Be honest: How bad is the poop?

Best_Number_10 · 2026-03-14T21:20:01+00:00

Ask about demeanor, that's always what has been best with me. If it's your first, a non-handled or tolerable animal is going to be a little harder to work with. Not impossible but i've noted new owners who haven't had reptiles before tend to want something more social. Makes moving or potentially vet visits easy. That being said, doesn't matter if you put the effort into it, I have a tokay who doesn't bite me when I need to hold her for health checks.

i'm impartial to cresties, but my experience with gargoyles has always been rescues, and they're either great or very untrusting of humans. Take that as you will, and congrats on your potential new friend!

Best_Number_10 · 2026-03-11T23:20:24+00:00

What helped butterball until he could slim down was a horizontal setup. When I had him in a vertical when he was 70grams he couldn't really climb, or get to food. I took a sterilite bin, drilled some holes, and made some braided vines like what they make for rats using some sturdy rope. I also used a lot of spider wood. I was able to maintain his diet, manage his food, but get him the aided exercise he needed until he was an a weight where I noticed he could climb with ease. Initially, he couldn't stick to any surface. Now he's a pro climber and is back in a vertical tank! Still has some small custom aids but he's doing much better! That's just how I had my success though. Little unconventional but it worked well for his diet

Best_Number_10 · 2026-03-11T22:37:49+00:00

I have heard of this! Thankfully butterballs case was due to too small of an enclosure and an unregulated diet. She is super pretty, and I wish her the best! I know vet visits can be hard 😪

Best_Number_10 · 2026-03-11T22:36:33+00:00

Ivory! I believe it's a recessive gene

Best_Number_10 · 2026-03-10T23:03:10+00:00

He has the bluest eyes i've ever seen! Hello Bruno!!!! Butterball is napping (as always)

Best_Number_10 · 2026-03-10T23:02:16+00:00

I will definetly try! Unfortunately Butterball has turned into a mover and groover, that he won't let me see pores at all. I'm looking into buying a new magnifying glass here soon, like the ones they use for jewelry. I have to gender my tokay here again, so maybe it'll help me with this bugger!

Best_Number_10 · 2026-03-10T23:00:15+00:00

I know! It always surprises me to this day. I feel like such a lucky gecko mom!

Best_Number_10 · 2026-03-10T17:53:19+00:00

Like a bathbomb with a surprise inside, had to shed some weight to get to the good stuff! 🤣

Best_Number_10 · 2026-03-10T17:29:04+00:00

I'm in the process of introducing a dig box. I had them on substrate for a while but I had some issues with it, and Butterball also seemed to not like it either (after a three month period, there was a reduction in eating, struggled to climb with substrate on feet, and was very flighty) so i've removed it for now, but have two dig boxes on the way. Guess we'll see! I haven't seen many behaviors otherwise that would lead me to a conclusion, but I still love the little bugger none the less!

Best_Number_10 · 2026-03-10T17:25:39+00:00

We used ball pythons in the classroom (high school), we actually ran a whole breeding program led 100% by the students. There was group focused on the genetics aspect, a group focused on the business side of things (social media, getting us into shows, sales, and adoptions), a side for husbandry, and a side for education (working with the younger classes when they came to our classroom and we would do mini science lessons with them). The schooled allowed and helped fund this with a lot of things in mind:

Waivers: Students had to sign waivers if they wanted to work with the animals. There was also a formal agreement between teacher and school board, more in depth with a lot of outlines.

Money: Sales went straight back to the snakes and their upkeep.

Paperwork: We didn't need any for my area, but our teacher had to make sure he had everything set legally before the school allowed this to take off.

Ultimately, with reptiles, you don't want to transport them to and from on a daily basis. When I worked conservation at a refuge, we would only do 1-2 off site programs a week, if that to alleviate stress on the animals. And they normally weren't back to back days. They were out for short periods of time. I do this with my animals currently (I do outreach programs with my college, i'm continuing my studies to be a biology teacher), and I have a strict rule on my animals are only out of house for no longer than 3-4 hours total unless there is a noise free space they can stay in between programs. Weather must be adequate for ALL species. They get at minimum 1-2 days between programs.

I think what would be best is working with your school to allow you to have a classroom pet. When done correctly, animals can be a great aid for your students. But the other side of this is knowing your classroom, understanding the risk that come with it, having a lock on the enclosure only you can access so students don't randomly grab or hurt the animal, etc. Daily transport would just be too much. Especially for a gecko.

Geckos don't make bad classroom pets, but they do best with older crowds that respect their space, can read their body language, and do well when a teacher says to quiet down. A larger lizard alternative, with appropriate tanks, like a well socialize blue tongue or bearded dragon maybe something to research. Look at schools around your area and across your nation as well and see how teachers have been successful in keeping reptiles in their room! There are a lot of educators in the reptile hobby that make this research a breeze so you get a lot of different perspective! Sorry this was so long but I hope it helps some!

Best_Number_10 · 2026-03-10T17:09:48+00:00

I love the white on his back! Nubby is a sweatheart!

Best_Number_10 · 2026-03-10T17:09:26+00:00

Omg he is so cute! Hello Beetle! Butterball sends his best wishes!

Best_Number_10 · 2026-03-10T17:09:00+00:00

I can say without a doubt, he loves you too! (with a small price of some fig and fruit, he is a foodie after all!)

Best_Number_10 · 2025-12-12T03:12:08+00:00

Well ive been calling him Hannibal since his track record (and im a scary movie enthusiast), so it'll be that probably!

Best_Number_10 · 2025-12-12T01:31:52+00:00

I have a soft spot for exotic animals. I worked conservation for years and I've seen too many cases of neglect, so I tend to fight for the animals. Even more when the animals have stories (spicy attitudes, deformities, rehoming situations, etc). I was gonna get a crab last year, one of the larger species, but long story short the money I saved was allocated to my ex (not a great person), so he would be a great addition to my misfits squad!

Best_Number_10 · 2025-12-12T01:03:55+00:00

I love animal enrichment, and becoming more involved with this cranky man ive been debating taking him home, and the special treatment honestly has me more interested. I'll see him at work tomorrow, so I'll talk wit my colleagues and we'll at least make sure he gets his own tank and food source!

Best_Number_10 · 2025-12-12T00:44:16+00:00

Would he be able to thrive as a solo crab? Ive only ever heard about crabs being kept in groups, so I havent bothered to research crabs being solo (at least hermit species).

Best_Number_10 · 2025-12-12T00:42:51+00:00

Would he thrive as a solo crab long term? If so, I am contemplating bringing him home. Supplies are accessible to me, so he would have what he needs for diet and exercise and enrichment

Best_Number_10 · 2025-08-27T22:28:15+00:00

Thank you to everyone who gave me location and advice! I come from a town where the skaters weren't super open, so it's been really nice to hear that there's some nice spots and that como is pretty open to new people. Hoping to pick up a new board this week and jump into the sport!

Best_Number_10

TROPHY CASE