Confusion & Oedura tryoni vs Oedura castelnaui

[Salamanko]

Hi my licence was processed a few days ago and i'm getting confused about looking after geckos. I've read many books about reptiles including Care of Australian reptiles in Captivity by John Weigel, but some of the info in that particulary book confuses me.

I can't decide whether to get a Southern spotted velvet gecko (Oedura tryoni) or a Northern velvet gecko (Oedura castelnaui), but thats not the main point. Could someone tell me the care requirements of those two geckos. If you have own one of these please share your experiences.

I'm really confused about reptile needs like light,heat, humidity temperature...etc. Do Oedura tryoni and Oedura castelnaui need high humidity levels, it doesn't say much about their humidity requirements in the care of australian reptiles in captivity.

I'm getting a 45x45x45cm exo terra glass terrarium. Someone told me the only thing bad about the exo terra glass terrarium that i can't hold humidity well, but i don't think Oedura tryoni or Oedura castelnaui need high humidity. Another person said that the exo terra glass terrarium loses heat too quickly, is this true. Also i'm worried that the gecko i will choose will get burnt. Well the glass terrarium has wire mesh at the top right. I'm going to use exo terra's glow light, a lamp which sits on the top of the tank, on top on the wire mesh. Since the geckos are aboreal can't they climb onto the wire mesh ceiling and get burnt, maybe possibly die from getting burnt then falling down. Also when you turn off the glow light, it leaves a green glow, which represents night time, but i don't think it emits heat, is this a problem. Should i use night glo, but if i do and i switch it off in the morning the glow light will make that green glow appear, which might confuse the gecko.

Could someone also give me a list of items to buy to ensure which ever gecko i get will live a healthy and happy life. I'm going to this shop called 'The reptile shop', it's faraway and i'm planning to buy everything i need there. Do i need to buy any medication when i'm there, like mite spray because the petshops near me don't specialise in reptiles and hardly have any reptile products. All they have is heatrocks and stuff.

I would like a list as i mentioned earlier to keep one of those geckos (which i will choose) alive. So stuff like lights, heat source...etc. I'm fond of zoo med and exo terra products so if you could mention some i should buy.

In a few months i'm going away camping for 6 days. My family have told me that they don't want to look after my gecko, my friends are coming with me too so they can't look after my gecko. What should i do to ensure my gecko stays alive?

Thanks, please give as much detail as you can, i don't care if you take up a page i want to make sure my gecko lives a long healthy life

 

[warren63]

Only major difference between Tryoni and Castlenaui is their heat needs. Castelnaui like it hot whereas here on the Gold Coast i do not supply any heating to my Tryoni throughout the year. 95% of my geckos are kept in exo terras and i dont have a problem except they are expensive !! My Castelnaui are kept in 2 ways one tank gets under the tank heating whereas the other gets under the tank heating and another heat mat down the side both work well and only reason one tank doesnt have both forms of heating is that i havent got a heat mat for it yet. I cant comment on heating with a light as have never doen it for any of my geckos all are heated as previously mentioned. I have seen Castelnaui kept on a peat type substrate which is easier to keep moist but i keep mine on sand and just mist every couple of days. Plus there is also moist in the air from the water bowl and the moist substrate in their laying box. If you are going away in a few months then its a lot colder so feeding without six days should not be a problem.

 

[Salamanko]

Thanks for the info. I'm not fond of heat mats though, i'll try to use lights as best as i can, one light for basking, one light for the whole enclosure. I'm also getting sand too because i've decided on that substrate ages ago. But i think the reptile shop has loads of different substrates to choose from.

Could someone also tell me how to clean the geckos tank. Do i just pick out the feces or do i need to pick out the feces and spray the tank clean. Someone please help, i'm thinking of using repti-clean.

Also could someone also answer the rest of my unanswered question. Warren mostly covered the care requirements

 

[PassPort]

I've never kept tryoni, but I've been keeping castelnaui for a while now. They do not like excessive humidity, generally between 55-70% from what I can tell. They also are pretty hardy when it comes to dry spells. Mine are housed in either Zoo Med or Exo-Terra 12x12x18 vivs. Substrate is sand/soil or coco fiber (coir). During the winter my animals go for 4-6 days without food no problem. Some of my animals have gone for 2 weeks without eating, it all just depends on how thick the tails are (fat supplies).

 

[Salamanko]

Thanks for the info passport, i like northern velvet geckos because of their nice colour but yeah i might get one.

I think i'm going camping either in winter or Autumn, i'm going to make sure my gecko has a nice fat tail so it can last, or i might persuade one of my family members to help.

The trouble is how do i change the water, clean the feces or do any daily requirements when i'm away. I don't think my family would want to touch anything in the geckos enclosure.

Another problem is salmonella. I've read on a website that someone got salmonella because they washed all the reptiles stuff in the kitchen like water dishes...etc. Should i wash the water dish and other equipment in the laundry, or is their a chance the salmonella might get onto our clothes.

Also could someone please answer my other questions. Warren and passpart already covered the care requirements.

Could someone give a list of things that i should buy, like lights, water dish...etc and should i get medication when i'm at the reptile shop which is faraway from my place. I'm getting all my necessary equipment over their. Do i need to buy mite spray just in case or any medication. If i do please list.

 

[Ken Bartenfeld]

I've kept them both a number of ways, whether having a cages in the high 90's or having them at room temp at 75-80. They are both fun species to work with and do well humid or dry...I would say castelnaui like it humid as well as the tryoni. They are both very versatile species in my book. If you have stacked cork or tree bark, they will be able to find a spot dry enough to as they see fit. I've kept them both on a number of subtrates from pure playground sand, Jurrasic Sand, pure peat moss, coco fiber, garden soil, calcium sand to pure jungle bark...no problems with any of it. Oedura are just easy and fun to work with! Beginners or not...

Have fun with them and enjoy ;-)

 

[Salamanko]

Thanks, i'm so excited xD. Does anyone know if i should buy any medication when i'm at 'the reptiles shop'. Just in case like mite spray or something. Also what should i do with the gecko when i'm away. I'll make sure he/she has a nice fat tail before i leave but who will do the daily requirements. Like clean the water dish....etc.

What about salmonella. I've read on a website that someone got salmonella because they washed all the reptiles stuff in the kitchen like water dishes...etc. Should i wash the water dish and other equipment in the laundry, or is their a chance the salmonella might get onto our clothes.

Also how and when should i clean the enclosure. Do i just need to clean the feces or do i need to remove everything and spray the tank with maybe repti-clean. Someone please help

Please i don't need anymore care requirements. Thanks Warren, Passport and Ken for the awesome detailed info. Could someone please answer the questions above.

 

[warren63]

As above thse guys are easy to keep, all you need apart fom the tank and heating equipment would be substrate, few hides, water bowl and something for them to climb on.
I use a teaspoon for daily cleaning to pickup the poos and once a week or more if required wipe down the sides of the enclosure with a damp cloth to clean all the other poos away. only every few months do i emove all the items change the sand and do a thorough cleaning.
i wash all my things in the backyard with the hose and leave to dry and then replace into the tank, seriously most stuff only needs a wash and wipe off. i collect all my sticks/bark from the local park and once these get dirty i throw away and get more.
no need to buy mite spary etc as most geckos/lizards arent as easily affected by mites. save your money.
dont worry about cleaning etc as already mentioned it will be autumn the gecko will be less active hence less cleaning.
heres a pic of my male castelnaui, who just happens to be for sale

 

[PassPort]

heres a pic of my male castelnaui, who just happens to be for sale

willing to ship to the US? :biggrin::crackup::rofl:


back to the questions at hand:
I'd use a good quality coco fiber for the substrate as it holds humidity better than sand. Mine enjoy some light leaf litter over part of the floor. As for hides, I've used both bamboo tubes and cork bark tubes, they like both equally. These are leaned against the glass vertically. I also normally have a piece of tree bark against the side of the tank. The nest box provides a ground level hide.

As far as meds go they are pretty much unnecessary. Mite spray is not needed unless your animals come into contact with mites. This can be avoided by baking any and all cage items that you collect from the wild in your oven at 204C for about 30 minutes or so.

I do not provide a water dish to my animals except when I'll be away for more than 4 days. Other than that they get plenty of water from their sprayings.

 

[Salamanko]

Don't the geckos deficate in the water sometimes and i don't have a backyard so i guess i will wash my stuff on my balcony with the hose. I don't think 'the reptile shop' supplies leaf litter but i will try my best to find some. Thanks for the info warren and passport.

Has anyone had experience with Oedura Castelnaui or Oedura tryoni using UV light. I want to use UV lights for exo terra or Zoo med. By the way how do i make tapwater safe for my gecko to drink?

 

[PassPort]

UVB is totally unnecessary. just let the water sit out for 24 hours to let the chlorine out.

 

[Salamanko]

Wait are you telling me that i don't need any UV light at all. Don't reptiles need UV light to convert Vitamin D3 or something like that so they can't get bone disease. Can i use a tapwater conditioner i've seen some that are for reptiles.

 

[warren63]

 

[geckodan]

Wait are you telling me that i don't need any UV light at all. Don't reptiles need UV light to convert Vitamin D3 or something like that so they can't get bone disease. Can i use a tapwater conditioner i've seen some that are for reptiles.

Geckoes are nocturnal so are not exposed to any significant quantity of UV. You can supply it but you would be better saving your money to pay for gecko food. The less chemicals you use the better. Tap water conditioner is quite pointless. NEVER ever use mite spray on geckos. As geckos can lick their faces they will also lick the mite spray. I keep both species in SEQld without supplementary heat. The major issue I have with heat lamps is that nocturnal animals generally avoid bright light so why supply it. It is only of value for basking heat if it is directed onto a surface that absorbs the heat and retains it after the bright light goes out.