Tokay? where to buy(Texas)

Discussion in 'Tokay Geckos' started by HMWH, Jul 29, 2004.

  1. HMWH

    HMWH New Member

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    So I am looking to buy two lizards (one of ea. sex) i like how the Tokays look. I go to school in Lubbock(texas tech) but my parents and family lives in dallas. I found a place in LBK that has a tokay but he doesnt move much, and looks dead when i go into the store, but he/she is only 15 bucks?

    So my question where is the best place to purchase between those citys?
    Or is there a good place online, that is cheaper then $15
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  3. herp_girl

    herp_girl Embryo

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    If it looks like it's in that bad of a condition (which is not surprising in a pet store), it's not worth $15. Wild caught animals often are full of parasites, and are, well, wild! Chances are that you won't find a healthy, captive bred Tokay that cheap. To get a good, healthy animal, go to a private breeder. It will cost more, and you'll probably have to pay shipping, but it will be worth it to do it right the first time, and not go through having the animal die. Also a private breeder will take the time to answer any questions you have about caring for the geckos.

    Also be warned that Tokays are (usually) not geckos that can be taken out and held - they will bite as soon as your hand is close enough, and they bite hard enough to draw blood Anything you find in a big pet store will probably be wild caught, and will not tolerate it. A captive bred gecko, picked up and handled from birth, will sometimes get used to it.

    One other thing to consider, Tokays need a large enclosure, especially if you have two of them. Some Tokay breeders/keepers recommend as much as a 100 gallon tank for two of them. They are large geckos, getting over a foot long, so they need room. I would say the smallest tank you should use for one Tokay is a 29 gallon high, for two a 55 gallon. Since Tokays are climbers, and spend most of their time up off the floor of the tank, the height of the aquarium is more important than the length.

    I am not trying to talk you out of a Tokay gecko. I have one myself. They are beautiful animals, I just want to make sure you know what you are getting in to. If you are still interested, I recommend that you do an internet search for "captive bred tokay gecko" and go from there....

    Sorry, this ended up a little longer than I meant it to. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!

    Stephanie
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  5. Hummingbird

    Hummingbird Well-Known Member

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    totally agree with steph - tokay's are mean, get big, AND they cost a lot more than $15 (unless you want them to die within a week). there are so many better geckos than tokays for people who wanna handle their pets. leopard geckos, viper geckos, african fat tails, etc.
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  7. HMWH

    HMWH New Member

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    Thank you for the vast amount of information. It is helping a lot, I was aware that Tokays were agressive, however I wanted something that is interesting looking, and the pattern of the Tokay, i think is really neat. I was planning on getting a 20gallon tank, so it sounds like he/she might be a little tight in that, so if i get a tokay, maybe one will do.

    The store seems to be fairly knowledgable, with their pets, and seem to focus on reptiles. I am a rookie at this, and enjoy the ideas. Below is the website to the pet store.

    http://www.waltersworld.net
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  9. herp_girl

    herp_girl Embryo

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    I looked at the site, and I noticed that a lot of the pictures are John Hollister's. That says good things about the store. I don't know how much he is into lizards, but the guy is a "snake god!" I doubt he would have his name associated with a pet store that didn't take decent care of their animals, especially reptiles. The conditions they have to endure being transported from Asia is the really bad part. Crowded with other geckos, underfed, dehydrated, cold/heat problems.

    Only one Tokay in a 20 gallon would be best. Ask the people at the pet store to take the Tokay out of the cage (while wearing gloves :) ) and look to make sure that you can't see any bones, like ribs or hips, sticking out. The gecko should be sleek shaped, and the head should not be much, if at all, thicker than the body. Also make sure that there aren't large flaps of skin on the sides of the body. All in all, they should be very "solid" looking. Once you buy it, take it to a reptile vet as soon as you get a chance, and bring some of its poop with you. The vet can test for any parasites, and give any antibiotics it needs.

    I am rambling again! I'll stop now...

    Let us know what you end up doing.

    Stephanie


    Some links you might enjoy:

    Healthy looking Tokay
    Care Sheet
     
  10. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  11. HMWH

    HMWH New Member

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