Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everyone! I have been having the strangest problem and I need your expertise. I have 3 male cresteds and 6 females. I recently introduced the females to the males now that they are all adult size and the males have biten off the tails of 3 of the girls. This happened instantly when i introduced the girls. Every one of my males became very aggressive and attacked the girls like they wanted to kill them! Can anyone please help me and tell me why they have become so aggressive? Will I not be able to keep/breed this Cresteds together? Thanks!

I have one question, from your post it sound like the males are housed together, males can not be housed with other males. If they haven't been aggresive to each other maybe they are taking it out on the females.
I am new to cresteds and lizards in general, but I know males must not be housed with another male.

I am reading his post for the second time and posting now because I have time. Yes, even if you have successfully kept the guys in a tank before, you can not keep them in there when new females are introduced.

Before, they will, more than likely, have established a heiarchy, where each one knows who's the boss and whose not...but add females (and those pheromones) and well, you can see what happens. The males become hyper-aggressive and will seem to attack at random, either because of conflict/confrontation or in an attempt to force the female to submiss to mating. I am not sure. That is one of the reason that you see so many people with 1.2 or 1.3 groups for breeding, instead of 3.6 in a single huge tank. Separate the geckos and give your females a chance to destress from the incident.

Now, even though they have lost their tails, they should be fine. They should still be able to live a normal life and yes, will still be able to breed normal, they will just be, well...tail-less and not as "eye-appeasing".

Just a suggestion, if I were you, I would watch the males at night(if you do not decide to seperate them). If they fight or "squeak" at each other and constantly chase one another around the tank, like cichlids(fish) do, seperate all the males, each in there own tank/box. Now that they have had the presence of the ladies around, going back to the way it used to be might not work out. I know this can be difficult space wise, but it is better than letting them attack each other in a closed space and I don't know about you, but I hate it when one bullies the other geckos around the tank into one corner. If you don't have the space, offer a trade to someone or sell him.

Remember, the submissive gecko(s), can only run as far as up the glass. Even though they may have been captive bred and never been in the wild or even seen live plants, they still have those natural instincts to guard/protect their territory, even though they are not in the wild. Keep that in mind.

Well, I hope this helps some. This is just my two bits to add to the money pot. I am not a professional or claim to be, but I have a little bit of experience with these guys and many other animals. I had to learn the hard way when I first started out because I was stubborn and didn't want to ask goofy questions and bother people. Everyone on here contributes in some way, shape or form, so if you have a question....ask. We ALL learn a little bit from them. That is the reason why we come to the boards! =) Oh yeah, and post those pictures!!!!!!

Charlie

Charlies Geckos

Thanks for the help, but I must've not been clear in my first post. I DO have the 3 males each in their own seperate cages. 2 females each shared a cage together prior to being introduced to the males, too. the males don't come into visual or physical contact because i know that they will fight/become stressed. I took all of the precautions, and this is why i think that this is so weird. I introduced 2 females to each males cage and they tried to kill them. Everyone of my males became crazy and even attacked my hand as i took the wounded girls out. The females were of the same size or even a little larger. And i'm sure that they are definite females. Why did this happen? I did what everyone else does and I can't find any information on this strange aggressive behavior for a crested. They are acting like Tokays! Why me and my girls? What did I do?!?! Thanks again...

Sounds like you just need to keep the females out of the cages of the uncharacteristicly acting Crested males. Let me ask you this...Did you just recently acquire the males acting that are acting aggressive or been having them since youngens? Are the ones doing the attacking from the same clutch or parents. Do you know what there ages are? What kind of diet do you have them on? What are the temps of the tanks they are in. What size are the tanks they are in?

I don't know about anyone else, but I introduce my male to the females tank, just something that I have done and have not had problems with this. I think the female is in "her" area and the male is in a new environment, not in his own niche with his boundries to look after. It just sounds like a case of mistake identity, I don't know...Post pics of each individual male/female or e-mail them to me.

It also sounds vaguely like the "rough play" of the R. auriculatus, but it is difficult to tell why they would act like this. They are from the same topographical area, but that doesn't explain much, as you know--each individual animal acts differently regardless of species/location and being that they are from the same family doesn't make too much of a difference regarding their "personalities", but that is just from reading and personal experiences that I have had. Unfortunately, no field research here, just speculations. Hopefully the pros will have some great field research of the recent expeditions that they have been going on. Well, anyone else, feel free to jump in if they have experienced anything similar with their own geckos acting this way. Good luck & will look for those responses.

Charlie
Charlies Geckos

how big are the females' tank. Maybe u could put the male in a critter cage. Place the critter cage in the females tank, and observe what happens. Maybe the male would get use to the pheromones, and settle down.
I know in leopard geckos, if the male sees another gecko, he will threatenly shake his tail. If the other gecko shakes its tail back, they both no each other are males. If the gecko doesn't shake its tail, that gecko knows the other leopard gecko is a female. BUT, i don't know how crested tell one from the other, exept for pheromones.
So try the critter cage, this way the geckos can notice one another, with out harming each other... OR you could place the male tank besides the females.
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1.2.1 Leopard Geks
1.0.1 High Yellow, 0.1 Blizzard, 0.1 Normal
1 crested gecko
2 White's Treefrogs
2.1 Fire Bellied Toads
0.0.2 Red Eared Sliders
Fish:
0.2.1 Parrot Cichlids
1 Upside Down Catfish
0.0.2 Bullhead Catfish
1 Geophagus jurupari
4 Goldfish
3 koi

Herpin since 93'