seem to be working with them well, question what substrate is that on the pictures, i thought it was coconut fibre, but it seems a little bright...

[holocaustto]

Originally Posted by TokayTom

Real nice Tokays indeed, yet very young, be prepared to move them into a larger vivarium when they grow, on wich they grow fast... you seem to be working with them well, question what substrate is that on the pictures, i thought it was coconut fibre, but it seems a little bright...

WTH¡?¡?
I would have been nice to be asked before using my pic...

[elcaptain]

It's eco earth, I believe. 98% sure of it.

And what's this business of profile picture 'borrowing?' ha. We should all have enough individuality to go around, haha. kidding.

Thanks for adding me on flickr, holocausto. I'll be posting many more pictures... slowly but surely.

[holocaustto]

Originally Posted by elcaptain

It's eco earth, I believe. 98% sure of it.

And what's this business of profile picture 'borrowing?' ha. We should all have enough individuality to go around, haha. kidding.

Thanks for adding me on flickr, holocausto. I'll be posting many more pictures... slowly but surely.

You're welcome...
I wouldnt mind to borrow a pic, If Im asked first... but, the same one Im using is kinda lame lol