Agroraphobic Golden Gecko

[R2D2]

So I have this golden that has been living in a 25 gal high tank, but he is very jumpy in the tank. He hides most of the time under his log. He has plenty of hanging plants and one med. sized floor plant. He is also a picky eater in his 25 gal. He only eats 3 crickets every few days. I have tried to stager his feeding with no change in eating habits. I have recently moved and had brought him a 5 gal tank for travel. The only thing is he seems happier in the 5 gal. He is more active and eats better. He is eating a varied diet now in the small tank. just yesterday he ate 5 wax worms. That is the most food I have ever witnessed him eating. So my cocern is do I keep him in the small tank where he is happy or do I put him back in his large tank? Also is safe for him to live in such a small tank? Any advice on this or just goldens in general would be greatly appreciated.(as this is my first golden gecko and have not been able to find out that much about them)

Thanx,
R2

 

[Gecko Ranch]

First, most Gekko genus geckos are flighty and do not like to be "exposed." Let's see a pic of your two tanks and also get temps on each so we can possibly understand what is going on. I will comment that if you do not have some kind of "tube" as a hiding place the gecko will be nervous. This can be a long cork bark tube or a 1.75" PVC pipe or bamboo. You need at least one of these placed diagonally in the terrarium going up to the basking area if you have one. Some terrariums are warm enough in the room already for these tropical guys without one, mine are like that. I keep Gekko gekko, the Tokay and Gekko vitattus Skunk or White-Lined geckos, care is the same.

Mine all eat:

• Three week old crickets
• Superworms
• mealworms
• waxworms
• Repashy Crested Gecko Diet

Hope that helps! It also makes a difference how you offer the food, i.e. in the dish the worms cannot escape. Everything is also dusted with Calcium Plus.

 

[R2D2]

Thank you for your reply Gecko Ranch. I can not post a pic at this time as my camera is still packed. The two tanks are the same. They have hollow log in them for him to hide. I have a bamboo climbing frame in the larger tank, but other than that same layout. As to the temp of the tanks. I have them on thermostats. I keep them in the low 80's in the day time and the low 70's at night. I use the ground coconut on the base of the tank. The tank is misted 3-4 times daily. The gecko just seams to be out and about more in the small tank. When he is in his large tank he just tends to hideout in his log all day. When it comes to feeding I dust the food with leo gecko dust and the crickets get a gut load diet. I must admit I don't put his food in a bowl. I am not sure how you would get crickets to stay in a bowl anyway! I thought it might get him to hunt more if I scatter his food around the tank. Also can you recommend a good complete food. You said you use the Repashy Crested diet. I can only find that or the Leo diet and my guy is a golden so I have not been sure on the wright one to buy. I have a lighting question as well. I have been told that goldens don't need a full spectrum light because they are Nocturnal. I have one for him, but am not sure if it in needed.

Thanx for all the advice

R2

 

[Gecko Ranch]

It will be helpful to see your pics and temps. Crickets indeed will not stay a bowl, however, it is nice to keep one in the terrarium for mealworms, superworms and waxworms.

As far as the Repashy Diet goes, I have an extremely diverse collection of tropical and desert geckos. I have always fed the tropicals, in addition to traditional insect food, either the Repashy Crested Gecko Diet or Repashy two-part MRP diet. Some like it, some don't. You should be able to get a sample from a Repashy dealer like myself so you can try it out.

As you might imagine, these geckos are not day active normally being nocturnal.
If they do come out during the day they prefer to stay partially hidden. At night they are active, so get a small flashlight and enjoy them then.

 

[R2D2]

Do you know about fake sunlight for these guys and is it needed?

 

[Gecko Ranch]

Do you know about fake sunlight for these guys and is it needed?

Not needed.