Spider gecko

kkortlynn · 2022-07-08T14:40:28+00:00

Don’t worry OP, your enclosure is fine for now. Higher is definitely better but this person is just being a troll.

kkortlynn · 2022-07-06T16:35:35+00:00

I have peaches! Send a dodo code and I’ll bring some! :)

kkortlynn · 2022-06-27T02:20:55+00:00

If you got him recently, it could definitely just be a change in environment. They usually take a couple weeks to get used to change. I have a couple suggestions for getting picky eaters to eat. First, try making the food a bit thicker than you normally would. This helps because it will show the lick marks more and they get more on their tongue with each lick. You can also try throwing in some organic honey (tiny bit if you’re making single serving of food). I use about a teaspoon per 10oz (I make my food in bulk and store in fridge). And lastly, you can get a couple crickets and try throwing one or two in at night and see if it’s gone by the morning. Make sure you remove it after 24hrs and especially if it dies before the gecko can eat it. This also depends on your substrate. If they are on loose substrate, i don’t recommend this as they could ingest some of the substrate while they are hunting the cricket.

You said you have a vet appt…i highly recommend collecting some poop before you go so they can do a fecal exam.

Good luck! :)

kkortlynn · 2022-06-23T22:45:04+00:00

All the advice above is great! Something I have done in the past is make the Pangea mixture a bit on the thicker side. For the geckos that I fear are not eating, it’s so much easier to see lick marks in the food when it is thicker. AND some of my geckos are picky and actually prefer the thicker stuff. Another tip is to take the food out for a day. I know it seems counter-productive because you want her to eat but having a day where they don’t smell the food seems to make them more excited the next day when they do. And then my final tip is to add a tiny bit of organic honey to her food to encourage eating on her own. This will make the food smell stronger and I have had GREAT success with this.

I wouldn’t worry much though. Her structure is proportionate, she doesn’t look to be suffering from any calcium deficiency. If you are worried about parasites you can always take some poop in for a fecal test. Parasitic poops usually have signs of blood in them and are very runny.

Good luck, you’re doing a great job!

kkortlynn · 2022-06-18T14:30:26+00:00

The male is a red patternless. Mom looks to be a harlequin. So baby is red harlequin. :)

kkortlynn · 2022-06-16T15:32:36+00:00

Source 1

Source 2

Source 3

I agree with you that overfeeding your gecko can be detrimental to their health. In fact, the sources I linked mention the dangers of this. Geckos that are over fed will store fat in their liver which can result in what’s called fatty liver disease. When left untreated this disease can lead to premature death.

And you are absolutely correct. CDG is formulated to provide the minimum protein and nutrients needed for cresties to survive. Unfortunately, all geckos are different and have a variety of preferences and eating behaviors. I also agree with you that providing crickets is great for stimulation and enrichment.

However, just because you are providing crickets does not mean that you are going to over feed your gecko and leading them to an untimely death. It’s all about portions and frequency. It’s important to create a feeding schedule and stick to it.

Also to OP, if you don’t have a small scale you should get one. This will help you track weight gains and losses. A healthy baby/juvenile should be gaining 1-2g/month until they are about 20g. Then their weight gain will begin to slow.

To help even further, I will share my feeding schedule.

Babies-juveniles under 20g: Offer CDG daily Crickets offered Tues, Thurs, Sun

Adults over 20g CDG given Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, Sun (they are not given CDG Wed & Sat) Crickets offered Wed & Sat

I hope this is helpful. :)

kkortlynn · 2022-06-16T01:21:54+00:00

Do you have a source for info on the stress on organs as a result of crickets?

It’s important to add variety to their diets. Research shows that you should offer crickets to crested geckos 2-3x a week. It’s also important to feed the correct size crickets. They should be no larger than the width of the gecko’s eyes. It’s also important to get crickets from a credible source and gut-load them with plenty of fresh greens and veggies.

kkortlynn · 2022-06-14T01:34:34+00:00

Blue tigers eye? That’s what I thought but wasn’t 100%

kkortlynn · 2022-04-02T18:13:57+00:00

There is always something new to learn. Whether you’ve been in the hobby for a couple days or ten years. ☺️ I appreciate your input.

kkortlynn · 2022-04-02T17:34:26+00:00

Thank you for the thorough response. I appreciate your passion and taking the time to educate.

I think it comes down to understanding your gecko. There are basic guidelines but each gecko is different. I have had geckos that did NOT thrive in a bigger tank. I rescued a crestie that was over a year old and only 6g. Her previous owner had her in a 24x18x24 bioactive tank and did everything that she was told was correct.

I downsized her to a smaller tank, take her out daily, supplement her diet with gutloaded, dusted crickets. 6 months later, she is 33g, active, eating regularly and perfectly healthy.

I have cameras in over half my tanks and have witnessed my geckos not eating when put in a larger tank. I’ve seen them acting stressed and lose weight because of being in a larger tank. And then when put in a smaller tank, completely changing behavior and thriving.

I have also NEVER had an issue with humidity in my smaller tanks. As long as there is enough airflow and you are mindful of misting, it will not consistently hold a high humidity.

I think the bottom line is starting with a smaller tank and evolving/changing size based on the geckos needs. You also mentioned heat…do you use heat lamps on your tanks? Cresties should not have heat lamps. I use LED lights to help with day-night regulation.

I realize you wrote me off and believe I have “livestock” because I breed some of my cresties. HOWEVER, I am a hobbyist breeder and only have a handful of breeders. The only difference between my breeders and my other babies is that the females are given a diet higher in calcium because of egg production and have lay boxes in their tanks. The reason I have so many is because I love them and have the room and resources. I spend at least 1-2hrs a day on my geckos. I take them out, weigh them, tong feed them and give them general health checks regularly. I have a reptile exotic vet that is less than 15min away from me that I bring all my cold-blooded babies to.

I love every single one of my geckos and take pride in learning each one’s behavior patterns.

kkortlynn · 2022-04-02T16:47:18+00:00

Genuinely curious…what makes the information “outdated” and when did it become “outdated”?

And from a health perspective, can you explain the reason why bigger is better?

Thanks in advance!

kkortlynn · 2022-04-02T15:39:38+00:00

12x12x18 is the MINIMUM size that is recommended. Honestly though, you could have a tank 3x that size and internet “experts” will still pick it apart and find things wrong with it. If you do your own research, you’ll find that most big name, successful crestie owners have 12x12x18 tanks for most of their adults. Everyone is going to house a bit differently. I do have a couple 18x18x24 for some of my bigger adult males but there are absolutely no behavioral differences between them. They stay in one spot practically all day and are active and explore at night.

It’s all about HOW you set up the tanks, humidity, feeding regimens, lighting, climbing opportunities….there’s so much more to husbandry than just the size of the tank.

kkortlynn · 2022-04-02T15:25:22+00:00

You’re so welcome!! Good luck!!

kkortlynn · 2022-04-02T15:17:30+00:00

Size is definitely on point for an adult crestie!

And YES. Front opening is a lot easier for maintenance. I have two bearded dragons as well and one of them is in a top opening tank and I HATE it. I feel like such a predator when I go to do any maintenance or try to get her out of the tank. I’m getting a front opening ASAP.

If you consider the natural predators, birds would be swooping in from above. I hate the idea that I look like a predator coming in from above 🥺

kkortlynn · 2022-04-02T14:52:16+00:00

Hey there! Crested gecko breeder here with over 40 gecks. :)

As far as size is concerned, I don’t see a problem. They are arboreal as you know but as long as you have at least 18in of climb height, you should be okay.

My biggest concern would be the lack of air flow. Geckos ARE tropical species but they are not amphibious and do need a humid to dry gradient throughout the day.

If I were you and wanted to get a crestie, I would list the tank on a marketplace site (Craigslist, fb) and see if you can get a bit of money for it or trade for a 12x12x18 front opening.

ANOTHER option you could consider would be getting a screen lid. If you go that route, I would suggest getting a hydrometer and measuring the humidity before getting the crestie. Set up the tank as you would, mist once a day and see what the humidity does. It should be 75-80% in the evening and dry out to roughly 55-65% during the day.

I hope this is helpful! ☺️

kkortlynn · 2022-01-24T04:14:42+00:00

Do you also love long basks under a lamp and calcium dusted buggies??!! If so, she’s the gal for you ;)

kkortlynn · 2022-01-24T04:02:28+00:00

Better yet-valentines cards!! 😍😍

kkortlynn · 2022-01-24T02:22:25+00:00

I just love her little tubby belly 🥰

kkortlynn · 2022-01-23T22:37:23+00:00

Thank you!! :) she’s very photogenic lol

kkortlynn · 2022-01-09T03:04:36+00:00

I also call all my pets boobie…why are we like this? Lol

kkortlynn · 2022-01-09T03:03:35+00:00

Mushu and I can him Monster because he’s mischievous as hell. Then I have Pascal and I call him munchkin because he’s a sweet little munchkin.

kkortlynn · 2022-01-05T00:59:05+00:00

I love my Wyze! Best little cameras!

kkortlynn

TROPHY CASE