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View Full Version : My first Rescue Project. Gecko ID?


beanersmysav
01-28-05, 07:46 PM
Hey, I just saved this little guy. There was a 18 year old guy that lives near me that heard I was into reptiles through someone and he approached me about buying his gecko. He didn't know what it was but he said he paid $60.00 for it. So I went over there today to pick it up since he said he had it in a 10 gal. cage with screen, and he only wanted $12.00 for the whole set up.

Well when I got there I was DISGUSTED!
<Html><img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5845gross1.jpg">
Thats what I saw. There was outdoor dirt, mud, cocoa fiber, potting soil, and fish tank gravel in this poor guys tank! Well after ripping the guy a new one, I reluctantly gave him the $12.00 just to get the poor thing out of there. There was mold, roots growing in there (some kind of thick green stalk as well), potatos, onions, apples, and a ton of fruit flies. The tank was 60, with no heat, sitting right next to a window when it was -20 outside. Not to mention rotten egg crates, I didn't know egg crates could rot and mold. Well I got him home and scrubbed the tank for about an hour and disinfected it for another hour.

Now I have him set up in a 10 gallon tank, paper towel substrate, 90 basking spot, 85 warm end, 73 cool end. A half log hide, and a humid hide, and 5, 1/2 inch crickets which he hasn't eaten yet, but figured he might when the lights go down, and put in some apricot baby food in case he wants some of that as well. Everything dusted in calcium since he's never been suplimented with anything.

After talking to a member on this site he thinks it's a golden gecko, but I wanted to see if anyone else had any other oppinions. It does look alot like a golden gecko thats what I thought at first as well. It's dark black, with gray bands. It's in shed in the pictures though. The stomache has some yellow on it.

<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5845poorguy2.jpg">
<img src="http://www.ssnakess.com/photopost/data/500/5845poorguy1.jpg">

I'll take some pics with the good camera tomorrow and that might give you a better idea, but it's charging right now. Please give me any advice you have, I'll be bringing him to the vet with a fecal sample next week when I can get in. It's also definatly a male, a nice row of preanal pores, and a small bump. He's 6 inches long roughly, and 3 yrs old.

Thanks in advance. Any care sheets you could give me along with your guess is appreciated :) wish me the best of luck. I'll have this guy living the high life in no time... I hope

Manitoban Herps
01-28-05, 08:18 PM
Thats sad...I think it is a golden gecko.

They have the same care requirments as a tokay gecko.

beanersmysav
01-28-05, 08:40 PM
Yeah I have it set up just like my Tokay. I've been reading where it says they found out Goldens aren't found in the rain forest but dry arid regions with low humidity. Any truth to this?

DragnDrop
01-28-05, 09:08 PM
Here's a link to a pretty good picture of Gekko ulikovskii (http://www.gekkota.com/html/g__ulikovskii.html) the golden gecko. I used to have a link to a really good care sheet but the site has vanished. I'll try to find another decent one for you.


Edit: okay, so I found the same sheet... seems the link I had before was probably a copy of this one, word for word. :)
Golden Gecko Care Sheet (http://www.wnyherp.org/care-sheets/Lizards/golden-gecko.html) Western New York Herpetological Society.

beanersmysav
01-28-05, 09:51 PM
Thanks alot Hilde I appreciate it :) looks good

TLH_Wär§cöötmän
01-29-05, 03:45 AM
Wow, what are some people thinking?? I hope the little guy pulls through!! Can't wait to see a better pic too.

beanersmysav
01-29-05, 10:23 PM
He's already looking better he's coloring up nice, can tell he's a golden now. Looks like he has a tear on his back anything I can do for that? It looks to be quite old.