introducing geckos

[AmberJean86]

So I have 3 females in a 55 gallon tank with 3 humid hides, 2 cool hides, and 4 warm hides..with lots of other nooks and crannies to hide in. I would like to introduce 2 more females I got a month ago now that their almost done with quarantine. I plan to super clean my tank at this point, adding about 4 more hides, and rearranging the tank. I use a plastic dish for each gecko mouth to prevent any arguing. But how do I go about making two groups into one? I imagine just throwing them together wouldn't go well. Any suggestions?

 

[blueappal]

That's a lot in one enclosure... and I don't think I'm the one to argue the cons of having so many leos in one tank.

...but to answer your question, I would put them in a neutral environment for a few.

 

[AmberJean86]

So you think 5 is too many for the 55 gallon? I do have many many hides and a 3d background half way up the tank to utilize all the space. I introduced them yesterday, and all seems to be going great. Tonight will be their first time eating together though. All though i do provide a seperate eating station for every gecko, we will see how it goes.

 

[blueappal]

Honesty I'm not sure. I know that Leos are recommended to have 10gal per animal... however, I don't know if requirements change based on inhabitants. For example... is 8 Leos in a 80gal tank ok..? I don't know the answer to that, but I do know a few gecko keepers that don't recommend housing multiple animals at all.

Is there any size differences in the leos? ...if the size difference is around 5+ grams I would be very cautious.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Amber, if they were my geckos, I would introduce one at a time and let everyone get adjusted to each other. It may stress some of the girls to put in two new ones at the same time. The three that are already there must accept the newcomer(s) and its safer for all not to push them too fast. If the first one you put in doesn't fare well, give them all some time to recouperate before trying with the other.

 

[AmberJean86]

All gecko's are pretty much the same size at this point. I made sure of that. I already added the two. It seems to be going well, but I'm not in there brains to know. Should I remove one now? Or would that cause more stress? They already are sharing hides and getting on well.....but if everyone thinks I should do different please let me know! I love my lil girls

 

[im faster]

Well other than them not getting along.. with 5 leos you need to make sure all are getting eat

 

[AmberJean86]

Well tonight was the first dinner with everyone together. All but one gecko ate good, but Violet is a goofy eater to begin with. If she continues to not eat I'll do something about it, but for now, knowing her I'm not concerned.

 

[Thorgecko707]

I'd feed each separate in another tank.

 

[Alex G]

Well tonight was the first dinner with everyone together. All but one gecko ate good, but Violet is a goofy eater to begin with. If she continues to not eat I'll do something about it, but for now, knowing her I'm not concerned.

If she's been a "goofy" eater to begin with, hasn't she continued to not eat long enough? That one might be being bullied and will probably need to be separated.

 

[AmberJean86]

She ate now. She just doesn't really eat daily, she eats every third day like clockwork almost. And she ate good now. Everything seems to be going well. I've been watching them all like a hawk, and no signs of aggression and everyone is eating normal.

 

[sunshinegeckos]

It is good that things are going good so far just keep an eye on them. I had 2 leopard geckos together for months and all was fine and then one day one got aggressive about food.

 

[AmberJean86]

I will keep my eyes peeled! But I am getting a rack/display case made, and I think ill separate when that's done. I see no reason to split the group up, but they just look crammed. And I say that with my spoiled gecko ways in mind. All is going well for now, but I'm sure they'll be moving soon.

 

[reps4life]

I will keep my eyes peeled! But I am getting a rack/display case made, and I think ill separate when that's done. I see no reason to split the group up, but they just look crammed. And I say that with my spoiled gecko ways in mind. All is going well for now, but I'm sure they'll be moving soon.

My one leo is in a 55 gallon and after all the hides there's not alot of space, so your right they must be crammed. Especially feeding can become a problem. I would suggest putting 2 in a seperate tank. They would be more comfortable. You must be having a blast watching them tho ha:main_yes:

 

[AmberJean86]

I do love to watch them! I have my tank placed directly next to my bed so I can watch them every night for awhile before sleep. lol Today I cleaned and did a weight check on everyone, and all 5 of them were crammed into one hide. It was just a big pile of geckos, with gecko parts in every direction! lol

 

[M_surinamensis]

I would like to introduce 2 more females I got a month ago now that their almost done with quarantine.

One month is not really a meaningful quarantine.

Quarantine countdowns reset to zero when an animal displays problems, and start moving again once that problem has been solved.

Anorexia, even incomplete anorexia, is a problem.

So, to be clear here... you seem to be saying that you got two new animals, housed them together for a month, during which one of them was a poor feeder, a condition that had not been analyzed, diagnosed or corrected and now you have stuck them in with three other geckos, where all five seem to be competing for identical instinctive needs (raising questions about enclosure conditions).

You got a few responses that stressed how tricky and risky this could be, but went ahead and stuck them in there together anyway. When this all goes horribly wrong for you, I hope you have the decency to acknowledge that you made mistakes by acting in defiance of the advice you were given and apologize to those you by and large ignored before asking for more help with the new problem.

 

[AmberJean86]

There was nothing wrong with the two new ones. One of the established one eats every third day. I know plenty of geckos that dont eat everyday. She is completely up to weight and has eaten that way since the day i got her. Therefor I feel there is nothing wrong with her. Her tail is plump, and she is actually one of my bigger girls. And I had talked to two knowledgable people before introducing them, and merely asked on here for more advice. And if you'd read anything I wrote except what you want to see, I did ask if removing one or something would be more benificial or stressful on the geckos, and got no response.
And quite frankly M_surinamensis, I have read your other posts, and all you do is attack people who do something you don't like. I never see any kind words out of your mouth, just belittling whoever you talk to. So if you can kindly stay out of my conversations, I won't be acknowleding what you have to say anyway. At least others can tell me I'm wrong without being a complete a**.

 

[fl_orchidslave]

Much of the time we don't witness aggression, but see the evidence after the fact. An inexperienced keeper does NOT recognize subtle signs of trouble until it's too late and the damage is done. I don't understand the logic behind putting them all in the same tank while another setup is under construction, only to separate again, when they were fine with three in one and two in the other. Especially since it's been pointed out in this thread that it can be a risky situation. In any given situation, all is well until it's not.

 

[M_surinamensis]

There was nothing wrong with the two new ones.

You do not know that, because your substandard quarantine practices are insufficient to draw a conclusion.

One of the established one eats every third day.

Also a problem. Apparently one that's being ignored.

I know plenty of geckos that dont eat everyday.

Yes, the ones that aren't fed every day. Their predatory behaviors are instinctive, not a matter of choice or preference. They do not stop eating simply because they feel they have had enough for now.

She is completely up to weight

That weight being? And measured how?

Therefor I feel there is nothing wrong with her.

Oh, well if you feel it then it must be right. After all, feelings are sacrosanct and there's no difference between an opinion and an informed opinion. You don't want it to be an issue, so it can't possibly be one. That's the way it works.

I had talked to two knowledgable people before introducing them

Not that knowledgeable, if they didn't notice your bloody useless quarantine duration and the undiagnosed feeding problem.

and merely asked on here for more advice.

That you had no intention of taking if it wasn't what you wanted to hear.

And if you'd read anything I wrote except what you want to see

My eyes actually physically crossed with the hypocrisy inherent in that line.

I did ask if removing one or something would be more benificial or stressful on the geckos, and got no response.

They never should have been put together to begin with. Your clear lack of comprehension about things like intra-species behaviors, disease incubation time and the idea of establishing controls means that you shouldn't even be attempting to house any of them communally. You don't know if they're eating, you don't know if the environment is ideal throughout the enclosure, you don't know if they're all passing waste normally, you don't know if they're carrying parasites or diseases... When it comes right down to it, it's just a generalized pile of you don't know anything but you're cheerily chugging ahead anyway, the little train that could (ignore advice, not bother to think ahead, harm its pet).

And quite frankly M_surinamensis, I have read your other posts, and all you do is attack people who do something you don't like.

I don't like stupid, myopic ignorance that puts animals in danger. Really kind of something that nobody should be okay with. Also not all I do, or even all I write posts about. Maybe you should go through my other posts again.

So if you can kindly stay out of my conversations

Not going to happen so long as you're neglecting your pets. Fix this and you won't hear from me. Keep endangering them and I'll be around.

I won't be acknowleding what you have to say anyway.

Well that's just plain dumb.

At least others can tell me I'm wrong without being a complete a**.

They did. You ignored them. You're paying attention now though, aren't you?

 

[sunshinegeckos]

Amber,

Agression can happen at any time. I had 2 in one tank for months and no aggression (that I saw) and then one day wham one attacks the other. They were immediately seperated and thankfully no harm was done but you are not always there watching. You really don't want to look in one day and find one harmed or worse killed. Yes some can be kept together with no problems but I personally find the risk to be too great to chance it. Especially with that many in one tank.