Geckos - Hemodactylus species question

[spyderlady]

Do geckos of the hemodactylus species fast during the winter?

 

[UrbanJungles]

Do geckos of the hemodactylus species fast during the winter?

No, they may become a bit less active but they generally don't fast for any long periods of time like a temperate snake would.

 

[HepCatMoe]

actually, yes, many of them will.

the ones that live on my house go completely dormant for a couple months.

however, if you keep them at a relatively high temp (85+) they should keep eating, or come out of their brumation.

 

[UrbanJungles]

actually, yes, many of them will.

the ones that live on my house go completely dormant for a couple months.

however, if you keep them at a relatively high temp (85+) they should keep eating, or come out of their brumation.

Do you follow them around or have them radio tagged during this time of "dormancy"? Hemidactylus geckos do not hibernate or go dormant...they must eat on a fairly steady basis since unlike say...leopard geckos, they have no ability to store fat in any long term fashion.

Just because you don't see them running along the outside of your house...it doesn't mean they aren't feeding on insects in the interior and under eaves and such.

 

[spyderlady]

No, I have one in a 5 gallon tank with a piece of cyramic gnarled wood that it hides in.

 

[HepCatMoe]

Do you follow them around or have them radio tagged during this time of "dormancy"? Hemidactylus geckos do not hibernate or go dormant...they must eat on a fairly steady basis since unlike say...leopard geckos, they have no ability to store fat in any long term fashion.

Just because you don't see them running along the outside of your house...it doesn't mean they aren't feeding on insects in the interior and under eaves and such.

most geckos will go into some kind of a brumation if it gets cold enough. its pretty cold outside right now so i really doubt they are moving around much.

that said, im not 100% positive, so ive raised the question over at the gecko nerd forum. still, just from keeping numerous geckos over the years, and being an avid natural history buff, i suspect im right.

but, soon we will have the answer from the experts.

 

[reverendsterlin]

I have a pair of Hemidactylus turcicus that continue eating all winter. That said they of course are not exposed to the outside temps. I notice a slight slow down in activity but that is all.

 

[HepCatMoe]

well, didnt get that many answers, the other thread is here

but the one answer i did get so far, to the question do they brumate, is:

Yes they can, and often do.

There's a decent sized population in an area close to Lynchburg, VA. They will face weeks at a time with temps below freezing, along with ice storms and snow.

I doubt they are doing much basking and hunting during the winter

which basically goes along with what i was saying.

so, all said and done, i still think they brumate, given what i know about geckos, and my direct observations.