Crested gecko people...

Saeleofu

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#1
I MAY BE GETTING A CRESTIE SOON! :D :D :D

As some of you may know, I've been wanting one for a long time. I've been researching off and on, but the last few days while I was unable to post here, I have been hanging around the Pangea crested gecko forum and researching in full force.

I'm thinking of getting this: http://www.pangeareptile.com/store/complete-crested-gecko-terrarium-set-up.html

It's an awesome price for what's in it, AND it comes with a gecko! The gecko is $40 to ship, but one at Petsmart is also $40, and I'd really rather not get a petstore gecko (I wouldn't get a petstore dog, so why would I get a petstore gecko?). I've heard very good things about the Pangea geckos.

My other option is to wait around and see what pops up on Craigslist. I'm leaning towards the Pangea kit though. Being new to the species, I don't want to have to "rescue" one and not know what I'm getting myself into.

Now, the reason I'm finally taking the plunge, is because I have an excuse ;) I'm in an Animal Behavior class and we have to do a study on one or more animals. I'm thinking of doing one on the effects of different colored lights on night-time behavior. So, see if he's more active under red light or blue light or green light or whatever. It doesn't have to be a full-blown study, one animal is enough for this (it's an undergrad class and he doesn't want us to go overboard). I came up with this idea because I wanted to study crested geckos, but knew they're nocturnal. So I tried to figure out what color light to use without disturbing him. I have a red light at night because it doesn't interfere with human photoperiods, but most of the reptile night lights are blue/black. So...there we go! Throw green and maybe some other color in there and we've got a simple study ;)

Anyway, I'm hoping to have the gecko by the middle of February. That'll give him a couple weeks to acclimate, a full month of observation, and then plenty of time at the end of the semester to write it up and analyze the data. And then I'll have the crestie I've been wanting for so long :D

I don't know what morph I want. The dalmatians are pretty cute, but I like them ALL lol.
 

Izzy's Valkyrie

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#3
Pangea is really the way to go for geckos. They're also a great forum if you want to join a rhac specific one :) The nice thing about going with the Pangea kit is that you can specify a general morph you're looking for (I'm partial to pinstripes myself though I own a dalmatian) whereas in a pet store you're limited to what they might have in stock at any given moment. Also, you are entirely correct, pet store geckos are just as bad as pet store dogs and are very poorly taken care of.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask! I've got my guy under red light because it can be on all day/night to keep him warm, I hadn't thought about using a different color.
 

Saeleofu

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They're also a great forum if you want to join a rhac specific one
Already there ;) Mostly reading at this point.

I don't think I'll have to worry about keeping him warm. I've been monitoring my room temperature and it varies from 66 to 79, which seems like a good range. Mostly it's around 72-73. My concern on temperature is keeping him cool in the summer. My room can get up to around 85 with the AC running. I may have to bring him downstairs in the hottest months.


In other news, our girl at the zoo laid eggs today! Not fertilized, but it was still cool ;)

I've read you can check the calcium stores inside the mouth, but...how do you get their mouth open? I've tried on both of the ones at work, and I feel like I'll hurt them if I pry their mouth open :/
 

Izzy's Valkyrie

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I've read you can check the calcium stores inside the mouth, but...how do you get their mouth open? I've tried on both of the ones at work, and I feel like I'll hurt them if I pry their mouth open :/
You can try running your finger along the side of their mouths to get them to open up or sometimes just scaring them a little will make them open up in defensive behavior. Also, if you can hand feed them, that's another good chance to get a look in their mouths. Definitely don't pry their mouths open, you're so much stronger than them you'd probably break a jaw on accident.

Pangea is dangerous, it makes you want one of everything!
 

Saeleofu

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sometimes just scaring them a little will make them open up in defensive behavior.
Pfffft, the ones at work are unflappable lol. They're handled so much and exposed to so much they don't scare easily at all. I'll try the hand feeding, though. The female loves to be hand fed.
 

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