Picking reds.

[Palex134]

After 3 years of breeding reds and red harlies, Id say Im pretty good at choosing hatchlings for hold backs

I chose this gecko as when it hatched, I knew that it was going to be a stunner. I find that when they hatch, most cresteds are red or brick red. I find my line of reds has a bright orange coloration, which fades to light tan after hatching. Then, I will see them brighten up to a dull red / purpleish at a couple months of age, and if I dont see this, I sell them. I have had almost 90% of picking reds so far.

last night:

last month:

first hatched:

 

[firecrested]

Wow. I'm not really into the red cresteds but those are very nice

 

[Mez]

Hi,
Ive always wondered this for a long time now but always felt too rude/cheeky to ask...
I like cresties, and have a couple of spare smaller arboreal vivs available to me, so have considered them before. However there is one thing that puts me off them....their tails go missing!
This is where me not wanting to sound cheeky comes in...
You have hatched those lovely red cresties yeah?
How do they manage to lose their tails? Leos are bred on the same scale (larger, even) and there is hardly any tailless leos (i know they will regenerate and cresteds wont, but you know what i mean!).
I always thought most of the tailles ones are from bad shipping etc but it seems recently that it happens with hobbyists too.
Thank for any helpful info.
James
(lovley cresteds!)

 

[Little_m]

Oh my, pic number 3 makes me speechless. I just love the red ones. Still hunting for one for myself

 

[ettore]

hey mez

i'm no expert on this topic, but i think they just don't need their tales. in nature you hardly find any cresteds with tales, and mine lost their tales too... but this is because they like hunting i think
:wink:

 

[BC Bloodlines]

It is evelolutionary. Most adult male cresteds in the wild are lacking tails and in captivity when kept together increases the chances of tail loss even more especially at a young age. The comparison to leopard geckos is that the crested is far more willing to drop their tail. Leopard geckos store alot of fat reserves and are reluctant to drop them unless fearing for their lives. Cresteds on the other hand due to their aparent lack of need for their tails have a tendancy to drop their tails in the simplest of fights between tank mates as babies in particular. Keeping Cresteds seperate however all but eliminates the chance of dropped tails. Once your gecko is use to you he/she will not have any fear and no reason to drop it with your handling either.

 

[Palex134]

It is evelolutionary. Most adult male cresteds in the wild are lacking tails and in captivity when kept together increases the chances of tail loss even more especially at a young age. The comparison to leopard geckos is that the crested is far more willing to drop their tail. Leopard geckos store alot of fat reserves and are reluctant to drop them unless fearing for their lives. Cresteds on the other hand due to their aparent lack of need for their tails have a tendancy to drop their tails in the simplest of fights between tank mates as babies in particular. Keeping Cresteds seperate however all but eliminates the chance of dropped tails. Once your gecko is use to you he/she will not have any fear and no reason to drop it with your handling either.

thats how this little male lost his, a fight with another 2 month old sib. a few months ago.

 

[Justin]

Wow, those are excellent colors on those cresteds!