New Crestie ? Red Potential

Aimless

Super Moderator
what does she weigh? IMO she looks awfully brown, but if she's still small you might get some red to develop.
 

savannah blue

New member
She is 8g. I think picture 1 and 3 are much more brown than she really is. She is more like picture 2 and 4. Its hard to get her true colours to show. let me post more soon.
 

Aimless

Super Moderator
sometimes a "brown" crestie will have brick/maroonish overtones depending on how fired up they are. from what I have seen it doesn't usually mean much, unfortunately, if you're looking for a true red gecko.
 

savannah blue

New member
She's starting to shed now so will have to post pics after. Unfortunately, I don't know her lineage. I have browsed through many progression threads and pics of red hatchling and juvenile geckos but can't really pin her down. She's still a beauty to me, but was sure hoping my eye could spot some red potential when I bought her at 3.6g.
 

Aimless

Super Moderator
eh, you never know and she's small enough she might turn more red. the ones I've raised up from hatching or from young purchase with those color tones have not been red as adults, but I'm sure not the be-all and end-all expert here.

however, it is my understanding all the way around that lineage can give you some insight into eventual pattern but color is still very much a crap shoot until you're talking multiple generations, and even then there's no surety just better odds.
 

savannah blue

New member
Thanks for your input. I'm sure it's quite different to see progression of a red Crestie live if you will, than seeing photographs of progressions.
 

Aimless

Super Moderator
Yes it is:) the season I bred my red girl to my yellow flame they threw 8 babies. Only one turned out a true red. Several were similar to yours, and did not develop red as adults. The one that did become red was paler than the others except when fired up.
I also picked up a hatchling trio from a local breeder with some nice lines several years back, hoping for some girls with nice pattern. I chose those that seemed pretty red, like yours. All 3 ended up male, of course...and they were all pretty but none ended up red.
 

savannah blue

New member
Your experience is invaluable to me. I have no plans for breeding but it would be interesting to put my Pinstripe male(42g tailless) with my Red harley female(64g) to see what they throw, and gain some experience on the stages of coloration a Crestie undergoes. All babies, should they hatch, are already spoken for. Nonetheless, putting them together weighs heavily on me as they are happy and healthy as they are.
I just love having quality animals to enjoy and stare at for hours. The only way I can do this without breaking the bank is by buying babies I feel might have some potential red, orange or yellow. I'm starting to discover that what I'm actually doing is speculating (like for gold;-)). I've also been limited by DH on the number of vivariums in our home so I also speculate for females, without much luck, I'm afraid.
 

Aimless

Super Moderator
ha! the longer I'm in this the more I'm convinced that it's better to buy juveniles of known and sex and coloration if you're trying for certain offspring. it's fun to watch them change, but it's definitely rolling the dice.

here's mom (Xochitl), dad (Quizno), and the single baby out of 8 that was what I was hoping for:

11.12 018.jpg1.16 017.jpgIMG_20131213_101755759.jpg
 

savannah blue

New member
Very interesting indeed. All are beauties! Mum looks a little rusty coloured or is it just the picture? The baby is looking like Dad but with a brighter red base IMO. Beautiful. For your interest here are Slider(male) and Hollybear (cos she's giant). I acquired Holly when she was 1 1/2 years old and was a guaranteed female. I find that she is a bit of a darker, rusty red rather than that bright cherry, candy coloured red we all yearn for. Perhaps I should return to that strategy though a bit of a gamble does make for a lot of learning fun. I suppose I'll have to memorize all the babies' colours at this weekend's Expo if I go.;-)
 

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savannah blue

New member
If you were to acquire juveniles of known sex and colour, at what weight would you be confident that the animal's colour was its mature coloration? For females, I'm still hovering around the 25g marker for definitively determining sex. At this point, females do get pricey though.
 

Aimless

Super Moderator
You should be able to get a definitive gender by 10-12g from an experienced breeder who know how to loupe. I'd say somewhere between 15-20 for color, though some of the heavier Harley patterning can develop a little more. Again, I've had cresties a long time but am not an expert; I'm willing to be overruled by someone who's kept more.

Xochitl is pale orangey pink when fired down, and the color of tomato soup concentrate when fired up :) she's very red.
 
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