What is the smallest size gecko you would sell?

[Western Gecko]

A lot of posts to this thread are about what a particular breeder does for their own benefit and not what is correct for the well being of the gecko. Keeping a gecko back so you can see how it develops is nice but it's not what this poll is about. The poll was...

"What is the smallest size gecko you would sell?"

If the gecko has had a few poops, had a few sheds and is eating well I see no reason why the gecko can't be sold to a local keeper with proper experience and/or knowledge. I've never shipped or received a gecko < 8 grams so i can't give an opinion on shipping immediately after the above conditions have been met but hand to hand I wouldn't hesitate. I've never conducted such a transaction but I'm about to conduct one any day now. We tend to forget that these creatures come out of the egg ready for action and fully equipped for a life on the street...so to speak.

Am I the only one here that finds younger (smaller) geckos cope with shipping better that the older (larger) geckos? If I have a 10g and 40g gecko shipped to me in the same box I can almost guarantee that the 10g gecko will be active, walking around and eating long before the 40g gecko. Properly packaged and shipped my experience is that younger geckos handle shipping much better than older geckos.

Has anyone actually noticed an increase in fatality rate when shipping younger geckos? The larger breeders I've spoken with and purchased from have had very good results with younger geckos.

 

[Baoh]

I have had less trouble with the little ones I have received when it comes to eating, although the majority of my adults eat reasonably well (with only one or two "problem" pets). Babies often eat for me within minutes of being placed in their tubs.

I prefer to buy adults, though, so I can know the sex and ultimate coloration.

That said, I really don't concern myself too much with what others are willing to do as long as they are not outright abusing their animals or misrepresenting what they are selling. I'm more concerned with my own procedures.

 

[KelliH]

So, a private vote isn't private anymore?

Yes a private vote should be kept private and the post has been deleted.

 

[paulnj]

I have taken animals home from shows that were 5 grams and they ate that night.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Yes a private vote should be kept private and the post has been deleted.

Sorry! Since I posted the poll, I was curious 'who' would sell a gecko right out of the egg. I should not have posted who it was... I just thought it was funny. Bad judgement on my part.

 

[Chewbecca]

Am I the only one here that finds younger (smaller) geckos cope with shipping better that the older (larger) geckos? If I have a 10g and 40g gecko shipped to me in the same box I can almost guarantee that the 10g gecko will be active, walking around and eating long before the 40g gecko. Properly packaged and shipped my experience is that younger geckos handle shipping much better than older geckos.

I've never had one under 20g shipped to me, but I'm pretty sure that the younger ones, as long as they've been WELL established before shipping, will cope better.
I've had 3 gram crested and gargoyle geckos shipped to me, and they settled in just fine.

I bet my hatchlings would make it just fine in a home right now, and they range anywhere from 10-20 grams right now.
They're strong, full of life, active, eat VERY well, and have extreme energy.

We cannot guarantee anything with ANY animal when they are shipped.
But as long as they weren't dropped 8292384 times, or experienced some other trauma while shipped, they'd land in their new homes and probably eat before any adult geckos would.

 

[godzillizard]

If i'm shipping it...at least 15g. I've taken hatchlings right out of the incubator from a friends facility thats only a 3 hour drive from home...

 

[Kizerk]

I purchased my gecko from the Anaheim show, it was hatched on August 17, I dont' know how many grams that is, but it ate for me the moment I offered it food.

 

[Zynx_Keekeio]

I don't want to ship any unless they are over 12grams, and anything less than that, I don't ship, but I will sell to people I know in person, like friends

 

[Necromantica]

Well I have had a few like PROPER "hatchlings" shipped to me from southern cali. I did not weigh them but if you can imagine what a newly born gecko with no body weight or tail weight basically ate the first shed and was most likely shipped right after. I was worried after opening up the box to find two of the tiniest geckos I had ever received.
But they never had any health issues, they took to eating right away and are chubby little things now. They were shipped in deli cups with lots of Styrofoam and shredded paper inside the cups. I am guessing that is why they never got stressed out. It was only overnight delivery over the summer also.
My guess is the shredded paper inside the deli cups prevented the geckos from getting tossed around. I dunno. I don't breed, so I don't ship but the info might be useful so I thought I would contribute.

 

[StatikStepz]

I wouldn't ship anything under 15 grams or so for mainly 3 reasons...

1- you know the gecko is pretty well off as far as feeding properly, and that you know the gecko good enough to know that it is a pretty overall healthy gecko at that point.

2- you can pretty much say with most certainly that at that point, if the gecko happens to die right after it is in it's new owner's hands, that it is more than likely the new owner's fault, and did something to cause it. If it is 15 grams or so, most of the time, by the time it reaches that size, it is pretty well off and has a good start on life, and just won't randomly die w/o something being a cause for it, esp. because if you are a breeder of Leo's, you should know your geckos well enough to know if you are shipping a healthy gecko or not.

3- It is large enough to not incur too much stress during the trip. I pack geckos i ship in a deli cup that has a balled up moistened paper towel inside to fill it, so the gecko can't be bounced around if the package is dropped or anything (picture the opening scene of "Ace Ventura: Pet Detecive", lolllll)... so the gecko is snug and secure inside the cup, but yet, loose enough so it can still slide around if he wants to "stretch out" lol

 

[softballstud_1099]

This is just my two cents. Last year I bought 4 baby leos from ron tremper. even though he did not ship them too me (my mom picked them up for me) they were only 3 grams when I got them to my house. They were just normal babies so sex really didn't matter. Now that they are all grown up. 1 did not make it and I have 1 male and 2 females. So I say if you don't mind not knowing the sex then you can get them that small. Again this is JMO

 

[g3ckosr4me]

yes...if you dont care about the sex then it doesnt matter...i know i wouldnt sell mine that little. 20+ grams is great:main_thumbsup:

 

[kaitala]

I've taken hatchlings right out of the incubator from a friends facility thats only a 3 hour drive from home...

I think it all depends on the circumstance. While I'm new to geckos, I'm not new to animal husbandry. If you actually know the person, say, well enough to be at your house on vacation when the babies hatch, and they want to take them the 3-6 hour car ride home, came prepared with a power inverter and heat mat to do so, etc. I'd be okay with it. Heck with the knowledge level apparent on this board, I'd much rather give a neonate or even eggs to one of you than sell an adult to some of the morons one can find at a show. All depends on circumstance.

 

[ddkgeckos]

Personally i think it depends on the customer. If the customer is a experienced keeper than i see no reason why a leo cant be sold right out of the egg. They will know the risks of it maybe not doing so well etc etc. Its irresponsible to sell anything under 15g to a novice imo as they may not be aware of the problems. As for shipping i think 20g+ only.

 

[thegeckoguy23]

Idk, I think there's a difference between selling and shipping. I don't mind selling them young, like say picking outta the litter, but no shipping till 15 grams.

+1

 

[Kotori]

Well, me being a novice, this might be ignored, but I wanted for you guys to have input from a non-breeder. As long as it has a bit of fat so if it doesn't eat immediately it won't die, of course no obvious deadly disease, and shipped in a good container, it would be good. I have no clue how many grams that would be... maybe 10ish? The Breeder would always know the hatchling better than the buyer, so if they only eat mealworms or somesuch, that should be told to buyer so they don't try to feed crickets, and starve them.

Other than that, if you really are bent on selling young, I heard Roaches fatten geckos up nicely.

 

[leoguy1]

I'd say 20+ grams, too. If they are too young, they could get sick or something in the shipping box. I don't think the customer would be too happy either.

 

[geckogirl3]

You can sell at any weight, the customer just has to wait until it is big enough to be shipped

 

[Dimidiata]

lol im not sure how much my guy weighed but i got him at 2weeks.