Tokay Gecko Care, Feeding & Terrarium Design

[findi]

Hi, Frank Indiviglio here. I’m a herpetologist, zoologist, and book author, recently retired from a career of over 20 years with the Bronx Zoo. Pugnacious reptiles with “attitudes” have long been favored by herp enthusiasts. In the lizard world, perhaps none fits this description so well as the Tokay Gecko, Gekko gecko. It truly is the ultimate “big lizard in a small package”. Years ago, I liberated a group into a huge multi-species exhibit at the Bronx Zoo, mainly for my own interests. Although my fellow keepers were well-experienced in caring for venomous snakes, dangerous primates and the like, I was roundly criticized…no one wanted to chance accidentally grabbing one of these foot-long nocturnal terrors! But in the right hands (well, not literally “in hand”…most object strenuously!), Tokay Geckos make fascinating pets that may live into their 20’s. What’s more, they are beautifully-clad in an array of colors, and are not shy about exhibiting their behaviors, including reproduction. Read the rest of this article here http://bit.ly/1eNGI76
Please also check out my posts on Twitter http://bitly.com/JP27Nj and Facebook http://on.fb.me/KckP1m

My Bio, with photos of animals I’ve been lucky enough to work with: http://bitly.com/LC8Lbp

Best Regards, Frank Indiviglio

 

[Najakeeper]

I have seen and heard these guys in Bali almost every night. I loved their bark like calls, "to-keh", and the natives like them as they eat a lot of bugs. I think these are as cool as a gecko can get and even some morphs are available now.

Thanks for the information Frank.

 

[findi]

I have seen and heard these guys in Bali almost every night. I loved their bark like calls, "to-keh", and the natives like them as they eat a lot of bugs. I think these are as cool as a gecko can get and even some morphs are available now.

Thanks for the information Frank.

Yes...I saw some amazing morphs a few years back in Fla; given their diverse colors, there's lots to work with, I'll bet. Best, Frank

 

[The Snark]

Handling tokays is quite easy. Cheat. I use a pair of very tight welding gloves but just about any tight supple leather gloves will do. If it's what they call 'split leather' the animal can cut through it so avoid using the ultra supple gloves like used by English riding enthusiasts.

To make a pair of tokay gloves. Buy a pair of quality leather gloves. Soak them in water then dry them thoroughly several times. They will shrink considerably. Then soak them in Neatsfoot oil and wear them in, working them for an hour or two. An alternate way of wearing them in is to put them in a rock tumbling with several heavy rounded rocks for an hour or two. After the shrinking process make sure they are well oiled and can never get wet again.

For the novice who wants to try tokay handling, be warned. Their jaws are strong enough and the 'teeth' sharp enough to decapitate a small rat.