[Lunar Gecko]

A friend of mine asked if I could watch some of her geckos while she is out of town. I have no problem with this but I'm kinda worried about the electric blues she brought over. When she brought them over she brought over two tanks of them and they are normally housed like this.
Two tanks 12x12x18's

first tank has 2.2.1 geckos in it


second tank has 3.3.2 geckos in it

Each tank has UVB light and a heat light with about 90f basking.

From what I'm reading about them males can sometimes be housed in groups but they will sometimes fight and pick on one anther. They are all adults in the tanks but I cant tell if the 0.0.1's are male or female because the color is so bland. I'm thinking they are males just very under colored? Maybe from stress?

Also she gets eggs but the babies always die with in a few days of hatchling. She keeps them in a large glass jar with some mild heat and lights. Why would they all die? Can this be because the adults are stressed?

Here are some of the geckos in the tanks... I noticed that most have regrowing tails and some have kinky tails. I have seen them fighting but nothing 'major'. She use to feed them crickets and baby food but I got her to switch over to CGD for most of the non-bug feedings a few months back.




This is hard because this is a friend. She cares very much for her animals and I know she wants whats best but shes been keeping them like this for a long time and I personally have never kept them. Anyone with experience please let me know if my concerns are even founded or if this is the best care?

Thanks a bunch.

[MauricesExoticPets]

Performed vitamin A excess will cause kinked tails, baby foods have lots added.

Babies need to be housed the same as the adults (properly), not in uvb filtering jars.

My opinion is yes, the diet and stress can effect the offspring and cause them to fail to thrive.

Maurice Pudlo

[Lunar Gecko]

I'm 99% sure the jars have a screen lid that let in the UVa/b light thought I have never seen it in person. I took some more temps in the tank and the 90f basking is only at the very top. the basking spot is 85f and the bottom to mid way in the tank is 75f.

[MauricesExoticPets]

It could be anything, even a large gallon jar can heat soak in a short time. There best housed as the adults in any case.

I don't house males of any species with anything except for breeding introductions and certainly never with another male. While it can be done, and often is, I do not feel it is worth the risk of lost tails and other combat injury.

Maurice Pudlo

[Lunar Gecko]

I don't house males of any species with anything except for breeding introductions and certainly never with another male. While it can be done, and often is, I do not feel it is worth the risk of lost tails and other combat injury.

Im the same way... and I was thinking that was the case here but I felt that with out more information I should not correct her housing. My problem is now do I separate them here then give them back separated? or do I just bring it up to her when she gets back? I don't want to piss her off but I also don't want to be the cause of any stress on the animals part.

[MauricesExoticPets]

I'd be very careful about doing more than you agreed to. At most I'd make a partition for the enclosure, at least without prior approval from the owner.

If you did split them up I'd think unless you gave away the new enclosure you used to split them up directly to the owner and just called it good, reintroduction of the males would be even more stressful if the owner was not willing to buy another set-up.

Your kind of in a tough spot.

Maurice Pudlo

[Logansbiome]

Something simple that may help some is to add more barriers. Such as more plants or more cork bark. The tanks seem rather open. I also keep darts and some of the frogs can be kept in larger groups if you give them lots of physical barriers and hiding places. This helps reduce confrontation, fighting, and stress period. Hopefully this can be a simple solution to your current trouble without doing anything that would offend your friend.