Gecko collection about to get much bigger.

[warhawk]

A friend contacted me a few days ago he is needing to find someone to take over his Gecko breeder collection. He can't give them the time they need right now so we worked out a deal and I will be taking over them. Going tonight to pick everything up. I don't have a full list of what he has but I know there are at least 13 geckos, 2 rack systems, incubator and some other enclosures he has.

I feel sorry for my friend, I hate to see anyone walk away from something they have enjoyed for years. But I'm very excited about getting everything and checking out all the new to me little guys and gals. I'm going into this with the idea of I will be holding these for him for a few years and if he wants to get back into geckos he can get them back or some of the babies that come from them. But I know me and I might get attached to these guys and not want to let them go.


I'm a little worried my current schedule won't hold up to me doubling my collection. With my current schedule I feed, water and spot clean every morning before work and full cleaning once a week. Then in the evening I check on everyone handle with a little. It doesn't take very long and I still have time to help get the kids up for school, might need to get up a bit earlier or maybe do it after work. I feel sure the first week or so will be busy but it will work it self out.

Also worried my food supply won't do. I have been raising meal worms for everyone but with the new guys I will have to double my output pretty quick. I might get a Dubia colony going also I have put it off for a while because my meal worms where going so well and just buying crickets as I needed them locally.

I did think about the risk of bringing all these geckos into the same room as my current collection. But I don't have any other place I could set up the racks so they will have to go into my gecko room. I have gotten geckos from him before and never had any issues or seen anything that looked unhealthy so hoping it will be the same. I will check each gecko as I unload them and if I see anything I will keep them in my garage until I'm sure. The problem is my garage doesn't have AC so it can get kinda warm this time of year.


So wish me luck.

 

[kholtme]

How long has he had the geckos/rack systems. I dont think you would have any problems putting them in the same room as your current geckos if they are staying in the rack systems and you arent putting any in the same cages as your current geckos. The only thing I would be worried about is crypto, but if his geckos have that it would have caused sickness and disaster already if he had them for some time. Quarantine for 90 days is good for new geckos, before you introduce them into your current geckos cage. By what you say above it doesnt sound like you will be putting any geckos in the same cage as your current geckos. If you are getting them from a good friend, i would say its safe to put them in the same room.

 

[warhawk]

He has been keeping geckos for 3-4 years. Over that time he has sold a few of the adults (got 2 a few months ago) and replaced with some young he hatched.

One of his racks is for adults the other is for the juveniles. My goal is to set everything up in my room just like he has it now. I don't want to cause them too much stress as they adjust to my schedule.

I don't see me mixing them in with my collection any time soon. I might use them in a colony next season (3 females & 1 male) but not my preferred way for breeding.

 

[kholtme]

i wouldnt put them in your garage, i would put them inside where you plan to keep them

 

[warhawk]

Well got everyone home last night and set back up. I will have to go back later in the week to get a few more items he had some supplies and two 36"x18"x18" enclosures what wouldn't fit in the truck.

Everyone is doing well. I gave all the tubs a quick cleaning, freshen up of the moist hides, new water, new calcium dish and fresh food before I went to bed. This morning some had eaten but not everyone but not surprised. I did notice that 3 or 4 are shedding so I will have to watch them to make sure all the skin comes off.

One of the little guys is a special needs, her front where deformed at birth. He told me she eats well and gets around okay but he just planed on keeping her as a pet. I'm fine with that I have room and time to keep her. I'm going to bump up her calcium a little to make sure that isn't the issue.

Over the next few days I will be weighting everyone and starting paper work so I can keep good records, that is one of those things I can't do without. If I don't have records I feel lost and it's chaos, can't have that.

 

[Perfecthair]

Awesome man, you gotta post pics. Lol im excited for you

 

[warhawk]

I do have some sad news. Looking at the special needs gecko I think she has MBD. It could be a natural deformation but my gut tells me it's MBD.

The first night I put in all new calcium dishes in the tank and dusted the food. I know my vitamin/calcium mix works so I'm tossing out his and starting fresh, I just don't know how much of each he used. I feel it would be best if I assume everyone is at risk and make sure they get all they need for the next few weeks. I'm thinking about taking everyone a putting them under a UVB bulb for 3-4 hours a day for a few weeks to help them absorb the calcium.

 

[kholtme]

UVB bulbs are kinda tricky with leopards especially with a breeding rack. You want to be able for all your geckos to be able to have all the requirements of living, and if you add a UVB bulb you want that to be completely separate from their areas of living. You dont want them to be forced to be in the UVB. I dont know much about it, but I know someone on here does. Hopefully they will help. I just know it requires a bigger tank to do it properly.

 

[warhawk]

I was thinking about setting 2 or 3 of the small tubs from the rack under a 24" UVB bulb I have for a few hours then move them back to the rack two or three times a week. But if I leave their hides in I bet the geckos would just stay in them so not really get anything out of the UVB. I guess I could remove the hides but then I know I'm stressing the little guys so might not be worth messing with.

To be honest I'm more worried about MBD then any other stuff with geckos I know what it can do and I don't want the geckos to suffer at all. I could be over reacting to this but I don't want to take a chance on their health. Might be best if I just dust well and keep up their dishes full.

Thanks for the info

 

[warhawk]

Quick update I spent some time last night watching the little guys and I saw some of the guys tasting the calcium dish so I feel sure the others are also. If they are doing that I know they are getting a bit extra and that is a great sign.

Also I upgraded the moist hides for all the new guys. When they are small I use the small cups you get super worms in from the pet stores, cut a hole in the side and put a paper towel. I have found they hold water for about 2 days before fully drying out so I spray them every morning when I feed. Using that system I almost never have issues with shedding, I still watch the toes and eyes to be sure. When they get to about 30 grams I will upgrade to a plastic sandwich container with coconut fiber and it holds water for days.

 

[warhawk]

Update from the weekends work.

Next time I think about buying someone's collection I hope someone reminds me of this one. I'm amazed of how much work this took. I thought it would be a take down drive across town and set back up. Wow I was so wrong, I have 16-20 hours in this so far just to my gecko keeping standards. I don't know how these racks didn't catch on fire and burn down a house. I stripped all the electrical down and did a full rebuild on connections and wiring. The shelves where fine for the most part but I do need to do some tweaking to a few some tubs are a tight fit.

But after fixing the electrical, cleaning the tubs, dishes, hides, making new moist hides, and hand feeding the little guys everyone is doing well. I know everyone has their own standards of keeping their pets but I was surprised. I also know I didn't really think it all the way through and I should have known it would be a lot more work but I'm glad I got them geckos, I wouldn't call them rescues because health wise I feel they are in good shape but a few more months who knows.

 

[warhawk]

Everyone is doing well, still have a few that aren't eating but not too worried they are the bigger ones so thinking it's stress. All the little guys are eating like crazy.

 

[kholtme]

PICTURES WARHAWK WE NEED PICTURES!!!! ive been waiting to long to see the set up and some of the geckos

 

[warhawk]

There are a lot of geckos to take photos of. LOL

I will see if I can take a few tonight after work.

 

[logan1234]

I wanna see them too .

 

[amsdadtodd]

Yeah, I'm with the others, posting that you scored that many new pets without sharing pictures is kind of a tease! Good luck with them, we'll wait until your ready to show them off!

Todd

 

[warhawk]

Here are some photos of everyone. And yes you can tell what TV shows I watch based on the names we come up with. The weights are as of this past weekend not when I got them. I know the age of a few the breeder I got them all from is getting me his paper work so I will have all their info.


Luann is 39 grams Diablo Blonco 8 months old


Caroline 63 grams She is 2 years old and a great eater I'm a bit worried I need to limit her.


Blaze 116 grams He was 4 years old


Mary 24 grams She lost her tail after me getting her, it is healing nice just going to keep watching it.


Peggy 39 grams


Mose 6 grams This is the one with the messed up front feet. But she is eating well and getting around well so I will see what I can do.


Dwight 16 grams



More to follow

 

[warhawk]

Here is the second part

Hank 5 grams


Dale 17 grams. I'm worried about Dale I think he might be suffering from MBD.


Boomhower 3 grams this little guy is just awesome. I love to watch him eat. Can't wait to see how he grows up.


Bill 9 grams



Bobby 10 grams


Fred 35 grams



Everyone but Luann is eating. She is staying the same weight so not too worried but I will try again tonight to get her to eat with tongs. Everyone else has gained weight but Mary and I think that was because of her tail losing her tail. I do have the two I will be keeping a close eye on but not worried about them.


Also can anyone guess the 3 tv shows I have been watching?

 

[amsdadtodd]

Also can anyone guess the 3 tv shows I have been watching?

I guess what does it say about me that I only came with "King of the Hill"?

Thanks for the pictures, you've got quite a variety there, I hope they acclimate well and recover from tail losses and MBD very well for you!

Todd

 

[warhawk]

I guess what does it say about me that I only came with "King of the Hill"?

Thanks for the pictures, you've got quite a variety there, I hope they acclimate well and recover from tail losses and MBD very well for you!

Todd

Yes King of the Hill covers most of them. My wife and I also watch two others but those would be harder to get as there are fewer names.


Right now I'm still a bit over whelmed by the variety I need to get the paper work so I know what everyone is then I can work out if any will be added to my breeding schedule this spring.

Everyone is adjusting nicely some are doing it faster than others but shouldn't be long before they all know me. Mary is the first Gecko I have had that lost a tail, I know it can happen and I have some that lost them before I got them so it was a little shocking but she is doing well. As far as the MBD I have always been a little worried about that so I make sure everyone gets the calcium, I hope it isn't to advance and Dale will recover but only time will tell.