Velociraptor on Fire!

[TarzanicusRex]

Greetings! My 2 boys & I have been researching & planning for a gecko invasion off & on for well over 2 years. This juvenile Harlequin Crested Gecko (from a superb breeder) is the fruit of our labor and is our first reptile ever. His name is Tarzan Rex and he looks like a Velociraptor. He is already liking his Boston Fern. Naturally I'm not familiar with him yet, but I believe he's currently en fuego. He will be dining tonight (or tomorrow or next week?) on a specially prepared dish of Pangea Breeder mix with a glass of fresh artesian spring, er... conditioned tap water.




Planning on a larger glass enclosure in the near future & hoping to do a live viv in the far future.

Thank you to those of you here who put the GU caresheet together! I'll probably have lots of questions still!

 

[GeckoLeen]

Congratulations on your new family member! Ask away - everybody here is very helpful! When you get your glass enclosure, add more plants and hiding places - and just a heads up, that the grapevine you have will probably mold some in the high humidity. Would suggest more of a waterproof wood (mopani, manzanita, cork bark is excellent). Lucky little guy! Thanks for doing your research before acquiring him - good for you, and your boys!

 

[TarzanicusRex]

Congratulations on your new family member! Ask away - everybody here is very helpful! When you get your glass enclosure, add more plants and hiding places - and just a heads up, that the grapevine you have will probably mold some in the high humidity. Would suggest more of a waterproof wood (mopani, manzanita, cork bark is excellent). Lucky little guy! Thanks for doing your research before acquiring him - good for you, and your boys!

Thank you! Perhaps he is lucky, but I feel like we're the lucky ones. He has so much more pattern and color than I thought we would end up with.

I've read that about grapevine. I have to compromise and let my boys have a say in decor as well though, and they wanted a proper wood branch (I also wanted a coconut hide instead of that awful faux rock). I wasn't sure about mopani fitting properly with the other stuff in the enclosure. I've seen some awesome cork "trees" people have built out of rounds and would love to go that route in a proper enclosure. Though on the GU caresheet there's a photo of a fantastic terrarium which is all vines and that is a very attractive alternative to wood.

Understood about hiding places. I put a background on the outside to provide a bit more security & he was hiding behind the plant afterward (much to the boys disappointment when they arrived home from school). But he was out & about tonight.

And no matter how many caresheets I read, I still have questions about breathing patterns, night lights, temperature, cleaning, etc. Thankfully searching here provides many answers.

Do people around here prefer threads to stick (ha!) primarily to a single topic? I don't want to start a new thread for every question I have, but perhaps question dump threads are frowned upon.

Now the hard part, leave him alone and let him acclimate for a few weeks!

 

[TarzanicusRex]

Congratulations on your new family member! Ask away - everybody here is very helpful! When you get your glass enclosure, add more plants and hiding places - and just a heads up, that the grapevine you have will probably mold some in the high humidity. Would suggest more of a waterproof wood (mopani, manzanita, cork bark is excellent). Lucky little guy! Thanks for doing your research before acquiring him - good for you, and your boys!

Wait a minute, your gecko names sound familiar. Are you on Pangea's forum as well? That place has been down for what, a week? I'm so glad I found this place.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

A warm welcome to your family and to Tarzan Rex. He's very handsome.

I'm happy you found Geckos Unlimited too.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Do people around here prefer threads to stick (ha!) primarily to a single topic? I don't want to start a new thread for every question I have, but perhaps question dump threads are frowned upon.

If you begin a "husbandry" thread for Tarzan Rex, then most every question is fair game.

Recently I phoned Josh's Frogs (800-691-8178 ). They stock bamboo in large diameters (1.5-2 inches). That's what my crestie George uses for his sleeping bag. Don't worry about them getting stuck. George knows how to back out.

George loves hanging out on his basking bar -- awake or asleep. He likes surveying his "geckodom". Sometime he sticks close to the 15-25 watt incandescent bulb I keep on during the days. The room is set for 71*F minimum. It's warmer when the sun heats up this room via the south window.

Get the largest vertical enclosure possible for Tarzan Rex. Even youngsters adapt well to big enclosures. In that case leave food out in several locations until he gets the hang of it.

 

[GeckoLeen]

Hi - yes, I am on the Pangea forum as well. They are in the midst of a forum upgrade, that's why it's been down. Hopefully back up soon. GU is a great place as well!

Your boys may want the grapevine because it looks nice and natural, but eventually it could cause problems with mold. Mine did, and I had to throw it all away. Even after cleaning, boiling, baking, etc., the mold still came back. I bought a couple of T-Rex AquaVines and AquaRoots, and my crestie loves those. I also have cork tubes and cork flats, and a piece of "wacky wood" or jungle wood - all are very humidity-resistant. You can also look in the aquarium section of your local pet store for decor that is waterproof. I found my crestie a nice big resin rock with lots of hiding places in it, and he loves it. Coconut hides are great.

Be aware that cresties are nocturnal, and you probably won't see much action from TR during the day. He'll be active at night.

As for lights - they don't need lights at night, but if you want to view in the evening, use a blue light. Turn it off when you go to bed, and he'll do fine. If it's pitch black in your gecko room, just have a small night light somehwere inconspicuous (I have one under the table my tanks are on) and that will provide just enough "night light" for them. (The jungle isn't completely dark at night either!)

Yup, let him get settled in his new apartment for a couple of weeks, then work up to handling. The more hiding places he has, the happier he will be. Your boys can play "find the gecko" - take it as a challenge rather than a disappointment if they don't always see him!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Somebody moved your thread to the crested gecko sub-forum. That's good news!

How can we help Tarzan Rex?

 

[TarzanicusRex]

Crested Gecko Husbandry - Let's start with Temperature.

That's so kind of you to ask.

Our main concern right now is temperature. The room he's in is already hitting 65F at night (or at least his enclosure reading); I know that's the lower tolerable end. Temps have just dropped recently (Midwest USA) but not so much that the furnace is really running (we set it at 65F at night & during the day in the winter while gone). I've read a bunch of threads here about temps and some claim 65 at night is no problem, but for younger CG 70s is better for eating & growing. But another thread or 2 claim 65 is nearing fatal range...

Unfortunately the room his enclosure is in is probably the coldest room in the winter & the warmest in the summer. We could move it to one of the boys rooms which are regulated better, but if we don't let them take turns housing him on their shelf they will throw the red flag on equality. And I have been told moving their habitat on a regular basis is a bad idea.

The hall thermostat indicates temps about 3 degrees warmer than the (very cheap Amazon) hygro/thermo in his enclosure. I'm trying to wait to buy more equipment until we have a proper enclosure, but we're looking at maybe waiting until next March/Apr to jump into that. In my experience (admittedly laughable at this point) I really like NEHerps info and products. They seem to give an honest description of what makes each product good or word them in such a way to make it clear that something is not the best choice. They indicate Zoo Med's UTH in "Tiny" size is safe for plastic critter keepers. They also recommend Zoo Med's Hygro/Thermo for the price. I know from reading here that the Hydrofarm MTPRTC Thermostat is the most recommended economical thermostat. I like the idea of a temp gun, but I would have to open his habitat each time to get a reading, which is not as quick as simply glancing at a constant display (but the temp-guns displays are backlit...).

And the UTH seems easy enough but to save buying something that I won't use with a larger terrarium, do you have any suggestions on setting up perhaps a Zoo Med Nano fixture at X distance to his enclosure w/a low wattage CHE? I'm open to other suggestions.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

The hall thermostat indicates temps about 3 degrees warmer than the (very cheap Amazon) hygro/thermo in his enclosure. I'm trying to wait to buy more equipment until we have a proper enclosure, but we're looking at maybe waiting until next March/Apr to jump into that. In my experience (admittedly laughable at this point) I really like NEHerps info and products. They seem to give an honest description of what makes each product good or word them in such a way to make it clear that something is not the best choice. They indicate Zoo Med's UTH in "Tiny" size is safe for plastic critter keepers. They also recommend Zoo Med's Hygro/Thermo for the price. I know from reading here that the Hydrofarm MTPRTC Thermostat is the most recommended economical thermostat. I like the idea of a temp gun, but I would have to open his habitat each time to get a reading, which is not as quick as simply glancing at a constant display (but the temp-guns displays are backlit...).

And the UTH seems easy enough but to save buying something that I won't use with a larger terrarium, do you have any suggestions on setting up perhaps a Zoo Med Nano fixture at X distance to his enclosure w/a low wattage CHE? I'm open to other suggestions.

Is there some chance you could prioritize his upgrade to happen soon? Is there some common ground in your home where you could permanently relocate TR's home -- a warmer place? In TR's current home he has no place to climb. Cresties love to climb. That's one thing they do.

I think an UTH would dry out the substrate too much. If damp Eco Earth's coco fiber is used for the substrate, coco fiber is an insulator. Heat won't get through. I don't know how a low wattage CHE would work with a plastic enclosure. I would think that a CHE would need to be mounted off the plastic.

I prefer digital thermometers with probes over my temp gun.

I offer my crestie that 15-25 watt incandescent bulb throughout the year. It's timed to go off at night. Admin Hilde keeps her home cooler and has bred cresties in the past.

Click: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...o-caresheet-summary-tips-february-2015-a.html

Scroll down to post #8---LARGE Communal Crestie Hatchling & Juvenile Enclosures......Hilde or post 9 if you're watching right side numbers to see what she has done. Hilde does mention temperature there.​

 

[GeckoLeen]

A CHE would probably melt a plastic enclosure. I would suggest looking on Craigslist or local sales groups for glass terrariums - you can get some really good deals. Then you could safely use a CHE.

Pangea sells a hygrometer/thermometer for around $12. I have used that and a temp gun, and have been happy with both. In the meantime, a regular incandescent bulb would at least give him some warmth until you can get a larger tank. I would try for sooner rather than later as well, especially with winter coming on.

 

[TarzanicusRex]

Is there some chance you could prioritize his upgrade to happen soon? Is there some common ground in your home where you could permanently relocate TR's home -- a warmer place? In TR's current home he has no place to climb. Cresties love to climb. That's one thing they do.

I think an UTH would dry out the substrate too much. If damp Eco Earth's coco fiber is used for the substrate, coco fiber is an insulator. Heat won't get through. I don't know how a low wattage CHE would work with a plastic enclosure. I would think that a CHE would need to be mounted off the plastic.

I prefer digital thermometers with probes over my temp gun.

I offer my crestie that 15-25 watt incandescent bulb throughout the year. It's timed to go off at night. Admin Hilde keeps her home cooler and has bred cresties in the past.

Click: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...o-caresheet-summary-tips-february-2015-a.html

Scroll down to post #8---LARGE Communal Crestie Hatchling & Juvenile Enclosures......Hilde or post 9 if you're watching right side numbers to see what she has done. Hilde does mention temperature there.​

Thank you. A larger enclosure is certainly a priority; but he's only been with us 3 days so we need to ensure he's eating.

As you can see the substrate is paper towel currently so I imagine an UTH would be alright for that or I could put it on the side if necessary as well. CHE probably isn't the best idea right now. According to that link you pointed me to, it sounds like I shouldn't be concerned about the temp, so I'm just going to monitor things for now.

 

[TarzanicusRex]

A CHE would probably melt a plastic enclosure. I would suggest looking on Craigslist or local sales groups for glass terrariums - you can get some really good deals. Then you could safely use a CHE.

On that note, I have been watching CL. There is a setup in the size I want that is already planted. Problem is I'm no botanist so I am unable to determine if the plants are gecko safe or not (probably are, it's a vertical terr.), But are there concerns (bacterial or otherwise) about putting my gecko in someone else's plants, soil, isopods, etc.?

 

[GeckoLeen]

Yup, there would be some concern about that. If the price is cheap enough, I'd say go with it, clean it out and sanitize well, and put your own plants/decor in it. If money is a concern, to start off with you can use paper towel substrate, and get very inexpensive fake plants/decor at thrift shops - just wash well. Or you can add potted plants for a bit more naturalistic environment. You can replace bit by bit over time as income allows, to get the tank the way you want it to look.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thank you. A larger enclosure is certainly a priority; but he's only been with us 3 days so we need to ensure he's eating.

As you can see the substrate is paper towel currently so I imagine an UTH would be alright for that or I could put it on the side if necessary as well. CHE probably isn't the best idea right now. According to that link you pointed me to, it sounds like I shouldn't be concerned about the temp, so I'm just going to monitor things for now.

You're welcome.

Although I have not tried it I don't see how side mounted heat mats can be very effective, since heat rises.

Decent humidity for a crested gecko may be a challenge when using a heat mat. In addition, heat from a heat mat doesn't really heat a tall vivarium very well. Not too far off the ground, temps will drop to room temps.

Did your potential CL vertical vivarium have any occupants in the past besides the clean up crew? Like GeckoLeen says, you could strip it, sanitize it thoroughly, and go from there.

 

[TarzanicusRex]

If I'm tossing the plants, then it's not as attractive of a deal, but I'll keep my eye on it. Thank you for your feedback.

I'm about to pull the trigger on a better thermometer, UTH & thermostat as his tank was 64.2 at 6am today. The UTH is a stopgap measure until we get a proper enclosure and then I will go for a CHE as needed. ZooMed terrarium over ExoTerra, anyone? I don't think that question has been asked before...

In other news...
Houston, we have fecal matter. I repeat, we have fecal matter.

(of course it could have been from his meal prior to shipping)

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

If I'm tossing the plants, then it's not as attractive of a deal, but I'll keep my eye on it. Thank you for your feedback.

I'm about to pull the trigger on a better thermometer, UTH & thermostat as his tank was 64.2 at 6am today. The UTH is a stopgap measure until we get a proper enclosure and then I will go for a CHE as needed. ZooMed terrarium over ExoTerra, anyone? I don't think that question has been asked before...

In other news...
Houston, we have fecal matter. I repeat, we have fecal matter.

(of course it could have been from his meal prior to shipping)

Houston alert = :coverlaugh:

Exo Terra vivs may come with stainless steel screen tops now. That's a bonus for spraying. Then there's no rust buildup if you occasionally spray through the screen. I don't know whether ZooMed does likewise.

 

[GeckoLeen]

I prefer the Exo Terra because of the center opening glass. It's much easier to take care of, and helps prevent escapes a bit better than the Zoo Med. Exo Terra also has a slight space underneath if you need to use a lamp stand or heat mat. I have both though, and both are good quality brands.

 

[TarzanicusRex]

I've read people don't like the Exo Terra bc the top cross piece is problematic for placing lights?

 

[TarzanicusRex]

Husbandry - Crikey, those crickets!

So, originally we didn't want to deal with crickets b/c they just seem like a pain & I've been told and read from multiple sources that CGD alone is fine (but perhaps they won't grow as big). However, my son was holding his finger to the side of his enclosure and moving it around, and Tarzan's enormous eyeballs instantly focused on this with Raptor-like precision and eventually leaped at it. I am assuming this is hunting behavior and not anger or fighting behavior (correct me if I am wrong).

Consequently, we are considering occasional crickets for some stimulation; as in 1-2 times a month as a treat. I can get them locally, but my question:

Is it necessary to gutload &/or dust crickets if the CGD is providing everything they need & is their primary nutrient source; with crickets as an occasional exercise? Can I just dust? Or neither?

I've never seen it mentioned anywhere, so I'm assuming there's a reason for it. I see that dusting w/CGD isn't recommended. Gutloading & dusting sounds like such a headache. Can you buy them pre-loaded? Are roaches or anything else easier to deal with for an 8gram crested in order to satisfy this fierce beast of prey?


In other news: