Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Who is breeding subs like Bogerti and Brevis ? Also whats the deal with Switaki ? I know its protected in California but is anybody outside of CA breeding this gecko ?

Keith Hillson
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I've seen the sub species in the classifed area a few times and i know that Sun Dial reptile often times breeds them. People just don't think these guys are worth breeding any more, but i think there aswsome.
The other one you mentioned, it is protected not jusst state wise but federal as well so no one can breed thme, unless with proper permits or for zoological reasons, so even if someone did breed them they couldn't sell them.

>>Who is breeding subs like Bogerti and Brevis ?

brevis is its own species (TX banded gecko). I have C.v.abbotti myself, but only males--I'm hoping my friends can send me some females!

Also whats the deal with Switaki ? I know its protected in California but is anybody outside of CA breeding this gecko ?

Protected in CA, and due to the regs being worded as they are, any you might see for sale outside CA are illegally procured.

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

I have a breeding pair if one of you wants to pay the shipping.
I've had them for about 3 years and they've produced more offspring than I can remember! My male almost looks like an albino. Not a terribly rare pigmentation but really pretty all the same.

D

I think not too many people breed them because they are so numerous over their range, also perhaps they are not big sellers because they aren't "exotic" enough, i.e. not from Madagascar or New Caledonia or wherever. I have kept a number of different varieties of Coleonyx, although never bred them. I'd give my left nut to be able to acquire C. switaki and start a breeding program, but that's not going to happen.

You're right, these are really awesome geckos. Over time they tend to lose their initial skittishness and tolerate handling pretty well, but tend to be quite curious and don't really sit in one place, so you're always on the lookout to make sure they haven't jumped off your shoulder.

Also curious, does anyone know the deal with C. reticulatus? The Texas Wildlife Department website I read lists C. brevis and gives details about what permits are required for collecting them, etc. but no mention is made of reticulatus. Any info would be appreciated.

Chris

>>Also curious, does anyone know the deal with C. reticulatus? The Texas Wildlife Department website I read lists C. brevis and gives details about what permits are required for collecting them, etc. but no mention is made of reticulatus. Any info would be appreciated.

Digging WAY DEEP into the TPWD site, I came up with this:

Link

Lists the reticulated banded gecko as "State Threatened," and the note says it's been removed from the Federal list because of "abundance." Hmmm.
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

Thanks for the link. The situation seems comparable to that of C. switaki, which is listed as "species of concern" (i.e. not protected) on ESA list, but "threatened" by the State of California. While it's theoretically possible to obtain a capture permit from the state for a threatened species, the amount of paperwork, background checking, and money involved, especially if a non-resident, make it almost prohibitive. All that, and you can't sell the offspring if you successfully breed them. I'm not even sure you could legally re-introduce offspring back into their native habitat. Seems to me if they wanted to perpetuate the species they would let the herp community get involved more easily.

Sorry, starting to vent a little...

Thanks again for the info.

Chris

Seems to me if they wanted to perpetuate the species they would let the herp community get involved more easily.
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>>Sorry, starting to vent a little...

You missed some great threads on the Herp Law/CITES forum a few weeks ago!
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Chris McMartin
www.mcmartinville.com
I'm Not a Herpetologist, but I Play One on the Internet

Well, you and Big Brother seem to have nearly exhausted the topics of Habitat Preservation vs. Collecting vs. Captive Breeding over the course of several months...

In my childlike innocence I didn't take into consideration, when I made my previous suggestion, the fact that there are herpers and suppliers to whom legality and morality are inconvenient at best. My main contact with other herpers has been in the cyber realm, so either the bad ones aren't hanging out on KS, or their true colors are being filtered through too many server connections.

I suppose from now on I'll have to don my usual cynical and pessimistic attitude towards herping as I do with most everything else. But I thank you and the others who posted in the Herp Law Forum for a sleepless yet very informative and enlightening evening's reading.

Chris Schweitzer