Cat Geckos

[Tony C]

Split off from Getting into a new species...but which? due to hijack.

Cats are great geckos but should be kept singly outside of breeding introductions, they stress pretty easily.


You kinda need to narrow things down, there are a lot of herps that would do ok in a 20L. Are you looking at geckos specifically? In that case there are caves, frog eyeds, Bent Toeds, Bandeds, Knobtails, etc. If you flip it vertical it would also work for most Gekko species, gargs or cresties, flying geckos, smaller leaf tails like ebanaui or phants, australian velvet geckos, williamsii, etc.

If you want to go outside the gecko world it gets kinda nuts.

What exactly are you looking for in a species? Handleability? Breeding? Care levels? Temp preferences? Feeding? Theres a lot of factors involved.

Is that dependent on viv size, or will they chase and stress each other no matter how big the enclosure is?

 

[T-ReXx]

Is that dependent on viv size, or will they chase and stress each other no matter how big the enclosure is?

Generally Cat geckos do poorly in groups because they're extremely sensitive to stress. I suppose in very large vivaria, something like 55 gals and up, a pair should do ok since they could avoid each other as needed, but in smaller setups I'd probably not risk keeping them together outside of any breeding attempts.

 

[Tony C]

I have been considering pairs in 22.5x17x24 vivs (roughly 40 gallons), but I could easily go bigger if necessary.

 

[T-ReXx]

I have been considering pairs in 22.5x17x24 vivs (roughly 40 gallons), but I could easily go bigger if necessary.

I think if well planted (visual barriers) and with multiple hides, that would work out ok. The thing with cats is, although they're not particularly aggressive, they live very solitary lives in the wild. And they're so sensitive to stress that exposing them to anything that can cause it can cause them to go downhill fast. But I think in a 40 gal naturalistic viv, an acclimated pair should do ok. I'd def quarantine them individually, then introduce once they're both at good weight and eating well.

 

[Tony C]

I think if well planted (visual barriers) and with multiple hides, that would work out ok. The thing with cats is, although they're not particularly aggressive, they live very solitary lives in the wild. And they're so sensitive to stress that exposing them to anything that can cause it can cause them to go downhill fast. But I think in a 40 gal naturalistic viv, an acclimated pair should do ok. I'd def quarantine them individually, then introduce once they're both at good weight and eating well.

Cool. I'll pick your brain more when I'm closer to pulling the trigger on some. I like keeping pairs or groups of animals in big vivs whenever possible, but if it compromises their quality of life then I obviously want to avoid that.

 

[T-ReXx]

Cool. I'll pick your brain more when I'm closer to pulling the trigger on some. I like keeping pairs or groups of animals in big vivs whenever possible, but if it compromises their quality of life then I obviously want to avoid that.

They're a neat species of gecko, and pretty easy once they're acclimated and on the right track. I really think they're a "pairs only" species, groups never seem to do well. But they do do very well in large planted vivs. Shoot me a PM when you're closer to getting some, I don't keep them atm but I had several pairs for a few years, got a good amount of clutches out of them too. Another species that really needs to be cb more often, the difference between the hardiness of cbs VS wcs is BIG, and they're really not hard to maintain.

 

[Tony C]

Another species that really needs to be cb more often, the difference between the hardiness of cbs VS wcs is BIG, and they're really not hard to maintain.

That makes them very appealing. I am moving away from leopards to concentrate on species that are challenging, poorly established in captivity and whose breeding has some conservation value, cats seem like a good candidate.

 

[T-ReXx]

That makes them very appealing. I am moving away from leopards to concentrate on species that are challenging, poorly established in captivity and whose breeding has some conservation value, cats seem like a good candidate.

A good plan, same move I've been making gradually myself, actually. Cats are def near the top of that list, a long with Uroplatus, Cyrtodactylus, and a smattering of others. And all three of those genuses are very similar in care requirements, making husbandry pretty streamlined.

 

[Tony C]

A good plan, same move I've been making gradually myself, actually. Cats are def near the top of that list, a long with Uroplatus, Cyrtodactylus, and a smattering of others. And all three of those genuses are very similar in care requirements, making husbandry pretty streamlined.

Frogs are my top priority, but I am leaning toward working with several Uroplatus, cats, and possibly a few other geckos if anything catches my eye.

 

[T-ReXx]

Frogs are my top priority, but I am leaning toward working with several Uroplatus, cats, and possibly a few other geckos if anything catches my eye.

Yeah, I hear that. Both the Leaf Tails and Cats do best in cool temps, high humidity, making them great choices for herp rooms dedicated to something like amphibs. And on the plus side, they're all species that are imported often, generally do poorly as imports, but cb animals usually do very well. And, of course, there's the added bonus of never being bombarded with 20 hatchlings per female every year. :main_thumbsup:

 

[Tony C]

Yeah, I hear that. Both the Leaf Tails and Cats do best in cool temps, high humidity, making them great choices for herp rooms dedicated to something like amphibs. And on the plus side, they're all species that are imported often, generally do poorly as imports, but cb animals usually do very well. And, of course, there's the added bonus of never being bombarded with 20 hatchlings per female every year. :main_thumbsup:

Yep, and I will have a chance to hand pick some Uroplatus fresh from Mad in October.

 

[T-ReXx]

Yep, and I will have a chance to hand pick some Uroplatus fresh from Mad in October.

Awesome, that's the best way to do it, before they've been sitting for too long getting all dehydrated.