Why Aren't Giants More Popular??

[Tanga]

I've been considering getting a giant leopard gecko and I've searched various breeders for availability and I don't see any at all. The only place I found a giant was at JMG Reptile, but it was a mack snow, and they had a limited selection.

Which leads me to the question, how come breeders don't make giants in every morph? A nice bright giant, brightly colored tangerine carrot tail would REALLY be nice, why are they so hard to find??:main_thumbsdown:

 

[Okee Reps]

I have my thoughts on this but I would have to say for the most part the demand just isn't there. Not many people want to buy a Giant until it reaches probably the 85-90+ range that means breeders have to hold on to these animals a lot longer then they may want to.

I also think there are problems with the idea of putting it into every morph since it originated in Tremper Albinos I think. That would make it difficult to isolate the Giant gene and get it by itself so you could start placing it everywhere. Second, it takes a long time. Think about how many generations it would take to get it in the morph you stated. You may never make that.

Thirdly unless the breeder waited all those years to put the Giant gene into the morph he/she wanted AND THEN waited another year or so to get only Super Giants they couldn't really sell them as definite Giants.

I myself like Giants and plan to put them to everything but it will be a very long process.

 

[Tanga]

Ahhh, that makes a lot of sense, no wonder giants are hard to come by!
As far as the demand goes and that not many people want them, why not? Bigger is better!

Imagine how cool an enigma super giant would be?:main_cool3:

[EDIT TO ORIGINAL POST] I meant to say that I searched VMSHerps, not JMG Reptile for giants.

 

[Rhacodactyl]

I love giants and would like to see more of them. Personally, I don't mind buying them as juveniles and I also plan on doing a little outcrossing to add giant genetics to a particular morph. It'll be a while before I get there though.

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

I never got in to the Giants because of the early discrepancy on whether or not the gene was recessive or co-dominant, which really discouraged and even angered me. I have seen many, and they are lovely geckos.

 

[Mel&Keith]

We produce quite a few Giants and Super Giants and I know that I always want to keep them all! We've probably only sold 20% of the Giants we've produced. I had a really hard listing the one that's on our available page right now but it's ridiculous to think that I can keep all of them. Maybe there are other Giant hoarders out there and that's why you don't see many for sale. LOL

 

[LeosForLess]

130 gram male plus 100 gram female doesn't give u a whole bunch of 100 gram geckos. its harder to make giants than co-dominance says it is.

 

[Brhaco]

One reason Giants are scarce right now could be unprecedented demand! RT tells me that, since the death of Moose earlier this year, his Giants and Supergiants have been selling as fast as they go up for sale on his site. They are selling particularly well to buyers in Europe.

Should be good supplies of Giants in '08, since not only Ron, but several other breeders have told me they are beefing up production.

Brad Chambers

 

[yellermelon]

I for one am crossing alot of geckos with my giants. I have an extencive giant project..that will just get BIGGER lol. I love the giants they are my favorite gecko..

 

[paulnj]

I have "a few" giants

 

[nwheat]

I have several probable giants available - some Trempers and some possible het Tremper, all possible het eclipse.

Giants seem to have a much longer tail / body than other geckos, but it can be hard to tell for sure when they are young. I do seem to get about the right number of giants (long-tailed hatchlings) and nongiants (normal-tailed hatchlings) as you would expect from a co-dominant gene.

My RAPTOR het pair Moon and Sun are both giants (I believe - they are certainly very loooong geckos but I think their giant RAPTOR dad was not actually sold as a giant). So, some of their offspring might even be super giants. I'm afraid I wouldn't know how to tell giant from super giant in a young gecko, though.

 

[johnnyboy4783]

What are the specs to be a giant i notcies my female tremper i just recently acuired is growing at a amazing rate and actually look large than my other to leos' that may be a lil older than her maybe a month or 2 older.

 

[Mel&Keith]

John, you would really have to check with the breeder and see if that gecko came from Giant lines. Geckos grow at all different rates just like people so there's really no way to identify a Giant with a decent amount of certainty unless you know it's genetic background.

 

[johnnyboy4783]

I figured that but since it is a pet store gecko no way of ever knowing. sucks!

 

[rubym]

I have to say that I LOVE my big fat " squishy" giant!!! We only have 3 and I think thay are the best. All 3 of them are so lovable. I think the giants have personalities like no others. I wouldn't mind having juveniles and waiting for them to grow. That is part of the fun....watching your little ones get bigger and bigger.

 

[Tanga]

Thanks to all for the info on why Giants are so hard to find! I guess the reason is a combination of things, there's no wrong answer. I guess maybe I'm asking for TOO much when I would like to see Giants in EVERY morph.

I hope this breeding season will bring more giants to choose from! Right now I can wait because I wouldn't want to have the leo shipped in winter temps. Hopefully by March maybe I'll have one!

 

[Mel&Keith]

You'll see more Giants from us this year for sure. I'd also love to see a giant version of every morph so we're doing our best!

 

[Brhaco]

One of the coolest geckos I've ever seen was a HUGE male Supergiant Bandit. It made me want to sell a few snakes to make room for leopard geckos again!

Brad Chambers

 

[byglady]

We have both Giant and Supergiants available for sale (shortly). Hope to be posting pictures of the babies over the next week or so, we have 2 albinos and about 8 designer.


We are currently breeding our Supergiant Mack (het for lots of stuff) with our first home bred Supergiant (jungle het albino), as well as Supergiant Mack with giants (designer het albino X murphy patternless). Should be some unusual babies from them. Will post up pictures when available.

 

[herpencounter]

We produce quite a few Giants and Super Giants and I know that I always want to keep them all! We've probably only sold 20% of the Giants we've produced. I had a really hard listing the one that's on our available page right now but it's ridiculous to think that I can keep all of them. Maybe there are other Giant hoarders out there and that's why you don't see many for sale. LOL

I can name one =P

From all my reading (websites forums etc.) I think in the next 1-2 years giants are going to be more in demand then they have been in the past.

Giants ROCK!