Am I just regular?

Ambyrlynne

New Member
Messages
75
Location
Florida
<.< I rescued another baby from petco tonight...that makes 4 leos. >.>

I can't get a great pic because it's so tiny and freakin' out but is this just a "regular" gecko? I'm sorry I couldn't get eyes, I know that's important. And the picture doesn't do justice because it was on my phone...the bands are black and the surrounding areas that look yellow in the picture are actually a bright orange.

 

Ambyrlynne

New Member
Messages
75
Location
Florida
I'll try to get a better picture of it tomorrow, it's just so scared tonight. If it happens to be a male, I'd love to mate him with my tremper albino, but what could I expect the babies to look like?
^ Probably stupid question, I'm aware. (= I admit my lack of intelligence on occassion
 

Dimidiata

New Member
Messages
1,943
Location
palmetto FL
Now to me, he looks potentialy like a SHT but maybe normal.
I would, as would most, HIGHLY reccomend against any breeding until you have breeding grade geckos, not petstore geckos which we honestly cant tell you the full genetics of. Also, we cant tell you what he will breed as we cant know any hidden genetics he may have. If you want to breed, do a ton of reading for the next year or so and then get some higher grade animals.
 

Ambyrlynne

New Member
Messages
75
Location
Florida
I don't really want to necessarily breed but IF I have a male housed with a female, I have a feeling it's gonna happen. My two females are higher grade leos, they're a trempher and a snow, but even if one was male and the other female, I wouldn't be doing the breeding on purpose. I think it'd be cool to have one clutch of eggs just to see what it's like, but I wouldn't want to do it for money, I don't have that kind of time or money to start with. It's more of a curiosity thing.
 

acpart

Geck-cessories
Staff member
Messages
15,381
Location
Somerville, MA
Technically it's called an "aberrant" because the bands aren't regular on the body but are on the tail. If it's that bright orange, there's a good chance it will be a tangerine. If all the body spots disappear it will be a superhypotang and if a few spots are left it will be a hypotang. I got my 3rd gecko many years ago from a big chain petstore because I walked in to "visit" the geckos and one had orange and black bands in contrast to the others who had yellow and black bands. He matured into a really nice tangerine gecko.
I do agree that it's preferable to know the genetics of a breeding gecko and that throwing together random pet store geckos is not the best way to go. However, I don't think it's a problem to occasionally breed a gecko who has a look that one wants to reproduce but who's complete genetic history is unknown as long as the breeder is clear about what's known and unknown about the babies. I did breed the tang gecko I got from Petco. Knowing it came from Petco, I also knew that if it was het albino, it would be het Tremper (as I understand it, Petco geckos are supplied by a Tremper facility). I bred it the first season to a tremper and got no tremper offspring, though I did get some nice tangs (breeding your new gecko, if male, to your tremper female will result in hets that will not be albinos, will have varying degrees of tangerine and spotting).

Aliza
 

Taquiq

JK Herp
Messages
3,602
Location
CA
I don't really want to necessarily breed but IF I have a male housed with a female, I have a feeling it's gonna happen. My two females are higher grade leos, they're a trempher and a snow, but even if one was male and the other female, I wouldn't be doing the breeding on purpose. I think it'd be cool to have one clutch of eggs just to see what it's like, but I wouldn't want to do it for money, I don't have that kind of time or money to start with. It's more of a curiosity thing.
Putting them together is breeding them on purpose, whether you want them to breed or not. Tremper and Snow's are still generally low quality pet store morphs, but some breeders produce high end specimens. If you know enough about care, genetics, breeding, responsibilities, etc. you could see what happens. You can get one clutch and safely throw away the other eggs. However, I personally wouldn't do this and I waited a couple years before I started breeding.
 

Wild West Reptile

Leopards AFT Ball Pythons
Messages
1,863
Location
San Jose, CA
The only thing I would like to add is that if you are putting different sized geckos together, that's a bad idea. In addition, if you are housing a male and female together and they are young and they do happen to breed (which they will), she will be too small to safely pass eggs and could die. I highly suggest to everyone I talk to, keeping geckos in separate enclosures and if that's not possible for whatever reason, then I wouldn't keep bringing them home.
 

acharpenter

New Member
Messages
204
Location
Minnesota
So the 1st couple posts - you were asking what kind of Gecko could this be?

Then you state if it is a certain type what not you would love to breed with your current Gecko's?

Then you state you dont neccesarily want to breed?

Then the most horrendous thing:

"I think it'd be cool to have one clutch of eggs just to see what it's like"

AND ON TOP OF THAT:

"It's more of a curiosity thing"

I quoted you verbatim - unbelievable

Would love to pick up humans and just throw them together and see what happens - just out of curiosity!

These are living, breathing, FEELING creatures!

STOP PLEASE - for the sake of the GECKOS! Seriously - thank you for wanting to save them from the pet store but you are so on the wrong path and you are not doing your research - YOUR ARE CAUSING MORE HARM then help

PLEASE stop
 

Ambyrlynne

New Member
Messages
75
Location
Florida
Putting them together is breeding them on purpose, whether you want them to breed or not. Tremper and Snow's are still generally low quality pet store morphs, but some breeders produce high end specimens. If you know enough about care, genetics, breeding, responsibilities, etc. you could see what happens. You can get one clutch and safely throw away the other eggs. However, I personally wouldn't do this and I waited a couple years before I started breeding.

My tremper and snow are both female, the two new petco babies are unknown gender. I was saying IF one is a male I'll have to put it with a female because although I have 2 ten gallons, I don't want them to be in a tank alone because that means their own heater, light, etc. I am a college student I dont have the money for all that and you're going to say well I probably shouldn't have bought 2 more geckos...>.> probably not but it was my choice. Like I said I don't PLAN on intentionally breeding them, but I'm sure it'll happen, it was just curiosity.


The only thing I would like to add is that if you are putting different sized geckos together, that's a bad idea. In addition, if you are housing a male and female together and they are young and they do happen to breed (which they will), she will be too small to safely pass eggs and could die. I highly suggest to everyone I talk to, keeping geckos in separate enclosures and if that's not possible for whatever reason, then I wouldn't keep bringing them home.

I wasn't planning on putting a different sized male and female together. I'm not that new to reptiles. Unlike most, I have read up quite a bit on them, but i still do have some questions, yes. As I said, I have 2 ten gallons, but I don't feel right keeping them alone, not to mention right now for the rest of the semester at least I can't afford it.

So the 1st couple posts - you were asking what kind of Gecko could this be?

Then you state if it is a certain type what not you would love to breed with your current Gecko's?

Then you state you dont neccesarily want to breed?

Then the most horrendous thing:

"I think it'd be cool to have one clutch of eggs just to see what it's like"

AND ON TOP OF THAT:

"It's more of a curiosity thing"

I quoted you verbatim - unbelievable

Would love to pick up humans and just throw them together and see what happens - just out of curiosity!

These are living, breathing, FEELING creatures!

STOP PLEASE - for the sake of the GECKOS! Seriously - thank you for wanting to save them from the pet store but you are so on the wrong path and you are not doing your research - YOUR ARE CAUSING MORE HARM then help

PLEASE stop

First off, don't attack me for asking a question. If you read it then you'd know that I was ASKING OUT OF CURIOSITY. Do you know what curiosity is? Please look it up. It means that I was asking purely for the purpose of knowing, it wasn't necessarily because I want to breed. You all assume that everyone on here who asks questions doesn't know anything about anything. I have done my homework. I'm not 5. I know how much care it takes to take care of animals. I live on a damn farm and I've never managed to kill any of my animals. I take in animals. WHY ELSE WOULD I HAVE SO MANY?!
How would it not be cool to have one clutch of eggs? If you're not serious about breeding, it'd be a learning experience, it'd be interesting. I'm not doing more harm then help. I have a MBD beardie that I rescued and 2 geckos that needed a home how is that harming?! BACK OFF.

PLEASE DO NOT, I MEAN NOT SHUN PEOPLE FOR ASKING A SIMPLE QUESTION! No wonder people just go buy pets without research and questions, because people jump their case.
 

Dimidiata

New Member
Messages
1,943
Location
palmetto FL
All i can say is this, do more research. You didnt have room to keep them seperate, you should have read that males and females do not always get along(actually its not that uncommon for them to fight). a SEPERATE plan is needed in this event. The minimum tank for keeping 2 of these animals togather is 20gals. Or individualy a 10gal for each. If you put the male and female togather, there will be stress on the lady. He will want to breed with her even if its out of her intrest. You are doing more harm then good. You are potentialy forcing 2 animals that are COMPLETLEY SOLITARY aside from breeding to share a space without a plan that enables seperation in the event they fight. If you dont have the money to setup another tank then you are a crap load of trouble when one of them or both have severe inuries, missing limbs or cuts from not getting along and need to go to a vet. Nobodys jumping you, your digging your own hole. Itll be real fun when you get double hets from your *curiosity breeding* because you didnt know that the petstore animals tend to have hidden het. Exspecialy when your dealing with albinos and normals.

Im sorry if this distresses you but theres really no other way to put it, the both of you need to cool it though. No need for fighting. So simply put we only want you to relize how big of a mistake it would be to not have back up plans, to not know the genetics, to have bought animals you couldnt care for in the likley event something goes south.
 

Ambyrlynne

New Member
Messages
75
Location
Florida
First, we don't even know it's male. I have no idea because they're too tiny.
I have both 10 gallons and a 20 gallon. I know that they can fight. I'm more aware of things than you guys think, it's just because I don't say it, I don't know it. Freakin' internet.
Second, like I said I have 2 10 gallons and a 20 and I'm not wanting to seperate them, but I will if I need to.
Third, to me, it's more help than harm. The petco had 8 that I counted babies in a 5 gallon tank and before you jump on my case, I HAVE seen them stuck in their until they're big, I have walked in there and watched two geckos in the tank fighting because they're too big to be together. -__- so to me, it's helping, never know could have saved one from death.

Nothing will go south as far as me not being able to care for them. See, that's the problem with forums, as they can be helpful, they also allow people to jump to conclusions because you don't know the whole story. I have the money to take care of them, which you're going to say is contradicting what I said before, but it's a complicated story involving parents, and saved money and my own working money etc etc.

So.
1. Yes, I have a backup plan, just because I didn't type it doesn't mean I don't have it.
2. We don't know what gender they are.
3.Because I worded something wrong and I have done my research but failed to mention that, I get attacked and YES it is attacking to me because it's saying in basic words that I'm stupid for trying to help some animals out without doing proper research which I have done.
4. My apologies for asking in the first place. But my opinion stays.
 

Dimidiata

New Member
Messages
1,943
Location
palmetto FL
You did no help, yes you helped the specific leos in your care, i commoderate you for that, but you just opened up new space for more leos in the store. You TOLD us you didnt have the money, that right there is what we based our ideas off. If you didnt have money then you could afford a vet or new tanks which means no back up plan, it also ment that you did this knowing those facts.

Now your telling us you DO have the money, ok, dont get angry with me because i belived you. If you do have the money then why not seperate them, its not gonna bother them at all. It would actually be better for them.
 

tiedxupxinxknots

Animated Geckos
Messages
617
Location
Southern California
I wouldnt call it saving since you helped petco make money and more geckos will replace the ones you got, but thats just me and my opinion. I also advice that you be careful with your geckos, if it turns out to be male it can get costly, 10 gallon tanks are small and solitary animals sharing a enclosure could get territorial once they mature, also quarantining animals for atleast 30 days would help stop the spread of diseases.I also dont think people should attack you for taking the wrong measures, since your new to leopards..
 

Ambyrlynne

New Member
Messages
75
Location
Florida
Never planned on keeping them both in the ten gallon if that's what you think.As I've already said I can seperate them if I need to.
My two older ones are both female, yeah, but they're in a 20 together and seem to be happy. I don't know if they really smile or not, but...they look happy.

And yeah, I made room for more at petco, but I don't know, I still feel like I helped out. I'm really against pet stores believe it or not because of their over crowding in not only the reptiles but other areas too. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how I see it, my sights/beliefs aren't hurting you so it shouldn't matter.

I, personally, do not have a "job" -- I babysit and tutor, which makes me enough money for gas to and from my college, food and some extra which usually goes to my reptiles/cats. But since I don't pay rent because I live in a house on my parents property, and they give me money for food if I aboslutely need it, then yes I kinda have money. Like i said, it's a hard situation to explain. But I , nor my animals, ever go hungry or without something they aboslutely need. I'm not sure where they whole I don't have money for a vet came from, if I said that, I meant I don't have money for a specialty vet. The vets we have around here want upwards from 200 just for a damn appointment, I use a vet in a nearby city that's more than 50% cheaper and still seem to know what they are talking about.
 

LeopardShade

Spotted Shadow
Messages
1,001
Location
Western Montana
Welcome to Geckoforums, Ambyr! There is tons of informative, helpful information on leopard geckos on this forum, all to your disposal.

While I certainly don't want to cause or stir up further conflict or trouble, or evoke anger on your part, I completely agree with what has been said by some of the more experienced members here. Don't be hurt or angered by their brusqueness, in the end, we all want what's best for the animals. Instead, look for the strong, logical advice that was given (trust me, there certainly is some).

I am not trying to discourage or dissuade you from doing what you want to do with your animals, but nonetheless, I believe that there are some points you need to keep in mind.

First off, I strongly believe that you should not be purchasing any more geckos until you are financially able to care for more. It seems from what you've described that you are already a little bit in over your head with four. When you purchase an animal, you are making the commitment of providing optimum care, which includes proper housing, food, heating, vet costs, etc. That means also having the money to provide that care, which it seems you are short of. If you ever plan on getting more geckos, you must think through the extra costs and what you'll have to buy to achieve optimal health on the geckos' part, rather than acting on sheer impulse.

Second, I wouldn't even consider breeding those geckos, for a number of reasons. First off, they are petstore geckos. Who knows what genetics they are carrying, what they are het for, what their parents are???... If bred, you could potentially be hit with a boatload of genetic surprises/disasters, that could be seen, or could be hidden in the genotype (making it evermore confusing). Petstore geckos, hence their name, are best as pets, and not breeder stock. If you ever become serious about breeding, you should invest in geckos from a reputable breeder. Secondly, you need to realize that breeding is not just about throwing two geckos together out of curiosity and hoping for eggs. It is so much more, with so many variables to keep in mind (many were listed already). If you ever do consider breeding, I do hope that it does not involve these geckos, and that you do plenty of research beforehand to ensure that you will provide the best care for the breeders and the many potential babies you could end up with.

Ultimately, for a myriad of health and safety reasons, I think it's best for leopard geckos to be housed individually rather than with one another, as do many others here. I would strongly recommend getting those babies in their own enclosures ASAP.
 

lillith

lillith's leo lovables
Messages
1,923
Location
Land of the Rain and Trees, WA
Leopardshade, your eloquence and consideration are most helpful.
OP, welcome to the forums, and please consider the advice you've been given.
Separate enclosures is really just basic husbandry. Click around and see.

Leopard geckos live about 15 years, btw, just like a cat.
 

Wild West Reptile

Leopards AFT Ball Pythons
Messages
1,863
Location
San Jose, CA
I hope you didn't take what I said the wrong way. I was only offering general advice that is best for the geckos. I would like to re-state a few points that I feel are very important in this situation, so please don't feel I am attacking you, because I'm not.

1. Quarantine ~ Every gecko should be kept in a separate enclosure for at least 60 days (especially if they come from a pet store like Petco) in order to observe them and make sure they aren't sick or carrying any diseases. This is a very necessary step in order not to get the rest of your animals sick. Pretty basic, right?

So basically if you don't have a separate tub or tank available for each new gecko with all the necessary heating and shelter requirements, then people shouldn't keep buying them. I know you think your "rescuing" them from Petco, but like others have said, all your really doing is encouraging them to buy more and restock them because they are selling.

2. Housing ~ My personal feeling is that geckos should always be housed by themselves. The only time that I have 2 or more geckos together is when they are breeding. They like to be alone and by keeping them together, it can cause stress and bullying when your not watching them, possibly leading to health issues and or death. Unless your a very experienced gecko keeper, I always suggest keeping them alone. This way you can see if they are eating and you don't have to worry about the fighting.

3. Breeding ~ Basically using "pet store" geckos to breed is not a good idea. The reasons why were outlined above, but the #1 thing is that you don't have any idea if they have any hidden "hets" in them. So if you breed them to an albino and they were het for another strain, then you are contributing to "muddying the waters", which is highly frowned upon. They are "pets" and there's nothing wrong with that, but please don't breed them. Not only that, but for people like myself and others who have been doing this much longer than I have and actually make a living breeding, it's like a kick in the teeth when someone goes out and buys cheap pet store geckos and starts breeding them and selling them. It devalues the time and money that "professional" breeders put into their stock of animals. Many of the breeders on this site, myself included, have spent countless thousands on their breeders and when we hear that someone wants to put two "pet store geckos" together just out of curiosity, it's kind of annoying to say the least. It makes me wonder why I even bother to spend so much time and money on high quality animals when I see people doing that.

In saying all of that, I think it's great that you have so much passion for your animals and you seem to want to learn, so if you have anything in particular that you would like answered or advice on, you can PM myself or one of the many other highly experienced breeders on this forum and ask anything you would like to know. There's a lot of great people on here but sometimes people get angry when someone new comes on here and talks about breeding so early, especially when they are asking what they even have. I hope you don't get your feelings hurt in any way, as we are all willing to help out. Cheers!
 

Ambyrlynne

New Member
Messages
75
Location
Florida
Lillith & Leopardshade, thank you. (LOL I am aware how long they live and I'm okay with that) Had someone simply laid out things like that for me, I would have been more open to listen. My research, which yes I did some before I bought my first one, stated that they could simply be housed together, like 1 gecko per 10 gallon tank, thus 2 geckos=20 gallon tank -- as long as not two males. And that is how I've seen with everyone who owns reptiles(that aren't breeding them of course) in the local area. I have seen the idea of "racks" which is okay, but it doesn't display the gecko in a manner I want when people come into my house, y'know?

These are PETS. I have done some research on breeding, not extensive. As I've tried to say, it was a purely curiosity thing, if someone had simply said to me, that there's no way to tell what the outcome would be with a non-breeding-quality gecko with another and said that nicely, i would have been okay with it. Like I said curiosity, I kinda just wanted pictures and to maybe dream of a possibility that could have come.

I admit, 4 is probably much for me, BUT I can guarentee that they will be taken care of to the best of my ability. I have a soft spot for animals, why else would I have so many(4 cats of my own that I can say I pay for everything on, then there's 12 other cats on my parents property in which i live that I help care for, 1 cow, 2 horses, 2 dogs, 4 geckos, 1 bearded dragon)? Lord why else would I have taken the huge responsibility of taking in a bearded dragon with moderate MBD who is doing much better in my care btw, she does get vet treatment and observation and is improving little by little.

I am here trying to learn so please don't jump my case if I ask a question. It wasn't a question that I ever planned on getting out of hand as it has, but nonetheless. I'm not as stupid as you may think. Trust me, if I was ever serious about breeding, I would do a hell of a lot more research than I have. I, more than you think from my posts, do have a respect for animals and their lives and health and since all but 2 of my cats and my 2 horses have been rescues, I actually do hate people who do not care properly for their animals by getting them fixed and whatnot.
 
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