Tokay Gecko Help
*sigh* I had this already typed up and it was rather long, but my computer refreshed and deleted e v e r y t h i n g.
Take two.
tl, dr: I got a Tokay Gecko at repticon. The vendor didn't know what the heck he was talking about so I've been struggling to find the proper husbandry requirements for my little dude. He's my first reptile. I know, he's an angry gecko with trust issues. We're going to work on him, but I need to make sure he's healthy first before we start behavioral work.
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I can't say his name on here because its a four letter word with an -er at the end. Knowing their personality, use your imagination. As mentioned in the short version of this post, I got him from a vendor at repticon. I was told that he didn't need a heat lamp, didn't need a water dish, only needed something to climb and some crickets and he'd be all set. So uh. Found out very shortly after that I was given completely false information. I know I'm a beginner and that I don't know much about the reptile world, but I am committed to this little dude and will do whatever I need to do in order for him to thrive. I know he is more of an advanced species, but again... I'm committed to his care. I feel like he chose me. I fell in love with him.
SO. With all of that being said, I do have a few concerns that I would like some guidance on while looking for an affordable reptile vet in my area.
Appearance concerns:
His feet look black on the pads, and one of the toes looks like it was bitten or maybe smashed? He also has a few rough patches on him, and his mouth almost looks bloody. Stomach almost looks concave.
Behaviour concerns:
I know he's tiny... bugger needs to eat. He doesn't seem super interested in food though. I've tried mealworms and crickets. Right now I'm keeping a couple live crickets in his tank throughout the day as well as smashing the head of a few so he can easily get the cricket if his energy is low. He hasn't barked yet, but he will make movements that look like he's trying to give my tongs a warning bite when I try to offer a cricket. In the video I gave a link to, he opens his mouth in the beginning, but then thrashes his head with his mouth closed? I'm not sure what that means. I'm only tong feeding right now to make sure he gets his food and that the crickets aren't just hiding underneath the moss. He'll sometimes rub his head on his tree or the back of the cage too? I don't know what thats all about. I know with snakes that usually means that they're shedding, but I don't know when this guy last shed. He also randomly licks his lips? Is he trying to tell me something? He may also be a she. From what I've read, it looks like that v shape underneath their tail has more of a pore look to it rather than the dots. I also have no clue how old he is. He's about seven inches though including his tail. He did poop yesterday though and there was a white clump in it which I'm assuming is the calcium passing through?
Enclosure specs:
Tank: Exo-terra Natural Terrarium Mini Tall (12"x12"x18")
Lighting:
Heating: Exo-terra heat mat 4"x5"; Fluker's Ceramic Heat Emitter (60 watts) - I'm looking at different heat options as this one doesn't clamp on to my tank unless I have the lid off which isn't safe for lil dude.
Substrate: Exo-terra coco fiber and sphagnum moss
Accessories: He's got a tree bark hide, some plastic ivy, two branch things to climb, I'm also getting him another ivy plant to drape over the top of the hide so he can feel more secure. I'm also grabbing a shelf so he can stay by the heat lamp if he wants to.
Humidity stays around 60-80%. I spray in the morning, when I get home from work, and before I go to bed if the humidity is closer to the 60% or lower.
I'm still trying to figure out the heat aspect. The ground level was around 75F after the bulb being on all night. I don't know how warm it was at the top of the tank. His hide is propped up against the wall where the heat mat is so he can cuddle that when he wants to hide.
I'm attaching pictures and the video in a comment below to hopefully give a better idea of what he looks like. I don't know what type of environment he came from, but again, I'm committed to giving him the best life he possibly can so he can live his best gecko life.
Thanks in advance for the help. Please share tips for husbandry and how to make sure they're eating.
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