Getting Bit

WHAT NOT TO DO:  If your gecko bites you out of  anger it is most likely because you have a Tokay Gecko and they have anger issues.  But if you get bit DO NOT yank your hand away.  If your gecko doesn't let go and you yank your hand away it can catapult your gecko across the room, causing broken bones or death.



CLEANING THE BITE:  If the bite doesn't puncture your skin just simply wash the bite in warm soapy water and you'll be fine.  If the bite does puncture your skin you will want to soak it in rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide so the bite doesn't get infected.


Warning picture below does have blood in it.

The Panther Gecko

Here is a caresheet on a cute and small gecko, good for begginer gecko owners, the Panther Gecko.

 

 

 



HABITAT:  The Panther Gecko (also known as the Madagascar Ground Gecko) is native to the island of Madagascar dwelling on the leaf littered forest floor.  The Panther Gecko stays fairly small (6 inches) so a tank larger than 10 gallons is not needed for a single but bigger is needed for multiple(no more than one male).  Even though Panther Geckos do have toe pads the rarely climb the sides of the tank, but a screen is highly recommended so you don't lose your gecko.  Orchid bark is a very good substrate because it helps keep humidity at the right level and it's to big for them to swallow, stopping impaction.  There should always be at least one leafy spot in the tank and a hide on each side of the tank.

 

 

 

 

HEATING, LIGHTING AND HUMIDITY:  Panther Geckos are nocturnal so no UV lighting is required.  There should always be a warm side and a cool side in the tank.  The warm side should stay at about 85 degrees Fahrenheit and the cool side should be at about 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  And at night the whole tank can drop to 75 degrees Fahrenheit.  The humidity should stay between 50-70%, this can be achieved by misting the tank twice a day.

 

 

 

 

FOOD AND WATER:  The Panther Geckos diet consists mainly of crickets but a small treat of mealworms will usually not be turned down.  There should always be some sort of water dish a dehydrated gecko is not good.

 

 

 

 

SEXING:  Males have predominant bulges at the base of their tail and are generally longer and bulkier than females.

 

 

                                            Sorry but I don't have an image here for you.

 

 

 

Below are some pictures a Panther Gecko and an ideal setup.

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 FUN FACTS:  The Panther Gecko has many different names:  The Pictus Gecko, The Ocelot Gecko, The Madagascar Ground Gecko,  Malagasy Fat Tailed Gecko and The Panther Gecko. 

 

 

 

 

Gecko Toe Pads

Geckos toes are not suction cups or sticky like tape. Geckos actually have microscopic hairs on their lamellae called Setae and those hairs split into even smaller hairs called Spatulae that touch the surface and engage intermolecular van der Waals forces. Together, the 6.5 million setae on a 50-gram gecko generate enough force to support the weight of two people.

Below are some pictures, a definition of van der Waals forces and some other facts about geckos toes.

Van der Waals force is the sum of the attractive or repulsive forces between molecules (or between parts of the same molecule) other than those due to covalent bonds, the hydrogen bonds, or the electrostatic interaction of ions with one another or with neutral molecules.  The term includes:

• Force between two permanent dipoles (Keesom force)
• Force between a permanent dipole and a corresponding induced dipole (Debye force)
• Force between two instantaneously induced dipoles (London dispersion force).

 

 

·         Geckos adhere to just about any surface, wet or dry, smooth or rough, hard or soft.

·         Gecko adhesion is unique in that it is self-cleaning during repeated use.

·         Gecko adhesion can be mechanically switched on and off. Sliding against a surface uncurls the seta to engage the adhesive. By relaxing sliding tension, the adhesive can be released.

·         Geckos detach their toes by hyperextending their toes as shown below.  

 

The Giant Day Gecko

Here is a care sheet on a very colorful gecko good for intermediate gecko owners; the Giant Day Gecko.

 

 



HABITAT:    The Day Gecko is native to Madagascar's Tropical regions spending their lives in the trees.  The Day Gecko needs about a 20 gallon tall tank.  If housing two geckos the tank should be a bit larger, about a 25-29 gallon tall tank (never house more than one male together).  Because the Day Gecko has toe pads, allowing them to climb vertical surfaces, you will need a screened lid.  Since the Day Gecko is an arboreal gecko or tree dwelling gecko they need lots of leaves and climbing.  Coconut fiber or Bark are the best substrates because they help keep humidity.  There should always be a hide of some sort.



HEATING, LIGHTING AND HUMIDITY:  Unlike the other geckos I have written about the Day Gecko is diurnal meaning they're active during the daytime so they will need UV lighting.  The top half of the tank should stay in the 90-95 degrees Fahrenheit and the bottom half should  be at about 80 degrees Fahrenheit.  At night the temperature should drop to about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  Humidity levels should stay between 50-70 %, this can be accomplished by misting the tank two times a day.



FOOD AND WATER:  The Day Gecko has a diet much like the Crested Gecko consisting in fruit and insects, mainly crickets, meal worms and mashed fruit.  A full grown Day Gecko may also have a pinkie mouse as a treat as they will sometimes eat small lizards or small mammals in the wild.  The Day Gecko usually drinks water droplets off of leaves but there should still be a water dish.



SEXING:  Male Day Geckos have bulges and pores that females do not.

Below are some pictures of the Giant Day Gecko and an ideal setup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FUN FACTS:  The Day Gecko has round pupils instead of slit pupils.

 

 

 

NOTE:  Not only will the Day Gecko drop its tail while being handled ruffly but they will sometimes release their skin, so handle with care.

The Tokay Gecko

Here is a care sheet on a large and beautiful gecko, good for intermediate gecko owners; the Tokay Gecko.



 

 

HABITAT:  The Tokay Gecko is native to Asia's, India's and Indonesia's Tropical Region so they need a tall climbing tank.  A 25-30 gallon tank is best for a single Tokay Gecko.  Tokay Geckos are fairly large (up to 14 in.), so if you are housing two geckos the tank has to be considerably bigger (never two males in one tank).  Tokay Geckos need a screened lid because they have toe pads allowing them to climb vertical surfaces.  Tokay Geckos are like Crested Geckos needing lots of climbing sticks and plants.   Coconut fiber or bark are best substrates because they help maintain humidity (see below).  Tokays will also need some type of hide.

 

 

HEATING, LIGHTING AND HUMIDITY:  Tokay Geckos are nocturnal so they don't need any special UV lighting.  Day time temperature should stay between 85-90 degrees Fahrenheit.  At night the temperature should drop to about 70 degrees Fahrenheit.  You can turn off the light to make the temperature drop at night if your house doesn't get lower than the 70's.  If not, a night bulb will be required.  A night bulb is a low watt black light that will give off a mild purple light, and is available at pet stores or Petsmart.  The humidity level in the tank should stay between 70-90% and should not drop below 50%.  This can be achieved by misting the tank two times a day.


FOOD AND WATER:  Tokay geckos are insectivores and sometimes carnivorous.  Crickets and roaches are the best, and maybe an occasional pinkie mouse as a treat.  Even though Tokay Geckos usually drink water droplets formed by misting, there should always be a water dish of some sort. 


SEXING:  Male and female Tokay Geckos both have visible pores at the base of their tails, but the males pores are much larger.  Males are also usually bigger in size and brighter in color.

Below are some pictures of Tokay geckos and an ideal setup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 FUN FACTS:  Sometimes people will catch wild Tokay Geckos and release them in their houses to get rid of cockroaches.  If you own a wild caught Tokay Gecko it will most likely be fine if you put tiles in its tank, because of their familiarity of being in peoples houses in the counrty they came from.

  

NOTE:  Tokay Geckos are very aggressive and will most likely try to bite you if you are handling them.  When they bite they draw blood and usually don't let go for a while.  The secret of getting them off is to put a drop of vinegar on their nose, but make sure you hold them in their tank or in some container so they don't fall a long distance or run away after they let go.

The Crested Gecko

Here is a care sheet about a very curios and beautiful gecko that is great for beginners to advanced; the Crested Gecko.

 

HABITAT:  Crested Geckos are native to New Caledonia's tropical regions so they need a tall tank for climbing space.  You can house two Crested Geckos together in a 20 gallon tall terrarium (no more than one male).  Unlike Leopard Geckos a screen lid is required, as Crested Geckos have toe pads allowing them to climb vertical surfaces.  Crested Geckos need lots of climbing sticks and lots of real or artificial plants.  Coconut fiber or bark are best substrate because they help maintain humidity (see below).  You will also need some type of hide.

HEATING, LIGHTING AND HUMIDITY:  Crested Geckos are nocturnal so they don't need any UV lighting.  The bottom of the tank should be cooler than the top, at about 75-80 degrees Fahrenheit.  The top half should stay at about 80-85 degrees Fahrenheit.  The temperature should drop to about 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit at night.  The  humidity level should be at 50-80%.  You should mist the tank once or twice a day.  The correct bedding will help keep the right humidity level.

FOOD AND WATER:  Crested Geckos are omnivores so they will eat crickets and soft or puree fruit.  NEVER feed them wild caught crickets as they may carry diseases that could harm or kill your gecko.  At  most pet stores that carry reptiles and reptile supplies, you can buy Crested Gecko food bags where you just add water to create the food for your gecko.  If you can't find the correct food, you can go to your local grocery store and buy banana, peach or any other fruit baby food.  Crested Geckos mostly drink little droplets of water off of plants, but you should always provide a water dish.

SEXING:  Crested Geckos are little less distinctive than Leopard Geckos but are still fairly easy to sex.  Males have a bulge and very small pores at the base of their tail, females do not.

 

Here are some pictures of Crested Geckos and an ideal tank setup.

 

 

 

 

 

FUN FACTS:  Crested Geckos don't regenerate their tails so once the tail is dropped the gecko is then known as a "Frog Butt".  Crested Geckos are also known as the "Eyelash Gecko" because of the eyelash like projections above their eyes.

 

 

NOTE:  Gargoyle Gecko care is the same as they are very close in common to the Crested Gecko, ecept they do better housed singlely.

 



 

 





The Leopard Gecko

   I going to start off with the Leopard Gecko. The Leopard Gecko is a slow and gentle gecko, great for beginners.

   HABITAT:  The Leopard Gecko is native to the rocky deserts of  Pakistan, India and Afghanistan, but that does not mean no vegetation.  A 20 gallon terrarium is best for a single adult or up to a trio, but no more than one male.  A screened lid is not needed if there are no tall sticks.  Sand or Reptile Carpet are best for bedding, which are both available at Petsmart and most small pet stores.  It is best to have two hides rather than one, one hide for each side of the terrarium in the different temperature zones (see Heating, below).
HEATING, LIGHTING AND HUMIDITY:  Since Leopard Geckos are nocturnal they don't need any UV lighting.  The setup I have for my Leopard Gecko is an inferred light bulb on the right side of the terrarium and a heating pad on the left.  The temperatures can get as low as 65 degrees Fahrenheit at night and should stay at about 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the day.  There should always be a warm side and a cool side.  The humidity level should stay somewhere between 40-60%.  Just having a water dish helps to keep it at the right humidity level.

FOOD AND WATER:  Leopard Geckos are insectivores, meaning they only eat insects.  Leopard Geckos are picky and sometimes won't eat certain things, but here's what's on their menu: crickets, meal worms and wax worms.  NEVER feed them wild caught insects as they may carry diseases which could harm or kill your gecko.  Always provide a good source of water.  A dehydrated gecko is not good.  Non-chlorinated water is healthier.  Note: fat tails are really good because it is an indication of a well fed Gecko.

SEXING:  It is fairly easy to tell male from female with no probes needed.  Males have a line of pores and a bulge by the base of their tail, females do not.

Here are some pictures of Leopard Geckos and setup illustration:

 

Here is a Juvenal Leopard Gecko

 

 

 

Here is an example of a very healthy jumbo Leopard Gecko by the fat tail. 

 



 

 

                                                          A. lamp                              

                                                          B. mesh screen (optional)

                                                          C. thermometer and hydrometer

                                                          D. artificial plants

                                                          E. moist hide

                                                          F. dishes for worms and water

                                                         G. reptile carpet or sand

                                                         H. heat pad

                                                          I. hide (at least one per gecko)

 

FUN FACTS:  Leopard Geckos store fat in their tail for food shortages.

Leopard Geckos unlike lots of geckos have eyelids.