An update on my geckos

[DCraig]

I while ago I had one of my geckos die on me. I believe it was from impaction. Since then I have purchased a few plastic critter keepers to monitor the geckos food intake. I got tired of moving them each night so I purchased some tongs. Currently they're in an Exo-Terra 36"x18"x24" sized terrarium.

Now when ever they see the tongs they nip at them, if they're hungry, even if I'm not holding a cricket with it. They all come to the Iguana branch and wait to be fed. It's pretty cool.

I'm going to buy some moss seeds to cover up the terrarium floor. Hopefully I won't have to worry about impaction once the geckos aren't able to swallow the eco earth anymore.

 

[rhacoboy]

Are all those geckos in the same cage? That could be the problem. I see a baby, an adult, and two juvies.

 

[crestedtimm]

Could be a problem? They will seperate them the first time they see a big one dive bomb a juvie... Please split them up for the sake of your geckos!

Timm

 

[DCraig]

Yes they are in the same tank for now. Except for the baby. It is on the branch only for the sake of taking a picture. It is kept a smaller exo terra, 12"x12"x18". The crickets it eats are too tiny to hold with tongs so the terrarium is lined with reptile carpet. This is only temporary situation for all the geckos.

By the end of this weekend I'll have them split up. My neighbors brother will be helping me build/design a custom enclosure. Somewhere along the demensions of 6'x8'x3'. Once I'm finished setting it up the adult and two juvies will be moved into this. And the baby will be moved to the larger 36"x18"x24" exo-terra once the moss covers all of the soil.

 

[rhacoboy]

I suggest you separate them ASAP. Weather the baby is in there or not. Those juvies are about 5-12 grams I'm guessing? The male is probably 20+ grams. He could kill them with ease. For the well being of your geckos, I would separate them, weather its temporary or not, I wouldn't attempt that set up for a minute.

As for the new tank sizes, I don't think thats a good idea. The baby should stay in a smaller cage so its easier to find food. The juvies and adult will also probably have problems finding their food with those dementions. Personally, I'd invest my money in getting them separate cages as appose to the two large cages mentioned.

 

[Graham_s]

I agree with Rhacoboy, they need to be separated and put into appropriately sized vivariums for each gecko. Also... if you're concerned about impaction, why do you use any substrate at all? I have given up using substrate with my crested geckos because they're stupid and will eat it. They are more than fine on paper towel, being changed every so often. Also, you can see if they are producing healthy faeces.

 

[crestedtimm]

I would not design any "custom enclosures" based on the juvinile size at all. Maybe design cages that will occupy the animals as adults, as building custom baby cages will still leave you with aneed for adult housing in the future.

Buy sterilites at walmart, line them with papertowels,and raise those babies up. Then if you want, you can design nice little cages for them.

Or
Dont listen to us at all, do things your own way, and you will likely come full circle and realize we were right anyways. I have had babies attack each other (so now I do one per cage, they dont need a friend..) I have had babies get a mouth full of dirt and die ( thats what happens when they are raised on paper towel and you switch them to peat without watching them and having the peat moist enough) and I have had some of my first years babies develop floppy tail because I didnt provide enough climbing devices.

Im actually surprised you were able to sit the small animals near the big one, mine are bad about smelling each other and biting.


Ask as many questions as you like, but please listen to the answers.

Timm

 

[Graham_s]

I would not design any "custom enclosures" based on the juvinile size at all. Maybe design cages that will occupy the animals as adults, as building custom baby cages will still leave you with aneed for adult housing in the future.

Buy sterilites at walmart, line them with papertowels,and raise those babies up. Then if you want, you can design nice little cages for them.

Or
Dont listen to us at all, do things your own way, and you will likely come full circle and realize we were right anyways. I have had babies attack each other (so now I do one per cage, they dont need a friend..) I have had babies get a mouth full of dirt and die ( thats what happens when they are raised on paper towel and you switch them to peat without watching them and having the peat moist enough) and I have had some of my first years babies develop floppy tail because I didnt provide enough climbing devices.

Im actually surprised you were able to sit the small animals near the big one, mine are bad about smelling each other and biting.


Ask as many questions as you like, but please listen to the answers.

Timm

well said Timm

 

[DCraig]

"I would not design any "custom enclosures" based on the juvinile size at all. Maybe design cages that will occupy the animals as adults, as building custom baby cages will still leave you with aneed for adult housing in the future. "


???
I'm confused as to what you are talking about. I said I wanted to build a custom enclosure that was 6'x8'x3'. How would that not be big enough?

"if you're concerned about impaction, why do you use any substrate at all?"

Because Id like to grow live plants in my terrarium and for what Id like to grow, having a substrate would be the best for that.

Also, you can see if they are producing healthy faeces.

Will I not be able to monitor their feaces if they poop on the substrate?

Im actually surprised you were able to sit the small animals near the big one, mine are bad about smelling each other and biting.

From what I've seen they really don't care much about each other. Like I said when its feeding time they all come to the iguana branch and nobody fights over crickets either. They just wait to be fed. Maybe its just their personality.

I don't know if its because I tong feed them and interact with them everyday but they're really calm geckos. Healthy too.


Has anyone tried feeding them any kind of CGD using a eye dropper?


Does anyone have anymore helpful advice?

 

[Graham_s]

Because Id like to grow live plants in my terrarium and for what Id like to grow, having a substrate would be the best for that.

actually, no it isn't. you could keep them in plant pots, and have the substrate in the plant pots covered, which will prevent any comsumption of it at all. Why keep them on any substrate if you feel it is compromising their health? health of the animals should come way before aesthetics.


Will I not be able to monitor their feaces if they poop on the substrate?

I didn't say you couldn't, but it does make it easier looking for brown faeces on a white background, than brown faeces on a brown background.


From what I've seen they really don't care much about each other. Like I said when its feeding time they all come to the iguana branch and nobody fights over crickets either. They just wait to be fed. Maybe its just their personality.

I don't know if its because I tong feed them and interact with them everyday but they're really calm geckos. Healthy too.

"From what you've seen"...



Has anyone tried feeding them any kind of CGD using a eye dropper?

I have tried hand feeding my crested geckos and sometimes they are willing to co-operate and sometimes they will have none of it, but most geckos will hand feed ok.

 

[DCraig]

actually, no it isn't. you could keep them in plant pots, and have the substrate in the plant pots covered, which will prevent any comsumption of it at all. Why keep them on any substrate if you feel it is compromising their health? health of the animals should come way before aesthetics.

Actually, yes it is. I said I wanted the terrarium floor to be covered in moss. That would not only look rediculious but serve no purpose in a pot. The moss would not only help keep the humidity up but it would cover up the substrate so it could not be eaten. The species of moss I want also grows so small that the crickets can't hide in it.

And again I will answer your substrate question with "Because Id like to grow live plants in my terrarium and for what Id like to grow, having a substrate would be the best for that."


I don't know if I didn't word things correctly or maybe you're misunderstanding me but the only time I'd be concerned with impaction would be if I were to just throw crickets in the tank and let the geckos hunt them down.


I have tried hand feeding my crested geckos and sometimes they are willing to co-operate and sometimes they will have none of it, but most geckos will hand feed ok.

What do you mean by hand feeding? Are you using tongs, a dropper, or your fingers?

 

[Graham_s]

actually, no it isn't. you could keep them in plant pots, and have the substrate in the plant pots covered, which will prevent any comsumption of it at all. Why keep them on any substrate if you feel it is compromising their health? health of the animals should come way before aesthetics.

Actually, yes it is. I said I wanted the terrarium floor to be covered in moss. That would not only look rediculious but serve no purpose in a pot. The moss would not only help keep the humidity up but it would cover up the substrate so it could not be eaten. The species of moss I want also grows so small that the crickets can't hide in it.

- Actually plants go through a process called transpiration, which basically increases the humidity, so humidity will be kept relatively high whether you have the plant planted into the viv or just in a pot. I'm not going to argue with you about it, but if you feel that the gecko that died, died from impaction, it seems a bit odd to continue as you are, using substrate and having to wait for the moss to grow before the substrate is covered. Why not move them all into separate vivs, out of the one in the photo, and wait for the vivarium to be established?


I don't know if I didn't word things correctly or maybe you're misunderstanding me but the only time I'd be concerned with impaction would be if I were to just throw crickets in the tank and let the geckos hunt them down.

I understand you perfectly, I just don't follow your logic.


What do you mean by hand feeding? Are you using tongs, a dropper, or your fingers?


- All of the above.


Can we please avoid any arguing though, I apologise if I have come across blunt, but this forum is here for people to help each other, and I feel as though myself and the other people who have made comments are being ignored.

 

[rhacoboy]

"I would not design any "custom enclosures" based on the juvinile size at all. Maybe design cages that will occupy the animals as adults, as building custom baby cages will still leave you with aneed for adult housing in the future. "

"if you're concerned about impaction, why do you use any substrate at all?"

Because Id like to grow live plants in my terrarium and for what Id like to grow, having a substrate would be the best for that.


Has anyone tried feeding them any kind of CGD using a eye dropper?


Does anyone have anymore helpful advice?

You'd rather have a well planted enclosure than healthy geckos? If i thought one of my geckos died of impaction that substrate would be out ASAP. Paper towel works just fine, and if you like live plants, why can't they be potted?
We're not saying its not big enough, but too big. And your going to go through the hassle of feeding them CGD through an eye dropper? What if they're not hungry at that time, they just don't eat?

 

[leoaddiction]

MY opinion would be :
-to go to wallmart or a similar store and get some plastic tubs, line them with toilet paper, and there we go, temporary housing. Be sure to ass some climbing surfaces and the basic necessaties and to house them SEPERATELY. This should suffice until the moss grows and will prevent impaction with any of your geckos. Even if you hand feed them, they may occasionally lunge at the dirt if they "saw" some prey, so its better to be safe..
-its better not to house your geckos together until they are of similar size/weight.
-i believe that the tank size described is simply too large and just causes difficulty for the geckos. try to build many smaller tanks instead, 24"X18"X18" are sufficient rough dimensions for adults. juviniles will do in 18X18X18, but will need adult cages eventually anyway and your baby is fine in his 18X12X12 for a while.

So dont argue, just take the advice offered or dont, thats all.