Yeah Baby! Vegas Geckos

[monkeystyle]

Hello,

I recently picked up 2 Mediterranean House Geckos from my drive way about 2 weeks ago and I am a first time gecko keeper. One is quite tiny and is about 1.5 inches in length and the other about double that at around 3 inches. They both seemed alert and active, but a little thin. I have been feeding them baby crickets about every other day which they seem to enjoy.

As far as housing, I picked up a 5 gal. aquarium and initially used calcium sand inside before switching to reptile carpet. They are both so small I was concerned they may ingest some of the sand while feeding. There is also a coconut house and some old aquarium décor inside that they seem to enjoy. So far they stay very close together and I have not witnessed any aggressive behavior.

My home is located on the east side of town in Las Vegas, NV and during all of my time here I had not ever encountered any geckos though I hear that they frequent many areas around the Las Vegas valley. The climate here is very warm and dry so I am not certain how much, if, additional humidity they may require. I spray the inside of the glass with water daily, but I do not know if this is adequate.

I was delighted to notice that their coloring darkened when I replaced their white calcium sand with the brown reptile carpet.

I have included a few pictures of both

 

[Aimless]

welcome to GU.

I think they would be considerably happier with more foliage in that tank, whether fake or real. that will also help keep up the humidity, which can be tough with screen top cages in a dry place.

also, I am not a big fan of sand, but if a gecko's color darkens it means one of two things: it just shed, or it's stressing out.

 

[monkeystyle]

welcome to GU.

I think they would be considerably happier with more foliage in that tank, whether fake or real. that will also help keep up the humidity, which can be tough with screen top cages in a dry place.

also, I am not a big fan of sand, but if a gecko's color darkens it means one of two things: it just shed, or it's stressing out.

Thanks for the tip! I wasn’t sure about what type of plastic plant would be safe. Silk, hard plastic, etc. I installed a silk bunch above the bridge where they spend most of their time.

They are on a shelf in my dining room that is fairly quiet as it hardly gets used. I do not handle them and I have not noticed any shedding so I am uncertain what would be causing them any undue stress. They both seem to be eating well so I know they have a healthy appetite. The times I remove the lid for feedings, the larger gecko comes out from her sleeping spot as if she has made a connection with the sound of the lid being removed with feeding time. The smaller gecko stays hidden and usually only comes out at night.

I had read that House Geckos can change color quite fast in response to light conditions and their environment. I am hoping that is what triggered their sudden shift in skin tone and not stress. I really love these little guys and am doing best to give them a happy home.

 

[Aimless]

that sounds like it's working well so far. as they're from outside they're probably still settling in, too. if they remain thin even with regular feeding and more places to hide, it's possible they are infested with parasites that may need to be treated (this is pretty common with WC geckos).

some people recommend silk plants. that's not my preference as I think their porous nature makes them harder to clean, but I haven't seen or heard that they are unsafe. I prefer plastic or real myself. either way, for fake plants I make to sure to clean them before putting them in the cage; geckos are pretty tough for the most part but I do worry about potential harm from manufacturing chemicals or flame retardants that may be on the plants when they're fresh from the store. I know people who just throw them in there so it's possibly paranoia, but I figure it doesn't hurt to err on the side of caution and it's easy enough to clean them off first.

 

[monkeystyle]

So I added some coconut fiber substrate and some artificial foliage to their tank and I think it feels a bit more comfortable. I keep reading conflicting theories about coconut fiber as a substrate so I will keep a close eye them and see if they are ingesting a significant amount while eating. Hopefully this will not be an issue. If anyone has any concerns to share about coconut fiber, please educate me.

Some pics of their new digs

 

[monkeystyle]

I just wanted to do a quick update to say that my house geckos are doing quite well and seem to like their new home. After much research I decided to forge ahead and picked up two leopard geckos recently. I keep them separated from my house geckos of course and have them sharing a 10 gallon tank for now. They are quite young so I will have to wait to see if they are male or female. So far, I have really enjoyed my new friends and will continue to read and develop my understanding on how best to care for them!

 

[JIMI]

Hey, we might be neighbors! All of your geckos are gorgeous by the way. I've never encountered any geckos on this side of town either and have heard the same thing. I don't know anything about Mediterranean House Geckos, but I'm guessing that they must require some sort of humidity so its strange that you would find them here.

Hopefully those leopard geckos are not both males! They will know their sex before you do, so definitely keep an eye out for aggression!

It is recommended that you keep a humidity level of about 40%-50% for your leopard geckos, which I understand is pretty hard to accomplish in our dry climate. Unlike with the House Geckos, you can't mist down their enclosures. When you upgrade them to larger enclosures, consider putting them in wooden enclosures. It is much easier to maintain humidity in them. Check Craigslist, I've seen quite a few wooden enclosures being sold lately! Just wanted to let you know before you purchase aquariums and realize it's hard to maintain the correct humidity levels in them, like I did :roll:.

Have you happened upon Elizabeth's care sheet yet? Check that your husbandry is up to par, especially temperatures and supplementation!

Hope this information wasn't redundant for you. Good luck!

 

[monkeystyle]

Thanks for the wooden enclosure suggestion. I was actually curious about them and had been reading some articles recently. Maintaining appropriate humidity in their tanks has been a concern due to our dry climate here in Vegas. I do keep a wet hide filled with damp coconut fiber that my Leo's occasionally use and so far they seem active and content.

I am reading many forums and multiple care guides to assist me in providing a happy, healthy home for my gecko friends. I'll keep learning and asking questions for some time I think.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi monkeystyle ~

Welcome to Geckos Unlimited! Good to have you on board.

Be sure to keep your MOIST hide on the warm end of your leos' enclosure.