Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Had an interesting talk with a new pet shop owner.
The pet store is opening where an old pet store used to be. There were Tokays and other animals loose in the building from the old pet store. Before they moved in, they had the place fumigated. The exterminators assured them that nothing will survive. Wrong!
According to the new shop owner, they have HUNDREDS of Tokays that survived the fumigation. They even caught one and have it for sale. It looks like its about 14 inches long.
I don't know much about Tokays, other than them being somewhat mean. Even if the poison used during fumigation didn't kill them directly, shouldn't exposure to poisoned prey items have been enough to do them in?
I'm just impressed even more so by these guys. Their ability to survive is incredible!
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Victor Gomez
gomezvi.tripod.com/sdchamkeepers/
gomezvi@yahoo.com

Well first off, WOW! How unethical is that?! Attempting to kill every living thing before moving in a bunch more living things to profit from. Remind me not to shop there.

I don't know what pesticide was used, but there's a good chance it was designed for inverts and/or rodents and not reptiles. In that case, it likely wasn't terribly effective on their physiology. Add to that the fact that the tokays would have been hiding out in their favorite nooks and crannies where the gas was least likely to penetrate.

As for the poisoned prey, the inverts probably died very quickly after exposure while the geckos would have been lying low. After emerging, all the prey is dead and tokays don't respond to inanimate prey. They might be hungry, but they're still alive.

E
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That's it, screw you guys!
I'm goin' home

-Eric Cartman

very interesting. what state is this in if in the US??
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My posts and replies are my experiences only
1.2.9 Tokays
1.4.6 Leos(9 albino)
0.2.0 AFT's
0.2.0 Stenodactylus Petrii(Dune Geckos)

I don't think they were fumigating to get rid of the Tokays, per se. They might not have even been aware of their existence prior to fumigating. I got the logists that he meant loose mice, exotic roaches, and perhaps some other inverts. The old pet store had been there for a while, and they didn't always care for their animals so well, if you catch me (lotsa escapees).
This new shop owner seems on the ball with things. They're focusing on fish and herps. No dogs, no cats, no birds...
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Victor Gomez
gomezvi.tripod.com/sdchamkeepers/
gomezvi@yahoo.com

Thanks, was ust wondering what kind of climate the Tokays were thriving in.
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My posts and replies are my experiences only
1.2.9 Tokays
1.4.6 Leos(9 albino)
0.2.0 AFT's
0.2.0 Stenodactylus Petrii(Dune Geckos)

We have tokays running around in our petshop too. Sometimes they'll emerge and start barking at us. We seldom take upon the task of catching these things but the legend be there is a 2 foot tokay running loose. I have personally seen its outline and the thing is giant...My manager has caught a smaller one and it was at least 16". They eat the crickets and smaller geckos and such we have in the store. We sell many feeders and they literaly have 0 predators and unlimited access to food at night. The temperatures stay in the 80's and there are hot and cool spots in the store. Tokays are actually home dwellers mainly in Vietnam and so forth so this is perfect for them. There is also rumored to be a giant leopard gecko ("at least 18 inches" -employee testimonial) living under the upper level in between the floor boards. He emerged out of the hole once and ran back in before he could get a good look at it....spent about 30 minutes trying to find it in that hole but failed....

np
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My posts and replies are my experiences only
1.2.9 Tokays
1.4.6 Leos(9 albino)
0.2.0 AFT's
0.2.0 Stenodactylus Petrii(Dune Geckos)

I'm impressed. I just think this is REALLY great. It's really impressive to see these guys removed from their natural surroundings, yet running wild in pet shops and actually thriving!
I guess the fact that some of these guys are tokays add to the cool factor. A two foot gecko (YIKES!!!) is one thing - a two foot gecko that will bite you HARD is another! Just kinda adds to the legendary mini-Godzilla in your shop thing, I dunno.
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Victor Gomez
gomezvi.tripod.com/sdchamkeepers/
gomezvi@yahoo.com

Loose lizards are always giant.
People do not expect a lizard in that environment and since they are so surprised, they almost always overestimate its size.
I also had a " half meter long Tokay" loose in my living room-according to my wife and guests.
Weeks later I was able to catchit and as I expected, it was one of my free roamers from my herp room and measured 38 cm (15 " -which IS big for a Tokay.
Tokays thrive exceptionally well as free roamers if the environment is warm enough and food is lenty.
But 2 ft-no way!
And you may agree that an 18" Leo is impossible to, so another proove for my hypothesis.

Ci@o

Ingo

they are BIG leos!!!

Claire
Tremper Giants

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I currently keep:
1.2 leopard geckos
1.1 gold dust day geckos
6 dwarf ground geckos
0.1 chinese cave gecko
0.1 tokay gecko

Other species: crested gecko, giant day gecko

God knows what that thing was. But the tokay I saw was about as big as my manager's forearm so thats about 18-20 inches. The head was massive too I dont know how it got that big but that thing looked like it wanted to eat all 3 of us.

Of course...but even these "giant Leos" hardly reach 12"-you were talking about a 18" Leo.
And well..show me a Pic of the big tokay with sth to compare its size to....thats the only way to make me believe

if you have anything for sale, please let me no. chinezb0i@hotmail.com