Aliza
Periodically, Gecko Time offers the opportunity to people to respond to an article and have their thoughts published. We do this every other month, when we present a common reptile “controversy” and invite readers to submit comments that will be published the next month. We also occasionally ask readers to share photographs or ideas which we then publish as an article. Interestingly, these topics result in much discussion on individual reptile forums, but usually not in the form of submitted comments to Gecko Time.
This article includes two comment-based topics: the few responses to our “Prose and Controversies: Individual or Group Housing” article, an a second invitation to submit designs and ideas for use of the new Rubbermaid tubs that are intriguing reptile owners.
Invidual or Group Housing Comments
“Zaroba“:I really don’t see what the controversy is.
Most reptiles don’t live together in the wild, it’s as simple as that, there is no debating this. Permanently housing together provides no benefits to animal welfare over housing separately, so it is purely for the sake of the keeper, it’s not an excuse, it’s simple fact. Anybody that wishes to prove me wrong is free to post a health benefit to housing in groups over housing separately. A benefit that would apply to ‘all’ reptiles, not just the select few species that form social groups in nature.
And I’m sure in many cases, housing together is a result of:
inability – “ooo, I wanna get another gecko, but darn, I don’t have space for another cage. I’ll just put him with the other one”
lack of proper knowledge – “He’s all by himself, I’ll get him a playmate”
lack of desire to house properly – “I have a big tank, geckos are small, why should I bother spending the money on another tank for such a small lizard?”
I think your article even clearly points this out.
On separate keeping you seem to point far more towards animal welfare and on group housing you seem to talk more about the keeper.
What is more important? The welfare of the animal or the keeper’s workload?
If you don’t pick the the welfare of the animal, I’d likely have to question your ability to keep any pet.
Sally Martin: I am a new small scale breeder of Leopard Geckos(GulfCoastGeckos). All my adult geckos are housed individually in 32 QT tubs in my rack system. Younger ones, less than 40 grams are housed individually in 16 QT tubs, and new hatchlings are housed individually in 15 QT tubs.
In the last two years, I have tried housing in groups and individually. I personally prefer to house my Leopard Geckos individually.
I am able to monitor their defecation, and feeding habits better. If I see a problem, then I am able to act quickly, before there are more obvious signs of a sick gecko, like weight loss. I also feel very confident that when I sell one, that they are healthy, and eating good.
This decision is based on observation in the last two years, and my own personal preference.
Melissa Nagle: I’ve had success housing multiple Crested geckos together, especially colonies of females. Of course adequate housing is provided, along with live plants for the geckos to rest and sleep in. I also had success with a colony of 5 males who grew up together and were housed in a large enclosure asadults. I think much depends on the temperament of the individual geckos, etc. and care must be taken to observe the geckos to see how everyone is getting along.
Send in Those Rubbermaid Tub Ideas
Back in May, we introduced the new Rubbermaid “all access organizer” tubs which should have wonderful applications as reptile caging. We invited you to submit your projects and designs for these tubs.
The time has come!
Please use the “submit” box below to send us information about what you’ve done with these tubs. What worked? What didn’t work and why? What species are you housing in these tubs and how have you adapted the tubs. We plan to publish all the responses on September 17, so we need responses by September 15. Sooner is fine too.
Let the fun begin!
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