Sexing my Tokay Geckos

PrettyInInk · #1 09-13-2010, 11:42 PM

Sorry if I put this in the wrong section but I couldn't find the sexing gecko threads. These are the best pictures I could get, the camera I use sucks...

Here is my first Tokay.

and this is my second.

Thank you!

Ophidiophile · #2 09-13-2010, 11:55 PM

A bit hard to tell but the top looks male, bottom looks female

PrettyInInk · #3 09-14-2010, 12:07 AM

That is what I thought myself. The top one is Oscar and the bottom one is Missy... On the pictures I posted earlier the smaller darker one is the first one here and the top heavier set one on the other pictures is the second one here. Can you come to our place and take a look at them yourself.

I don't know. The guy who gave me the Tokays told me he didn't know what sex they were and originally I had Oscar (darker smaller one) and another Tokay. Oscar was always out and about while the other stayed in it's hide all day and all night. He would wait for the crickets to come to him but never came out. He was a lot sicklier looking and a lot darker... I thought they were both female but upon closer inspection I came to the conclusion that they were both male, so, I rehomed the Tokay that was always in his hide and kept Oscar. Now the girl who gave me Missy told me she thought it was a female but she wasn't sure. I was convinced that the smaller one was a male and the larger one was female but because of their appreances thought it could be the other way around. Lol!

Ophidiophile · #4 09-14-2010, 12:43 AM

Well I honestly don't know what to say because in your original photos I'd really bet on the chunkier one being male, but in the ventral photos, the top, which you say is the smaller one, definitely looks male. The second one also has visible pores, but they're smaller and more female-like. But I have to say that I'm beginning to think (especially if you've had them together for a while and no eggs have been laid) that you may actually have 2 males on your hands.

If only I was close enough to stop by and check them for you! I do that pretty often for people around here!

PrettyInInk · #5 09-14-2010, 01:12 AM

Well thing is, I rehomed the other guy because I thought they were both male. This heavier set one I got from someone else... I put them together and they got along GREAT so I figured the new Tokay was female.

Let me see if I can tell you the story...

I was looking on Craigslist through the pet section and came upon an ad. that said "free tokay geckos" and at the time I had my 1st Crested Gecko Ace. I totally fell in love with Cresteds and thought "Cool, more geckos!" so I replied to the ad. right away. The guy replied and told me that I was the first person to reply so they were all mine. I thought "Awesome!" so that's when I started doing the research and found all the info. regarding this species as well as care sheets and enclosures. He gave me the 2 Tokays in a 20 gallon long tank with dish's, hides, lamp, bulb, and a bunch of extras. Right off the bat, even though I had never owned a Tokay before, I knew they were not in the best of health. Extremely thin and the enclosure was FILTHY! Dead stinky crickets, meal worms, dried up feces, and so forth. I changed the substrate cleaned the tank up and got them accomidated to their new home. His excuse was that they were away on vacation and was the reason they were so thin.

As far as their history goes was that he got them for free from a pet store who hated them and just wanted to get rid of them. The pet store had them together for about a year or so and he had them for 5 years. I guess with this whole time of them being together they worked out there own little thing where "you stay over there and i'll stay over here" kind of thing although occassionally they did shared a hide. But for the most part one stayed in his hide 24/7 while the other hung out on the glass. One day I tought, "Hm, I wonder..." so I took them out and took a look at them and came to the conclusion they were both male! I was like "No WONDER!". So I rehomed one and kept the other. (I didn't have another tank to seperate them)

Now Missy, I also got from craigslist from a girl who was moving and couldn't take her Tokay with her. She gave me her Tokay with what I believe is a 40 gallon tall tank. She had told me that her Tokay was female so I though "PERFECT". I brought the little girl home or should I say BIG girl and put Oscar in her enclosure (after giving it a good cleaning). At first they kind of shook their tails at one another and kind of nipped but after a few minutes, they were fine.

I have had them together ever since and they even cuddle at times.

SO, there you go. Lol! Sorry but I just had to get that out. Lol!

Where do you live? I live in San Diego... That would be awesome if you could actually come here and take a look at them for me.

This is Oscar the night I brought him home...

rhacman · #6 09-14-2010, 02:51 AM

They might both be female, the top one kinda looks male, but it's a little hard to see if they're pseudopores or not...in my opinion. Here's another thread that shows another male's pores, and you can see the waxy stuff protruding from the pores a little.

Help sexing?

PrettyInInk · #7 09-14-2010, 03:36 AM

Oh gosh, this guy or girl has turned out to be difficult. They are in my bedroom and have had them there for the past month and I have not heard any calls so maybe they are both female after all. I guess i'll just wait and see... If anyone lives here in San Diego and are able to stop by and take a closer look themselves, I would really appreciate it. I live in North Park. Thanks guys! Hope I get more input.

Ophidiophile · #8 09-14-2010, 02:51 PM

If you can flip them over again, run your finger along the row of femoral pores. Males produce waxy secretions from their pores and so they protrude. As you run your finger along the pores in a male, you will feel the protrusions/bumps. In a female the pores are inverted/dents and no secretions are produced. So when you run your finger along the pores, everything feels smooth. You can try that and let us know.

Sorry for the confusion. Sometimes it's hard to tell from photos!

Ingo · #9 09-15-2010, 02:05 AM

To me both look female from those pics -even though on the dorsal shot the top one looked very much like being male.

Best

Ingo

PrettyInInk · #10 09-15-2010, 04:50 AM

Ok, so I took a closer look at my smaller darker Tokay and have finally come to the conclusion that "she" is indeed a female. I looked very closely and saw that there were no secretions coming from her pores but actually looked like they were indented. I have not noticed any secretions on the glass and have not heard any calling SO I am settling this and am leaving it at her being female. All agree?

Thank all of you for input it was much help.