First Time Gecko Owner...

[KathandStu]

Hey guys,

My brother is looking into getting a gecko & I was wondering if you could suggest some of the easiest to look after ones with the approx. price (for a juvi) & maybe a pic or 3? He lives with us in Parramatta so I was thinking maybe a "local to the area" species would be easiest. By easy I mean not requiring extremes in humidity and/or heat/cool. We don't have air-con so keeping the little critter cool in the middle of summer might prove difficult (though heating in winter would be fine).

Hopeing you can help,

Thanks,

Kathy

 

[Magpie]

I'd suggest Nephrurus levis (knob tailed geckos) but I am a bit biased, Underwoodisaurus milii (thick tail gecko) may be just as good for you. I think someone in sydeny even has an adult female thick tail for sale now. Check out the for sale forum.
These species don't climb, making them much easier to look after.
Knobbies do burrow though, so they need a thick layer of sand to dig into.

They are about $150 for hatchlings.

 

[Magpie]

 

[Pyror]

I couldn't agree more. Knobbies are great little geckos, and are the only species that i keep atm.

I have just had my first clutch hatch over the weekend, and they are perfect little replicas of the adults. I have 3 more clutches still cooking, and the mother is gravid again. I'll be asking around the $300.00 mark per unsexed pair, and maybe $350.00 if i decide to keep them longer and can offer them as guaranteed sexed pairs.

If it were up to my fiance i'd be keeping them all...

Ben.

 

[Sdaji]

Any of the knob taileds would be a good choice. I'd suggest a non climbing gecko to start with. Bynoe's geckoes are quite easy to look after and are very interesting. Another one of my favourites is the Stone Gecko (there was a thread on these recently, along with some pictures of some of the different types). If you want something really awesome you could go for something like giant cave geckoes (climbers).

 

[KathandStu]

Thanks everyone for your advice.

Magpie: How big do the knob-tailed geckos get? I agree about the non-climbing thing being easier to start with. What size enclosure would you need for a single gecko (or do they do better in pair?...of the same sex as we don't want babies!)

Thanks again.

Kathy

 

[herpnadel]

thick tails arn a bad little gecko i have keeped them before and they are easy to keep

 

[Magpie]

They get somewhere around 100mm SVL (Snout-Vent-Length) and about 40-50g for females, males a fair bit smaller.
You could honestly keep one in a lunch box, but a 2' fishtank is about ideal, you could happily keep two or three in it.

 

[Sdaji]

C'mon, get Stone Geckoes! You know they're the prettiest (not that I know of any available at the moment! Maybe someone here can help you out)

Different populations vary, I think this one is lovely

 

[Magpie]

Looks like a glass climber to me.

 

[Possum]

Thick Tails, Leaf Tails and Leseur Velvet Gecko's are the best :wink:

But I may be biaise! :lol:

 

[KathandStu]

Thanks everyone. All your advice & photos are greatly appreciated. It's given us soime starting points & namesto begin researching. He won't be getting anything until we have moved to our new place (bigger home for our herps!). Thanks again.