Pachydactylus tigrinus

drkrose

New member
Ok the care I was told is very different then what I just read here in caresheets. so I need to start over it seem... I have a carpet in their habitat can I use play sand I have that if I bake it or something its brand new and still in the bag but its not store bought reptile sand just clean sandbox sand... Are plants okay? or just rocks and again I have rocks in my drainage culvert can I use them if boiled and scrubed.. I have them in a small tall enclosure should I put them In a wide not tall? I really want to give them a good life They are new to me I Have had crested a month or so now. ANything you can add would be well recieved and I would be thankfull Oh and do they need calcium on their bugs ?
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Ok the care I was told is very different then what I just read here in caresheets. so I need to start over it seem... I have a carpet in their habitat can I use play sand I have that if I bake it or something its brand new and still in the bag but its not store bought reptile sand just clean sandbox sand... Are plants okay? or just rocks and again I have rocks in my drainage culvert can I use them if boiled and scrubed.. I have them in a small tall enclosure should I put them In a wide not tall? I really want to give them a good life They are new to me I Have had crested a month or so now. ANything you can add would be well recieved and I would be thankfull Oh and do they need calcium on their bugs ?
Welcome to Geckos Unlimited! How many P. tigrinus have you? I'd house them in a wide viv, not a tall one.

Pot a sansevieria in it's own pot and place that inside. Sansevieria need to dry out between watering.

Definitely these guys need calcium with D3 and multivitamins on their bugs!

  • All supplements are different. Some have way too much of some ingredients. Are you looking for recommendations?
I would NOT use playsand. Playsand is very dusty. Typical playsand is composed of silica crystals which are sharp and cause impaction more readily than quartz-based sand. Quartz crystals have rounded edges. If you decide on sand, go with Jurassic Playsand. Contact: Jerry Bergosh (877-531-8600). Maybe he'd send you just the amount you'd like.

Boil any rocks you add.
 
Last edited:

drkrose

New member
Thank you.. what substrate would you recommend if I dont use sand?

vitamins I have exoterra calcium and d3 do I need different or better?

I will be changing their habitat as soon as I can Get money which will be the first of the month I will have to do what I can with what I got unfortunately.

They are eating well I love watching them hunt their dinners ... and I am finding little poops so I am assuming that end is working well too lol
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Thank you.. what substrate would you recommend if I dont use sand?

vitamins I have exoterra calcium and d3 do I need different or better?

I will be changing their habitat as soon as I can Get money which will be the first of the month I will have to do what I can with what I got unfortunately.

They are eating well I love watching them hunt their dinners ... and I am finding little poops so I am assuming that end is working well too lol

You're welcome. Tiger geckos are mighty cute little guys. :)

How many P. tigrinus have you? Only one male should be housed per vivarium. Multiple males will fight.

I would use Jurassic Sand. It's "clean" and smooth-grained.
  • Steer clear of any reptile calci-sand.
  • NEVER spray the viv and feed at the same time, because sand will stick to cricket legs and get consumed pronto!
Buy a multivitamin in addition to Exo Terra's Calcium with D3 that you now have. I recommend Zoo Med's Reptivite multivitamins without D3.

When you run out of Exo Terra calcium with D3, switch to Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3.

I had Pachydactylus tigrinus for years. Once in a while they developed cloudy eyes. In retrospect, those might have had vitamin A (retinol) deficiencies.
 
Last edited:

drkrose

New member
Yes they are so cute, I have two but want more... I dont know sex one is darker with white spots and the other is the standard picture colours the light ones. I was told they were a female and a male I got them at a reptile show... but now I am not sure.. but they hang out together and are always with each other.

I will work on the vitamin situation and the sand situation..

I do thank you for your assitances I only want whats proper for my babies I am disaponted that I was told wrong I beleived in what the seller told me.
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Was the seller the breeder? Male P. tigrinus aren't easy to find.

What was the info conflict between GU and what the seller told you?
 

drkrose

New member
I am not sure I think now it was more just a seller.

Said moss carpet tall habitat water bowl vines . they did get the rocks right ... no vitamins needed or lights

thats the basics they gave me
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
I am not sure I think now it was more just a seller.

Said moss carpet tall habitat water bowl vines . they did get the rocks right ... no vitamins needed or lights

thats the basics they gave me

How visible (out and about) are your 2?

There are 2 forms of P. tigrinus: the Mozambique form and the Zimbabwe form. Read the Gecko Time article Aliza linked. Scroll down to the Pachydactylus tigrinus section.

How are you providing heat? I provided heat from above via an incandescent bulb. I think that was too bright. Using a ceramic heat emitter on a rheostat would be better.

They probably would use Exo Terra twisty vines.
 

drkrose

New member
They rarely out last night I saw one most of the time they hide in the slit under the back piece and under the bottom of the leaf... I can tell they are coming out cause there is little poopies all over that I clean up. No on the heat that was another thing ..

Wheres the section I am not finding it?

I know they are not big on being handled so how do I transfer from one tank to another safely.. I am disabled and have tremors in my hands. it makes them nervous and they jump so I dont handle any of my lizards if I can avoid it?
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
They rarely out last night I saw one most of the time they hide in the slit under the back piece and under the bottom of the leaf... I can tell they are coming out cause there is little poopies all over that I clean up. No on the heat that was another thing ..

Wheres the section I am not finding it?

I know they are not big on being handled so how do I transfer from one tank to another safely.. I am disabled and have tremors in my hands. it makes them nervous and they jump so I dont handle any of my lizards if I can avoid it?

Guide them into a small plastic deli cup to transfer them between tanks.

  • What dimensions is their tank?
  • Have you a thermometer? If not can you pick up a Zoo Med digital thermometer with a probe? They cost about $10.
  • Keep your tigers from the mid to upper 80s F during the day and the low 70s F at night.
  • Give them a small bowl with water.
  • Are you providing light? What power? That may make them hide!
Please answer all questions.

Here's a quote from Jon Boone's article:
"Temperatures of 75-95F should be used for nearly all species, and the further south that a given Pachydactylus species occurs in nature would be a good indicator as to how long that form should be cooled/hibernated during the non-breeding season. So, species like P. caraculicus that live in Angola and Namibia do not need the type of winter that Pachydactylus maculatus would naturally need. Most of the species that would naturally range into South Africa do need some sort of “cooling period” where the animals are kept at temps of about 60-70 F. for 6-12 weeks. I use crickets for about 90% of their diet and greatly vary the diet of the crickets that would correlate to what is most needed with egg producing females during a given time of the breeding season. So, a more plant-based diet for the insects during the onset of the breeding season would be used, whereas a more protein-based diet is used during the middle – end of breeding season so the females are better enabled to maintain or restore body weight from producing multiple clutches of eggs."
 

drkrose

New member
Size is 8"x8"x12"
No guages will be getting some right away
No heat yet their ambiant room temp is 81.
No light just over head light ne bulb for a big room so Kind of sunsettie not dark but not day light
.
Thank you for your response sorry so late got busy here
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Size is 8"x8"x12"
No guages will be getting some right away
No heat yet their ambiant room temp is 81.
No light just over head light ne bulb for a big room so Kind of sunsettie not dark but not day light
.
Thank you for your response sorry so late got busy here

You're welcome. :) All these suggestions are important for your tigers' well-being.

Bright lights overhead will probably keep them hiding in their cave.

  • Do you know how old they are? Can you post pictures?
  • Can you buy a 10 gallon tank (20 inches long x 10 inches wide x 12.5 inches tall)? It's important for them to have a warm end and a cool end.
  • Need a fine mesh screen top.
  • You might be able to find a 10 gallon that comes with a sliding screen top.
  • So it's 81* right now, day and night? What about fall, winter, and spring? Normal house temps during those seasons will be too cool.
  • Can you buy Zoo Med's powdered supplements right away? Get both those I suggested. If they don't get a little vitamin D3, they will develop MBD (metabolic bone disease). Too much vitamin D3 is also a problem. Some pet stores do not carry Zoo Med's Reptivite without D3. It might have to be ordered online.

It's a choice between an under tank heat mat or overhead heat. Either of those would be on only one end of a 10 gallon tank.
 
Last edited:

drkrose

New member
Sorry late again my daughter in laws in the hopital trying to have a grandson for me LOL and not doing it well.

No clue on age I can try for pics they run around so will try on the pictures

can get a 10gal and stuff heat and vitamins on wendsday when I get money

Its amdiant 78 at night where they are and no clue in fall winter or spring .. I wil get the heater stuff wendsday too to gradient their tank

I went out and got rocks for them to climb on just got to boil them how long do you suggest 10 minutes or so?

I have a big question too My husband wants to get me a lizard for my birthday in december.. and I was wondering what your opinion is on should I get more tigers for the tank once I am set up properly or should I get the super giant Leopard gecko which do you think would be best. I have read your care sheet for leopards.. I would be set up before getting them this time
 

acpart

Well-known member
Nice looking geckos! Be aware that if you get more tigers, you'll need to quarantine the new one(s) for at least a month. Happy birthday to you and the forthcoming grandchild.

Aliza
 

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Has your grandson arrived? :) What are your room temps fall, winter, and spring?

Your tigers are mature. Hatchlings are a dark reddish brown with pale yellow speckles.

Boil those rocks for about 15 minutes.

Shopping list:
  • 10 gallon (20 " x 10") enclosure with fine mesh screen top
  • Zoo Med medium (12" x 8") under tank heat mat
  • A warm end hide and a cool end hide big enough for both tigers. Those half coconuts with small entrances are great! You could make hides from small plastic containers. Turn the containers upside down and carve out a small entrance. Use the lids as the base.
  • Zoo Med's Repti Calcium with D3
  • Zoo Med's Reptivite multivitamins without D3
  • Zoo Med digital thermometer with a probe or an HDE temp gun
  • See whether you can find sand that is not playsand and not calcium-based sand.
I'd add the Hydrofarm Jump Start's MTPRTC thermostat from Amazon to keep the UTH's temps stable. They're about $25. It's the only thermostat I know of with a digital readout and a small metal probe.

My normal leo is 9 inches long. She weighs about 70 grams. That's about the max size leo for a 20 long enclosure (30 x 12 x 12 inches). Normal males are generally larger than this. If you're thinking about Exo Terra front opening enclosures, there's a nice one 36 x 18 x 12 inches tall. They are pricey.
 
Last edited:
Top