Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My friend is offering me a desert banded gecko for free since he doesnt want it anymore, can you guys give me some feedback on these? Can I keep it in a 10 or will it get kinda stressed? I work at a pet shop so supplies arnt much of an issue, its just I dont want to be in for too much space and care and so forth. Hes not taking bad care of it or anything so its not a rescue its just that he doesnt like it all that much. I was thinking a small desert setup, just something to look good and fun to watch. From what I understand, they dont require UVB nor do they need much special care. Any tips would be great.

I actually just came here to post about banded geckos and ask the same question! Small world.

Basically, these are like leopard geckos in miniature. Keep them with a temp gradient of 78-85F with a newspaper or paper towel substrate, humidified shelter and hiding places in both cool and warm ends of the tank. Avoid looses sand, as it may result in digestive problems once swallowed. Basking lights are a waste of time, use reptile night lights, heat pads, or cermaic heats. Deit consists of insects, give supplements as usual (calcium/D3 & multi-vitamin). Feed young animals everyday, adults 3-4 times a week. Drinks from a dish. Min cage size ten gallons for pair, never house males together.

Sand is perfectly fine for Coleonyx. I do keep the juveniles on paper towels, but all of my adults are on sand. If the geckos are well supplemented, impaction is uncommon.

Nathan Hall
GECKOS UNLIMITED

Yeah I would second that. Impaction seems to be very uncommon in those who keep an overall healthy reptile. Ok I just might take him then, this is all kind of what I already knew but thanks for the input guys.

Can I keep it in a 10 or will it get kinda stressed?

I have mine in enclosures I built about 1 square foot each (roughly half the floor space of a 10-gallon tank). Granted, I've had them in there for only a month or so, but no problems yet (they were previously housed communally in large Rubbermaid tubs until I could get the individual enclosures made). It has been reported that the TX banded gecko (C. brevis) can have a home range of as small as a few square yards in the wild.

I don't use substrate whatsoever right now. My Rubbermaid tubs had sand, which did not seem to have any ill effects, but I did lose one large C. v. variegatus after a few months--maybe he was just "old" for these geckos? (Life expectancy in the wild can't be more than a couple of years since these guys are very low on the food chain)

Hes not taking bad care of it or anything so its not a rescue its just that he doesnt like it all that much.

They're a lot of fun to watch, in my opinion, especially when stalking food. I have one that squeaks when I grab him, but none of the others do (I have C. v. variegatus and C. v. abbotti).

Any tips would be great.

I have bottlecaps full of water in each enclosure, though I periodically mist and they'll lap up the drops from the enclosure walls. In addition, they will often "freeze" while I'm misting, and lap the accumulated moisture from their faces (horned lizards also utilize rainfall in a similar manner). I have humid hides constructed from Gladware-type containers filled with wet sand, which the geckos sometimes use but also hide underneath.

I currently have all males; they were given to me in the hopes of starting a breeder population but males were all that the guy had at the time--he had initially captured them for use as feeder lizards for his snakes.

Oh yes--my question for GECKOS UNLIMITED since you sound like you're successfully keeping bandeds: I've only had mine for about six months. Do you give yours a cooling period over the winter? I quit feeding mine at the end of November and was planning on giving them a two-week minimum with no supplemental heat (temps down to 50s/60s Fahrenheit).

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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

Chris,

Yes, I cool all of my bandeds, but I've found that it is not necessary. I allow temps to drop to 68-70 during the day and 65 at night for about 6 weeks. I also adjust the photoperiod. When I lived in Tucson about 10 years ago, I had a large group of C. v. bogerti and did not cool them, but I adjusted the photoperiod. There was absolutely no difference in production that year. I do feel that a 10-15 degree drop (ambient) during the winter is adequate. I've never allowed temps to drop below 62-65 during the winter.

I'm currently doing a study on Coleonyx brevis and am always in need of help. This will be about a two year study. I'm studying size, color, and pattern variations throughout the range of this species (hey, it gives me an excuse to go herping!). Interested?

Nathan

>>Yes, I cool all of my bandeds, but I've found that it is not necessary.

Alright. I'm probably just going to cool them for a few weeks--more of a food-availability issue than an urgent need (plus I'll be out of town around Christmas).

adequate. I've never allowed temps to drop below 62-65 during the winter.

What sort of activity patterns did you observe in the wild populations? I'll have to go find my notes for exact temps, but the SoCal geckos were out and active in the 60s.

range of this species (hey, it gives me an excuse to go herping!). Interested?

Would you believe I've yet to find a brevis in situ? I received two females at the same time I got my variegatus guys, and one laid two eggs while in transit. Both females died, within a week of each other, and the local herp vet was out of town and I didn't want to pay $80 to have them shipped out for a necropsy. One egg hatched successfully, albeit at my parents' home in OKC where I accidentally left it. It survived a month, allegedly eating fruit flies until it expired (my parents are not herpetoculturists and I tried to coach them through it via phone calls).

If you haven't already, you should talk to Joe Forks over on "that other site." He has a ranch in Terrell County with LOTS of geckos. I love going herping myself but my time is mostly devoted to my 18-month-old daughter.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

About the Coleonyx I also lived in Tucson and kept a group of bogerti and other than the difference in light and photo period from out side I never cooled them and now I live in ohio with a nice group of C.v. variegatus with no cooling of photoperiod adjustments and I have 2 gravid females now I keep them on a mix of calci-sand and play sand with no problems I mist every morning and at night and as a supplement I have been using the IBD for leopards It really brings out the colors and they are very active.
I also have two male C.brevis and hope for females in the spring since it is too cold up here to ship (I think) They do not really look like the brevis in the feild guides so I wasnt positive about my i.d. at first but I found a picture on line at geckotta that seems to confirm.
My question and the reason that I am here in the first place Is Sex determined by incubation temp or is it genetic?
If anyone knows and can provide ranges let me know.
Paul