Henkeli going crazy-HELP!

[Crested Geckos]

Okay, everyone I'm in need of quick help. Four days ago, I got two U. henkeli. One is a for-sure male, the other is looking to be female. The guy I got them from ( I will not say who) is not only a friend of the family but a very intelligent breeder. He told me both were eating and could be housed together in a large enough tank. They are in a tank that measures 36"H by 26"W by 30"L. On the first day, I did not attempt to feed them. On the second, the smaller one (the"female") ate like a pig while the male ate only one cricket. I fed them in their cage, as I don't think it would be beneficial to handle them any time soon. After this, I left them alone until tonight; still daily misting them. This night, or morning, now, I put two crickets in there for them; to start with. The smaller gecko, of course, was the first to rapidly consume one. When the male realized there was food, he went after it and missed; causing both geckos to go into a frenzy and run, and I mean RUN, all over the tank like a bat outta He**. The male then ended his lap with his tail not only straight up, but VIBRATING as well. I know they signal each other, but with tail VIBRATING? I have kept Henkels in the past, but have never seen this before. Both are too young to breed and I don't believe this to be a breeding ritual. The smaller gecko seems to react to the male's movements......if he panics, it panics.If he moves(during the day), it moves along too. In fact, I was surprised Henkels could move that fast.... mine always were slow. The temperature is 76*F and humidity at 80%(90 with lights off). Could someone please give me ideas/recommendations? Thank you,---JP :?

 

[Justin]

Hi,
If they are too young to breed then I would not keep them together.

Is there much size difference between them?

 

[Crested Geckos]

Maybe an inch. (Two centimeters) Thank you for replying

 

[Justin]

Basically I would seperate them until they are at least a year and a half old, then introduce them again, perhaps for short periods at first.

 

[GeckoMike]

I agree with Justin.

It is verry hard to sex the U.Henkeli and U.Fimbriatus untill they are older and you may be dealing with a pair or 2 males. But ether way it is best to keep the smaller one out of the bigger one that you know is a males way. they can be verry testy when food is involved.

Hope this helps!

Mike

 

[miguel camacho!]

with some of the more patterned henkeli you can actually sex them by their pattern at a young age. i think males tend to have larger spotted patterns, while females tend to have much more finely spotted patterns.

however, id still like to agree that it sounds like you might be better off separating these two.

 

[GeckoMike]

How did it turn out?

 

[nycherper]

When spooked uroplatus geckos will run almost hop away very fast!

 

[JBReptiles]

the tail vibrating defence mechanisam...the stand perfectly still and wiggle their tail so that the predator/threat goes after the tail and takes the tail and they just grow a new one ...so thats what that is ..but i would agree seperat them ...

 

[Crested Geckos]

They're in different cages now....thank you for your concerns. Jeff Bogdanoff...you dont keep Uroplatus, do you?

 

[Reptiluvr]

I have seen Uroplatus use this behavior. Not so much the running, though. Most Uros seem too lazy to wanna run. I have seen the tail wagging in Uroplatus and other geckos as a signal for:
I'm pissed off, leave me alone
Go after my tail, not my head
I want you baby!

It can be used as defense, offense and attraction. I have also seen a peculiar habit in a few U. phantasticus where they slowly wave their tails high in the air just before ambushing a cricket. I never figured out why. It could be a sign for others to back off, "this is my cricket". It could be just an excitement thing. Maybe it's like dogs wagging their tails??? Who really knows.

 

[GeckoMike]

I have seen this with my U.Phantasticus and U.Sikorae, but the others I have not noticed from. I know if the U.Ebenaui had tails those guys would be all over the place. They have to be the most active of the Uroplatus geckos that I have.

thanks

Mike

 

[nycherper]

Never seen these tail behavior in my fimbs, they mostly run fast!

 

[JBReptiles]

no i dont have uros ...but most gekos will do that as a defence my newly hatched crested does that ..ill go in there hell run fast and then stop and shake its tail...so its just what im guessing...hows ur animals coming along josh?