Giant Day Gecko!

[TheLastCreature]

Hello! So I'm hoping to aquire my first giant day gecko soon, I assume it's only 4ish months old and I'm not new to reptiles in any way but this is a new species for me and I want to make sure I have everything set up properly before purchasing so let me know if I get anything wrong or have any extra tips

-Mist twice a day
-80-85° temp
-90-95° basking spot
-Super worms(I am terrified of crickets and super worms are the next best thing) 4 days a week (mon, wed, fri, sun) with DGD suplemented with extra calcium 3 days a week (tues,thurs,sat)
-lots of fake plants (planning to do a live Viv once the baby is full grown)
-paper towel substrate(until adult)
-small water dish
-humid hide for shedding
-cork bark perches/basking spot
Cage dimensions (one adult) 30x12x30 (inches, length x width x height)
-cage dimensions(grow out) 12x12x18 exo terra

I think that's all let me know if I forgot something, thanks in advance!

 

[TheLastCreature]

Any replies would really help at this point because I'm picking up the little one tomorrow hopefully and I don't want to mess anything up (feeder bug has changed to phoniex worms as a staple with other bugs mixed in for veriety)

 

[acpart]

I don't have giant day geckos but do have a gold dust day gecko and until recently had a (much smaller) P. klemmeri that just passed after more than 10 years. I'm not saying your set-up won't work, but it's a little different from what I do, so I thought I'd post my routine:
I only mist once a day, in the morning
I feed CGD or equivalent M,W,F (I actually put the food out in the evening since it goes along with my Rhac CGD eaters, so they get access to the food T, Th and Sa mornings)
I feed crickets M and F mornings

I've considered a giant day gecko for myself but don't have a big enough enclosure (or any place to put one). I'm not 100% sure that a 30x12x30 will be ideal for an adult, but hopefully you can get more feedback here from experienced keepers.

Aliza

 

[TheLastCreature]

Thanks! I've heard 20 gallons are sufficient for one adult (they get about 1-2 inches bigger than cresties) and the 30x12x30 is about 27 gallons tall, this of course will be replaced but if I can't get a replacement by the time it's full grown than it will be in that until I can upgrade. I changed the feeding schedule a bit, mush(cgd/fresh fruit) 4 days a week with bugs 5 days a week. Thanks again!

 

[Hypancistrus]

Not a GDG owner but have been researching them... so take with a grain of salt.

1) Enclosure size... less to do with gallons, more with overall space. They can reach 10" in length, so I think the "foot print" of your future enclosure needs to be more than 12 square inches. I would shoot for at least an 18x18x24 to give a larger footprint, myself. When I get mine I am planning on raising the pair in such a viv and then going to one of the larger Exos-- probably the 36"x18"x24".

2) Depending on size of juvenile gecko, you may need to order smaller sized worms, such as silk worms. Some geckos won't take any worms because they aren't mobile enough to catch their interest.

 

[thepianoguy]

well just gonna point it out, that we will NEVER provide ANY pets the best cage, so why don't we start with as big as possible?

 

[Hypancistrus]

While this is a fair point... in many cases space IS limited. So while I think "as large a cage as possible" is a great idea, it is often not practical advice. However, I do think a 12x12 footprint would prove to be constricting for a fully grown grandis.

 

[TheLastCreature]

For when I get the little one I'm going to have it in a 12x12x18 until it reaches about 5 or 6 inches long then moving it to the adult enclosure which is 30 inches long and tall and 12 inches deep, hoping to get a larger one later but for now that's what I got

 

[acpart]

It will take awhile to grow up, and, even as an adult, can function in a somewhat smaller cage than ideal. Go with what you have now, evaluate how it's doing, and consider a long term project of getting an even bigger enclosure eventually.

Aliza

 

[TheLastCreature]

Thanks! About how long would it take to fully grow up? I'm assuming about a year on average but I'm sure some grow faster/slower than others. Thanks again

 

[acpart]

I'm no expert on giant day geckos, but I would assume that it would be full sized at a year to 1 1/2 years. Even if it ends up in too small an enclosure for awhile, it's not the end of the world.

Aliza

 

[TheLastCreature]

Thanks, I finally got the little one and its super active and already eating which is great

 

[TheLastCreature]

I am a bit worried about this odd lump on its back, it has a bit of a wavy tail as well so I'm adding extra calcium suplement to all its food hoping that it's just a case of MBD and that it will clear up, watermelon is only about a month old so it's sad to see this arising so early in its life, anyway, here's a picture of the lump on its back, right imbetween it's 2 front arms on its back

 

[Ambubadger]

I didn't see anything as far as UVB for Watermelon in your setup, do you have a means of providing that for him? I use UVB bulbs or, in the case of one of my anoles, I place his enclosure outside to get natural sunlight. If you're worried about MBD, UVB lights could help. Still, I can't say for sure what that bump is.

 

[TheLastCreature]

I am using a uvb strip as well as a heat light and I can't bring it outside any time ever because it only gets to 35°C at the highest in the summer here and we only have about a month and a half for that weather then it gets cold again and my room isn't in direct sunlight (exact opposite direction of the sun all day) so going outside isn't really an option but I am suplementing all bugs with repashy calcium plus as well as feeding high calcium fruits so hopefully it clears up

 

[acpart]

I would think, based on my own experience, that a juvenile with MBD responds better than an adult if it's caught and corrected early.

Aliza

 

[TheLastCreature]

Yeah I've found that with cresties, takes about a month or 2 for a younger one to recover from mbd but an adult 5+ months to, so I'm keeping a close eye on it to make sure it progresses away from it and not towards

 

[IrishEyes]

If you don't mind me asking, as this is an old thread, what is MBD? Thanks.

 

[Ambubadger]

If you don't mind me asking, as this is an old thread, what is MBD? Thanks.

Metabolic Bone Disease. It's a condition that occurs to n captive reptiles that don't receive enough calcium in their diet, or are unable to metabolize it because of a lack of vitamin D on their enclosure.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

If you don't mind me asking, as this is an old thread, what is MBD? Thanks.

Metabolic Bone Disease. It's a condition that occurs to n captive reptiles that don't receive enough calcium in their diet, or are unable to metabolize it because of a lack of vitamin D on their enclosure.

Irish Eyes ~

Do you know whether your three 1 yo female Phelsuma laticauda have been getting UVB via fluorescent lighting? Let us know whether you'd like some recommendations.

If day geckos receive their D3 via reliable fluorescent lighting, I recommend plain calcium carbonate and a multivitamin without D3.

I use and recommend Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3 and Zoo Med's Reptivite multivitamins without D3. Other keepers like Repashy's Calcium Plus.

You might begin a general thread right here for your questions: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/community/day-geckos-phelsuma/