So what does everyone DO with all the babies?

[Nate Bell]

If you are not a breeder/dealer, what does one DO with all the baby geckos? Right now I only have a handful, and 1 is destined to be given away (with all the proper housing and equipment). But several more are on the way, and my breeding female seems to lay every 2-3 weeks.

At some point, I am going to run out of viv space.

How do other forum folk "redistribute" the youngsters?

N

 

[M&S-328]

If you are breeding your geckos, then automatically you should consider yourself a "breeder".

If you are running out of room, then you need to either stop breeding immediately or starting selling the babies. Running out of room will also lead to running out of resources and not being able to give every gecko the proper care.

Most people who breed their geckos intend to sell them.
There are several ways to do this.
1. You can find a local petshop which you feel will give the babies the proper care as well as educate any potential buyers on what they need to care for one of the babies after buying. You wont get as big a profit this way (the pet shop will need to make more money than they give you), but it will create more open space for you to continue breeding. Also, you will be able to visit the pet shop to see if any of the babies have sold, as well as make sure they are all still healthy and receiving good care until they are bought. This way you can always buy back (at a larger fee though) if you feel no one else is going to buy they babies or the care they were receiving is declining. And then try again with another shop. - Its not always the "best" option, but sometimes it does work out very nicely.
2. You can post adds to sell the babies on this site as well as other sites designed for pet buying/selling. With this option you may make more of a profit, but you will have to plan for shipping/traveling.
3. You can post adds in the newspapers, post fliers, create your own website, etc., stating your info and that you are now selling geckos (sort of like "start your own business") and see if you can find many good buyers that way.
4. This last option is not a good one, and if you have to utilize it... its time to stop breeding. - You can find a decent shelter in your area and turn over the excess babies to them. Hopefully they will be able to find good homes for them. But like I said, if you ever have to do that, then you must stop breeding your geckos. Because at that point you are over-breeding and you are not planning ahead enough to actually care for the babies you helped bring into this world.

Good Luck

 

[Hardknox]

All of the suggestions made above are excellent suggestions. A specific suggestion if you want to avoid shipping or long distance traveling then post them for sell on craigslist. If you do that I recommend requiring proof of a proper set up before you complete the transaction and either make your own care sheet to give the buyers or copy ones on this site or good ones through the internet. I do not know about your area but in my area craigslist is regularly used for this sort of thing and is an excellent place to do it. Just be responsible and make sure to the best of your ability your animals are going to proper care.

 

[Nate Bell]

Yup, I just want the guys to go to good homes, and wanted to get suggestions on how to go about it. I think 2 pet stores in my area would be willing to take some.
Did anybody have pet stores require a license, or anything? or do you just walk in and go from there?

Right now I have 3 spare enclosures, but I am looking ahead to when they will be full. :-/

I do want to keep at least one male because the one I have was from a pet store, so I have no idea of his age, whether he was WC, etc. I treated him for parasites and he is very healthy, but I have no idea how long he will be with me, because of unknown age.

 

[acpart]

I wrote an article for Gecko Time on Feb. 10, 2010 called "How to Sell Your Geckos". Go to the site (Gecko Blog: Breeder interviews, photo contests, gecko care | GeckoTime.com), click on the "archive" button at the top, and search for that article.

Aliza

 

[Nate Bell]

I wrote an article for Gecko Time on Feb. 10, 2010 called "How to Sell Your Geckos". Go to the site (Gecko Blog: Breeder interviews, photo contests, gecko care | GeckoTime.com), click on the "archive" button at the top, and search for that article.

Aliza

That was helpful. I especially like the idea of selling with a complete set-up, that would solve several problems at once. I know lots of people sell on fora and ship, but I was not so thrilled with the idea of the risks of shipping my babies

Thanks,

N

 

[acpart]

This is my 7th season breeding and I only had to ship 1 season and didn't ship many.

Aliza

 

[daggekko]

Be careful with craigslist. It in my opinion is a pain in the butt. You get everyone that wants a lizard that doesn't want a lizard contacting you. I do not put my email address on craigslist either because of all the spam email you will recieve.

I do like the list of options though from M&S-328

 

[rhino43grr]

you could give some of them to me if you're ever in maryland/delaware. ;-)

 

[Nate Bell]

was able to re-home all 6 of my babies and juvies, no shipping, and all are going to enthusiast/breeders who will give them a good home, with the exception of one newbie. The newbie's will be delivered with a full set up

and now I have a couple of decent contacts to move more babies on.

Thanks everybody for the tips and advice!

 

[JMHuffines]

What kind of geckos do you have?

 

[Nate Bell]

my breeding pair is L williamsi.

 

[terradas]

How do other forum folk "redistribute" the youngsters?

N

VERY tiny buffalo wings.

 

[Hannibal]

Pureed, they make a nice frisky garg sauce that goes so well with grilled boa strips!

 

[hexentanz]

When I am running out of room, I pinch any newly laid eggs. I used to not like doing this, but it is better than losing a baby or more that you cannot properly house.

 

[JMHuffines]

Nate.

Where are you located in the US? I absolutely love these little guys and I am looking for a female to go with one of my three males. I can't believe how much personality they have.

Thanks,
Joshua

 

[Nate Bell]

Where are you located in the US? I absolutely love these little guys and I am looking for a female to go with one of my three males. I can't believe how much personality they have.

Thanks,
Joshua

I am in Cincinnati, OH. On this latest batch of eggs, I have let the temps fluctuate more, so females are a possibility. I have 2 3-week old hatchlings that are sort of spoken for, and 2 that just hatched this week. These will all need to get a little bigger before they go to new homes ;-) For me these are all way too small to sex, unless someone knows a foolproof way. Hell, I am still unsure on my 4.5 month old that I decided not to sell!

I expect 2 more within the next 2 weeks, and then there will still be 4 in q. Unless she lays more today, which is also likely :lol:

Where are you located?

 

[hexentanz]

Hell, I am still unsure on my 4.5 month old that I decided not to sell!

Hey Nate, send me pics if you can.

 

[Nate Bell]

Hey Nate, send me pics if you can.

Thank you, I am afraid I am limited to a camera phone and a gecko that seems to think my phone is a death ray when I open the viv door :-/ I have been trying...

Right now she (I call it that because it still looks more female) has an almost entirely blue tail, but not as vivid as an adult male's and still with a touch of green. The throat has black parallel lines, but not a full black "beard", the upper legs and sides are very blue or blue teal depending on her mood, but the underbelly is not orange. I am terrible at trying to tell by the pores on this species.

 

[Nate Bell]

this has been the best I can do so far not very helpful, I'm afraid.