New Gecko keeper and my Phelsuma madagascarensis grandis

[Glove]

Hello
(I posted this same message in a different forum but I think this one may be more active)
I have been into reef aquariums for years (since about 85).
There is a local pet store I have went to for just about as long.
They have had a beautiful green gecko with pinkish dots in there for years and I have always admired it.

I was in there this past weekend and seen they were selling "it" off and I knew I had to have it.

The kid @ the store asked "why would you want that thing? You cant handle it."
- I know some are very delicate, but its this true? better to be looked at and not touched?
I really dont want it to hold anyway.

The deal was the Exo Terra cage ( 12x12x18 ) with all plants (artificial), water dish (empty), ghetto light and the "Day Gecko" for $100.
I told em to toss in some crickets and a container, some D3 powder for em, and some new moss/sphagmum mix and I would take it.
The cage is nasty, stinks, hasnt been cleaned in weeks and will get a complete douchin 1st thing tomorrow.
Now I admit I know not much about keeping Geckos but they need light, vitamin supliments and a temp/humidity range.
Some need heat rocks and hiding places yada yada yada... and that brings me here.
I have lots to learn and would like to be able to do it right the 1st time.

I am looking to provide an ideal habitat for this Phelsuma madagascarensis grandis (I think).
I would like to see a natural planted system that would be somewhat self-sustaining with the exception of feeding what might become "Larry".

so here is a quick glimpse of what I drug home and have to work with for the moment...

advice and opinions greatly appreciated.

Glove

 

[Archie]

You should do the research before making the purchase....never know if your biting off more than you can chew.....

On face value gecko looks good, pretty plump.....these guys dont like being held.... they may bite and will most likely stress if you try....they do best as a display animal.

Ill outline the basics of what this gecko needs, the rest you can find out by reading many of the interesting posts on this forum or the net in general.

Enclosure

That enclosure is too small for a gecko of that size that is active.....perhaps need to double the size.....

If you gonna keep him in there until you can upgrade him into a proper size enclosure? You need to clean the enclosure and everything in it properly pet shops (in all their wisdom) most often keep different animals in the same enclosure or simply never clean them properly..... take every thing out and scrub!! dont use normal detergents....I use lemon juice if Im not sure what detergents are safe to use. Change the substrate again.....better safe than sorry. Geckos are not dirty animals and their tanks dont smell Unless its a fresh one

He needs more hiding places than he has in there....some bamboo for him to climb across the tank and some plants to hide behind.

Heating

Heating pad on side of tank or basking lamp from above top meshing. Nothing too hot that he can get burned on aiming to have a warm side of 86 and a cool side of 77 approx do your research NB I see no thermometer in your enclosure....never use heating rocks....always ends in tears!!

Lighting

UV Lighting a must lots of research required on this. other lighting will be more for him to know its daytime, viewing him or allowing live plants to grow.....

Humidity

70 is low....probabaly too low 80 and higher is best I see no Hydrometer in your enclosure daily misting required....most often twice to three times daily required....most often your gecko wont drink water from a bowl but off the side of the tank or leaves after misting. The more natural (ie live plants ETC) you go the easier it is to keep his viv humid....

Feeding

Research here so much info available its frightening.

Just a start....when you got more specific questions we can go there....

 

[Glove]

Archie, thanks for the response. I know, research before ya purchase and I did enough to decide I wanted to make the purchase.
I admit to needing to do lots more research though. The goal is a planted system.

I do feel this display is small for this animal. I do plan on getting a larger one, but this must get me by for a minute.
I have a list of items I need to pick up today. A thermometer, a hydrometer, heating pad and (new) misting bottle. I will also pick up some pre-made gecko food.
I knew geckos were fragile and I was a little confused when I read some people handle and some dont. I understand the skin tears. I really dont plan to snuggle with it anyway and it will be a display pet that may or may not ever be ok with human interactions.
It was pretty docile as I wiped a little of the nasty from the enclosure this morning.
I powdered some crickets and he/she did have one for breakfast.

So I have a little work to do today.
I will post later after I have gotten things cleaned up and proper living conditions established.
thanks again
Glove

 

[Archie]

You may find that he is tolerant of you....you may find he becomes used to you as you work in his enclosure doing maintenance etc, he may evan begin to understand that the big creature that comes to his cage is where the food comes from.....so in time with much patients and never trying to force handle him he may climb on your hand to get food etc.....

Enjoy

 

[Glove]

I got my goal accomplished today and the cage is sanitary.

I went out to the local pet stores in town to see what I could come up with and to get an idea of what was available.
I picked up a hydometer and a thermometer. I got a stick on heat pad. Picked up 2 artificial bamboo springy sticks and one real piece to hide in along with a twisted finger (codiaeum v. ) and arrowhead (syngonium p) plants.
I also have some powdered crested gecko diet that I was able to feed from a baby spoon.

So I got the darn thing cleaned, new bedding, heatpad stuck on the lower back side panel, the decor, the hidy-hole and the meters.
Getting her out of the 40gallon tank she was exploring while I cleaned was a challenge but went over well. We still need to get to know each other.

So, here is what I came up with. I think it looks too open so I am going to go see about some more plants and perches and bamboo but it seemd to be a little more active and happy after getting back home.

Now.. I noticed my house is pretty humid (I knew this- I evaporate 5 gallons of water from my aquarium everyday)- I didnt know it was 60%.
so I start looking at the temp and humid and I see I am going to have to figure out something with this cage out soon.
With the light on, I was running 100f and 30%. Off it is 70f and 75% humidity and climbing.
You can see in the picture the light I got was true ghetto. the top of the cage is already melted as is the top of the foam wall. (both were like this already). The light has been just sat on top of the cage. not safe for me or the gecko.
I need a 'cheap' good light. I wasnt sure if the ZooMed 11.5 I seen today would be ok for now. Looked like it would fit anyway.
So I misted and covered the open screen top with a towel for the evening and things seem to be ideal- 70f 75%+.
Will check back tomorrw with more hiding places and possibly a better safer light.

Glove

 

[hexentanz]

I got my goal accomplished today and the cage is sanitary.

I went out to the local pet stores in town to see what I could come up with and to get an idea of what was available.
I picked up a hydometer and a thermometer. I got a stick on heat pad. Picked up 2 artificial bamboo springy sticks and one real piece to hide in along with a twisted finger (codiaeum v. ) and arrowhead (syngonium p) plants.
I also have some powdered crested gecko diet that I was able to feed from a baby spoon.

So I got the darn thing cleaned, new bedding, heatpad stuck on the lower back side panel, the decor, the hidy-hole and the meters.
Getting her out of the 40gallon tank she was exploring while I cleaned was a challenge but went over well. We still need to get to know each other.

So, here is what I came up with. I think it looks too open so I am going to go see about some more plants and perches and bamboo but it seemd to be a little more active and happy after getting back home.

Now.. I noticed my house is pretty humid (I knew this- I evaporate 5 gallons of water from my aquarium everyday)- I didnt know it was 60%.
so I start looking at the temp and humid and I see I am going to have to figure out something with this cage out soon.
With the light on, I was running 100f and 30%. Off it is 70f and 75% humidity and climbing.
You can see in the picture the light I got was true ghetto. the top of the cage is already melted as is the top of the foam wall. (both were like this already). The light has been just sat on top of the cage. not safe for me or the gecko.
I need a 'cheap' good light. I wasnt sure if the ZooMed 11.5 I seen today would be ok for now. Looked like it would fit anyway.
So I misted and covered the open screen top with a towel for the evening and things seem to be ideal- 70f 75%+.
Will check back tomorrw with more hiding places and possibly a better safer light.

Glove

Hi,

Do not keep the hygrometer near the top of the tank. That will always give inaccurate measurements. The Thermometer is okay provided the light is not near it. I keep mine in a shady spot under the bamboo.

 

[Glove]

hyGrometer and thermometer re-located. Seem to be giving more stable numbers too.
*I see its a hygrometer, not a hydrometer.

Anyone ever made a little acrylic meter station to mount em on so your not limited to just stuck on the inside of the cage? I will try it with and additional set and see how I like it.

So I purchased a double lamp ZooMed fixture today. I am using one 100w 'Zilla' blue lamp and 1 60w red night lamp.
The blue lamp is a UVB, correct?

I picked up another shorty bamboo hide too.
he/she really liked the 1st one so I figure I will come up with a creative way to add another and keep it un-cluttered but cozy.
Ohh! I grabbed my temp lazer pointer today as well. Will be nice to see true readings around the cage.

Finally, I got more plants from a clearance cart @ Lowes.
I love plants and clearance prices are my weakness.
I found 3 african violets
Beaucarnea recuryata (pony tail palm)
Dieffenbachia compacta / maculata
Draccaena (floral beauty)
Philodendron "micans"
and another one that has the accent palms that are in every flower arrangement...I will get the cluster of these palms and possibly some of the other msc stuff, if there is room.
**I seen the thread about safe plants, need to look it over but do any of these throw up a red flag to yous guys?
I need to thin these out, clean roots, stems, and leaves, and find some very small pots to place em in for now.
I am going to try growing these in pots in this small system so they will be root bound and ready when I find the right upgrade.
(if they are right for the system!)
SO... Does anyone have suggestions for plants to have with this particular species of gecko in its natural environment?
*I think the plan is I would like to create a bio-type display showcasing not just the gecko but the native plants from the same area.
I read people say they 'want' bamboo. Should I have a bamboo garden, some vines on back, some flowering stuff on the bottom and a mossy something to fill in?

What about some hissing roaches too? I dont like the idea of roaches in the house but those are the 1st thing to come to mind w/ Madagascar.
I would just like to have options on additional occupants later but I have no clue what they would/could/should be.
I know two same sex geckos wont fly and pairing can possibly result in fights/scars/death.
I am interested in sexing this one and listening to opinions on trying to have a pair when the time is right. (ill try to get some belly shots tomorrow)

so... thanks for checkin me out!
gimme some feedback and suggestions, good, bad or otherwise and keep me going in the right direction.
I have never had a vivarium, terarrium, paladium or the likes but I have always wanted a really nice one (not a slap together fish tank with plants)
Im pretty crafty. Drilled holes in 75 gallon tanks for sumps, DIY plumbing stuff for my reef tanks. I can work with acrylic, glass, steel, aluminum. I am pretty good with my garden outside so plants and I get along. I can keep corals growing like weeds so I should be able to figure out how to re-create a rainforest in a box. I would like to keep size to minimum BUT I do have an 8foot acrylic 240g tank that could be one neat system.:evil:

 

[Glove]

Life!

lots of work to do still but I have a small sample of most of these plants placed into small pots. I will put these right on the bottom and fill between each one with the bedding stuff I have.

I was looking around the net today during a break from plant thinning and found an Exo-Terra 18x18x24 enclosure on craigslist.
Im currently using a 12x12x18.

UPGRADE!:yahoo:
I spent 4 hours tearing it apart and cleaning.
It was layered with clay pellets, screen and then dolamite. The was a powerhead contraption for a water effect. It came with a double exo-terra light fixture, 2 heating pads, a cricket cage, a fogger, some fake plants and best of all, the MATCHING STAND!
(this gets the enclosure off the counter and keeps the GF happy)

WOW, I cant believe the deal I got on this.
I could use some info about foggers. Should I use it? Seems like a gadget. I plan to have misters but its gonna be a minute.
I am very excited to start working on this tomorrow. Its all clean and ready to set-up.
It will be a very simple system for now.

I got some pictures today. I would like some help sexing this gecko.

I will post pics of the upgrade tomorrow after its all laid out.

 

[Sgvreptiles]

100% female

 

[Glove]

Thanks for the confirmation. The baby has been refering to it as a she, so I wont have any bad news to be giving.
I found another cage, exo-terra 18x18x24. I managed to throw together a few plants (in small pots) and covered everything with some mixed bedding and will keep my fingers crossed that the plants will survive.
I think she is happy with it but I am sure it will take a few days for her to get acclimated.
here is a shot of the new spread-

compared to the old one

 

[Glove]

and can someone tell me what the little black spots are from?
(mostly the rear left leg but can be seen all over)