Suggestions for a couple new projects?

[JMorash]

Hey guys,

In early 2012 after I return home from some travels I want to start building my lizard (particularly gecko collection) up with some "higher end" stuff. I essentially sold off a large collection of high end snakes/fish over the past 2 years out of space limitations, desires to do a bit more travelling before I "settle down" and (in terms of the snakes) simply losing interest. I have since went back to my roots and began keeping small lizards again, but mainly cheap and common stuff (lots of rhacs, madagascan geckos, cat geckos and cave geckos)

I'm particularly looking at animals that are a bit challenging, but also attractive, at least a bit rare or high end, can make good display animals, and I guess are desirable by other gecko/lizard breeders, as I really enjoy trading stuff with other breeders.

I currently have a plans to bring in some cool lizards like abronia, dwarf australian varanus and ctenosaura defensor, and some cool geckos like masobe, p. rugosus, and some nephrurus species. However I do level out my display I'm looking for a couple more species. So I was thinking maybe some ptenopus and colopus species.

So on the other grounds I mentioned above do you think they would be a good choice? I've never seen these species in person, and so I don't know what to expect. Are they something that are enjoyable to watch (like nephrurus), and if I was lucky enough to someday breed them, would continue to be something desired by other breeders?

I know my questions are a tad vague, and open to personal opinion, but I guess I'm looking for the person opinions from those who keep and breed these species.

Thank you in advance,

JMorash

 

[oli]

From someone that was really into Nephrurus I really am enjoying my African geckos a lot. Right now I'm working with Ptenopus carpi, and Colopus kochi. The Colopus kochi are a very strange, very unique, and also very interesting gecko. They seem very intelligent and observant and the fact that their eggs can incubate for over 18 months drew me to them. It's a bit of a challenge and quite a wait, but I'm down for the long haul. These geckos will never be common. Colopus wahlbergi + w. furcifer are both spectacular geckos and will always have an appeal among certain gecko enthusiasts in my belief. Ptenopus will never be common. People love them though, just look at them, they are awesome looking! Being that they only lay a single egg at a time they will never flood the market or be sold in large wholesale lots, not even close. All the Ptenopus are really cool, carpi, kochi, garrulus garrulus or g. maculatus and for me they are one of the prettiest geckos with a lot of character. My carpi male calls all the time which is interesting, but they are not inexpensive, but are truly projects that not many people will find themselves getting into you know?

 

[JMorash]

I appreciate the response. Exactly the kind of response I wanted. I just want something that is interesting and that hypothetically speaking, if was to breed, I may be desirable to others who breed geckos. I'm not looking for an investment, just a fun project. However since there are sooooo many projects I'm interested in it's nice to know that if I end up breeding something other breeders would likely be interested in trading.

I just had so many bad experiences with breeding oddball pythons and colubrids, although they are hard to find, and I wasn't asking much for them, no one wanted to bother with them because they weren't "marketable", so I got stuck with the whole lot. A little different than geckos that only produce one egg and fit in a 15 gallon tank, but it's still a concern of mine.

Thanks again,

JMorash