Gekko gecko, generally referred to as the tokay gecko, is of course present in and throughout Asia and Southeast Asia. It has additionally been established as an invasive species in south Florida. Tokay geckos are a big species of gecko that usually reaches 12” in captivity. They’re nocturnal by nature and most energetic after the lights exit. Whereas tokay geckos have at all times been available, there was an elevated curiosity and appreciable hype in protecting tokay geckos lately. One of many the reason why tokay geckos have turn into more and more fashionable with reptile fans is because of the reality they’re comparatively hardy if their wants are met and so they additionally are available a myriad of colours and mutations, with some shade mutations fetching somewhat excessive worth tags. Many of those morphs have slowly turn into extra available lately, nevertheless many of those are nonetheless wild caught imports. For sure the institution of tokay morphs in captivity remains to be in its infancy.
Tokay gecko ghost morph. Photograph by Jimmy Ma
Tokay Gecko Care and Husbandry
Enclosure Necessities
Enclosures that maintain warmth and humidity properly are required to deal with a tokay gecko. We use a mixture of PVC enclosures, glass enclosures with an appropriately modified prime, and entrance opening glass cages. An 18” W x 18” L x 24” H or equal is an efficient measurement to deal with a pair of grownup tokays. In case you can afford to supply extra space, go for it. Tubs and rack programs utilizing tubs should not good for this species. Be certain that to incorporate a number of hiding locations on your tokays. Cork tubes, cork panels, PVC tubes, and different reptile hides are good hiding locations on your gecko. If you’re utilizing any sort of tubing or tube, be sure that your arms can match inside. In any other case it will likely be fairly difficult when it comes time to take away the gecko or its infants if they’re hiding in a slender tube. Whereas juveniles of each sexes and related sizes could be housed collectively with out an excessive amount of bother, adults needs to be housed individually or in sexed male feminine pairs. Don’t home two grownup males collectively, as that can most definitely lead to one male being harassed and stressed.
T+ child Tokay gecko. Photograph by Joshua Carson
Perfect Lighting/ Temperature/ Humidity for Tokay Geckos
Tokay geckos are native to tropical environments. Right here at Gekko & Gecko, we now have discovered it simpler to warmth the whole room versus heating particular person cages. Ambient temperatures vary from 80 to 90 levels Fahrenheit (26.7 to 32.2 levels Celsius) relying on the season, however the common can be round 84 levels Fahrenheit (28.9 levels Celsius). An evening time temperature drop is offered and temperatures drop all the way down to 75 to 78 levels Fahrenheit (23.9 to 25.6 levels Celsius) relying on the time of day and season. Perfect humidity ranges from 50 to 60%. They need to be maintained in a comparatively humid atmosphere however be aware that this doesn’t imply that the enclosure is moist on a regular basis. If the humidity is simply too low, you danger probably having caught sheds. Take note the geckos don’t like their cage to be moist and soggy. The truth is, we now have discovered that when the substrate is simply too moist, they have a tendency to cease consuming and be much less energetic. Gentle is supplied with a 12 hour on/off cycle. We don’t use any particular bulbs and haven’t had any points so far. Being that they’re principally nocturnal, tokays are often hiding a lot of the day when the lights are on.
Tremendous crimson morph. Photograph by Joshua Carson
Tokay Gecko Feeding
Tokay geckos are opportunistic feeders, which means that they may go for nearly any insect or small mammal that can match into their mouth. In captivity, crickets and dubia roaches make up the majority of their weight-reduction plan. Superworms and hornworms, if they may take them, are nice methods to get some weight on skinnier geckos. Guarantee that bugs are gut-loaded and dusted with a high-quality vitamin and calcium powder. Some tokays would possibly even take an occasional pinky mouse. Feed about two to a few instances per week. Watch the load of your tokays, some animals particularly males are likely to “pack on the kilos” in a short time and develop “rolls” on their sides. As with different species, an overweight tokay gecko isn’t a wholesome animal and won’t be an incredible breeder.
Energy blue morph. Photograph by Mark Prieto
Dealing with the Tokay Gecko
Tokay geckos should not naturally tame or simple to deal with like many different geckos. Animals that aren’t used to dealing with won’t hesitate to chew. A chew from a tokay gecko could be fairly painful and trigger bleeding. As a rule, as soon as a tokay gecko has clamped its jaws onto you, it will likely be reluctant to let go and the extra you wrestle or attempt to get them to let go, the more durable they may clamp down. That being mentioned, taming a tokay gecko isn’t unimaginable. One of many first steps in taming a tokay can be to get the animal to simply accept meals from tongs. This turns into an necessary first step in constructing a bond and belief along with your tokay. It is very important do not forget that tokay’s are defensive, and never aggressive like most individuals suppose. As soon as the keeper understands this, taming and protecting will turn into simpler.
Platinum morph. Photograph by Jimmy Ma
Wild Caught versus Captive Bred
As with most reptiles, a captive born and bred animal can be the best first tokay gecko. Nonetheless, nearly all of tokay geckos obtainable are nonetheless going to be wild caught people which can be imported from both Indonesia or south Florida. A wholesome tokay is often very alert, energetic, and oftentimes, offended!
An important factor in case you are beginning with a wild caught animal is to get it hydrated and consuming. Many instances imported animals have had an prolonged time period sitting in a holding cage in lower than ideally suited circumstances. By the point they get to you, they could be severely dehydrated and emaciated. Maintain off on deworming or every other parasite remedy till the animal has been consuming and is hydrated correctly. As a rule, an animal is skinny on account of negligent care somewhat than parasites. If an animal that’s dehydrated and emaciated is handled for parasites, their our bodies may not be capable to deal with the medicine and the ensuing elevated pressure on the physique of eradicating the useless parasites. We propose ready till the animal is secure and of respectable physique weight earlier than doing any remedy. Seek the advice of with a veterinarian for a fecal pattern and correct dosing of medicines akin to Flagyl and Panacur. The problem of parasites and dehydrated and emaciated tokay geckos could be lessened by searching for out a captive-bred tokay gecko from a good breeder. Captive-bred ought to at all times be the primary selection.
Tremendous crimson guarding eggs. Photograph by Jimmy Ma
Breeding the Tokay Gecko
Tokay geckos are one of many few geckos that present parental care for his or her younger. Pairs will guard their nest, eggs, and infants ferociously. It’s not unusual to even have pairs tending a nest that consists of infants and juveniles of various ages and sizes. Typically you’ll even see freshly hatched infants consuming the feces of the adults as their first meal to assist get their abdomen began. Tokays attain maturity at round 2 to three years of age and could be thought of for breeding if they’ve good physique weight, often round 90 grams. That is particularly necessary for females. With a purpose to breed tokays, you should just remember to have an precisely sexed pair. Each men and women will show femoral pores. Grownup males may have a lot bigger, waxy pores which can be tough to the contact. Feminine tokays have extra outlined pores that will probably be easy to the contact. Males will get bigger and have bigger head construction. Males are additionally those that can make the basic “toke-kay” name.
Regular. Photograph by Joshua Carson
With a purpose to efficiently breed tokays, it is very important be sure that your pair is suitable. Not all pairs are. That is just like what occurs with the New Caledonian big geckos (Rhacodactylus leachianus). Some animals are simply not suitable and because of this they won’t breed. One signal that two animals are suitable is that if they “sleep” collectively in the identical tube or hiding house.
Tokay geckos shield their infants for vital quantities of time.
In case your animals are suitable, they may lay two arduous shelled eggs which can be adhered to both the wall of the enclosure or the partitions of their chosen nesting web site. The pair will proceed to put two eggs each month or so, typically having as many as 20 eggs in a season. It’s extremely advisable to take away the male after the fourth clutch or eighth egg, to scale back probabilities of over breeding the feminine. Eggs could be left the place they’re laid assuming the ambient temperature and humidity ranges are applicable. Incubation instances can vary from 60 to as many as 180 days. One thing to be cautious of is the situation of the feminine all through this course of, particularly wild-caught females. They’re prone to crashing on account of both the elevated calcium calls for and/or pressure on their probably broken kidneys from once they had been imported. Hold a detailed eye and be ready to drag the feminine from breeding on the first signal that the feminine is shedding any vital weight or appearing otherwise.
Regular took gecko coloration. Photograph by Jimmy Ma
Tokay Gecko Genetics and Morphs
The next is only a pattern of the morphs which can be obtainable within the US market. Most of the morphs have really been identified to the reptile pastime for fairly a while now. Nonetheless, it is just lately that a few of these morphs have been confirmed heritable and we now have a greater understanding of how tokay genetics works. We now have certainly not unlocked all of the secrets and techniques of tokay genetics. There stay many mysteries left to be solved on the planet of tokay morphs. One of many greatest challenges of tokay genetics is the truth that two animals which can be phenotypically similar could be incompatible genetically with one another. Keepers in Asia appear to have made rather more progress in establishing tokay morphs in captivity. Additionally it is price mentioning that how a tokay gecko seems is sort of depending on the exterior circumstances akin to temperature and humidity, but additionally the temper of the gecko itself. You’d be amazed at how drastically completely different a tokay gecko seems when it’s “fired up.”
Lavender paradox tokay gecko. Photograph by Jimmy Ma.
Patternless: Patternless is characterised by the absence of any of the standard crimson patterning seen in regular tokays. Physique shade is often one shade and there’s no proof of two-toned banding usually seen in regular tokays. There are three completely different types of this mutation: blue-headed inexperienced, olive/emerald, and everyone’s favourite, powder blue. All could be mixed collectively and produce the others. The patternless gene is a straightforward recessive gene. This morph is properly established within the pastime and is a available morph.
Eye shade comparability. Photograph by Joshua Carson
Platinum: Platinum is a morph first confirmed and established right here within the USA by Joshua Carson of CPX Reptiles. This morph is a confirmed line of yellow noticed tokay geckos that’s characterised by their silvery platinum trying eyes. It is a easy recessive mutation. One of many difficulties of working with tokay morphs is the truth that two animals which can be phenotypically related will show incompatible and produce regular trying probably double heterozygous animals. Many Indonesian exporters now use the time period “Platinum” to explain any yellow noticed animals. Nonetheless not all yellow noticed tokays are suitable and even heritable for that matter. There may be not less than one different line of confirmed yellow noticed tokays right here within the US however time remains to be wanted to find out whether or not the strains are suitable with one another.
A pair of inexperienced galaxy tokay geckos. Photograph by Jimmy Ma
Tremendous Pink: The tremendous crimson is a co-dominant morph. Animals are characterised by an virtually reversal of the conventional shade of a tokay gecko. The crimson spots on what can be regular tokay regularly will get bigger and bigger till it spreads out, changing into the dominant shade of the animal. These are typically a slower rising morph that finally ends up being a bit bigger than different morphs. Additionally they appear to put bigger eggs. Infants hatch out just like regular tokays, however changing into more and more extra crimson as they become old. This is without doubt one of the most wanted morphs.
Sweet Dot: A singular morph through which all of the dots of the tokay are pin factors and lined up straight down the tokay’s again, with a novel base tone that may make the gecko tremendous darkish or tremendous gentle relying on its temper. Sweet dots or sweet buttons have strong black eyes. This morph is easy recessive and is sort of spectacular.
Lavender Paradox: The paradox is characterised by animals which have a sample just like that of the sweet dot however extra irregular. They have a tendency to have an general lavender or purple grey physique shade. Unfold all through the physique randomly will probably be lighter contrasting, gentle blue patches. There may be some hypothesis that this morph is said to the sweet dot, probably being a visible heterozygous provider for the sweet dot gene. Extra time can be wanted to show this out. Max Ong in Malaysia has confirmed this morph to be inherited as a easy recessive. Jimmy Ma was in a position to show that this trait is heritable right here within the USA, producing infants of this morph from two visible mother and father. It’s unknown if the 2 strains are suitable however hypothesis is that they’re the identical morph.
Diablo morph. Photograph by Logan Barrett
Blueberry: A easy recessive morph that has slowly been making its manner into the USA, in my view one of many coolest morphs on the market and hopefully will take off as soon as slightly extra manufacturing occurs. Blueberry animals are characterised by having black splotches on their ft, additionally missing giant crimson spots. This morph was additionally confirmed out by Max Ong.
Ghost: Ghost is without doubt one of the superior morphs that sadly has been eluding the US pastime for a while now, though it seems similar to a blueberry, as an alternative of simply having black splotches on its ft it may have them throughout its physique, in addition to having extra recognizing. Hopefully a number of of those will make their option to the USA quickly. Additionally one other easy recessive morph, confirmed out by Park Wooram.
Granite/Pied/Lucy: The morphs everybody desires to provide and but everybody appears to fail at producing, except you’re Denise Whitney at Fortunate Foot Geckos. She has carried out among the most work out of anybody to provide these morphs and has seen some success. I group these morphs collectively as a result of it’s a progressive trait. You can begin off shopping for a wild-caught blue granite and in a 12 months it may begin gaining white patches and turn into a pied, then in 3 months flip strong white, after which two years later acquire shade and return to trying regular. Nearly all infants hatch out trying regular and once in a while you’ll have one change someday down the highway. Which makes making them and promoting them a problem.
Sweet morph. Photograph by Joshua Carson
Since similar to yellow spotteds, you possibly can put a granite to a granite and find yourself with all normals that can by no means change, you want two granites of the identical sort caught from the identical space to have an opportunity at producing any visuals in any respect, or you possibly can strive line breeding. To date what has been found concerning the gene is that it appears to be a easy recessive progressive trait. Which makes line breeding tough, as a result of you’ll have a visible paired to a heterozygous and you need to be producing visuals and heterozygous however since they virtually by no means hatch out visible you’re caught holding again the whole lot for years hoping somebody will begin to change. Lastly when wanting to buy a leucistic tokay, do not forget that there isn’t a true leucistic morph for tokays. The identify leucistic tokay is only a gross sales gimmick used on imported white tokays. Most consumers don’t notice that their newly bought white tokay has an incredible probability of turning right into a pied, granite, or reverting again to a traditional coloured tokay.
Lowered Sample: In all probability probably the most available, underrated, and mislabeled tokay morph on the market. Because the morph identify suggests the decreased sample is a tokay with much less sample, but additionally has an off base shade tending to be extra of a inexperienced shade. Lowered males are likely to have extra sample or crimson spots than females. As a result of the truth that some animals are nearly patternless, it turns into tough to differentiate this morph from a patternless, particularly females usually get mislabeled as patternless to be bought at larger costs. One distinguishing function is the presence of sunshine blue banding on the physique of the animal. The decreased morph is a codominant gene and is typically known as “Inexperienced Codominant.”
Albino: There have been a number of amelanistic or albino animals which have are available as imports over the previous few years. Nonetheless, similar to with different tokay morphs, simply because two animals are phenotypically the identical doesn’t imply they are going to be genetically suitable. This isn’t not like albino boa constrictors, with Kahl and Sharp strains not being suitable with one another however somewhat distinct strains of albinos. Just like different reptiles, there are T+ and T- albinos. What’s much more complicated is the truth that some importers/ exporters additionally use the time period hypomelanistic interchangeably when labeling the animals. One option to distinguish true albinos is to look into their mouths. They need to don’t have any black of their mouth and needs to be totally pink. A number of breeders have been working with albinos and we do have confirmed strains of each T+ and T- albinos. To date all appear to be easy recessive. Kevin McCurley has confirmed and established a line of T- albino, whereas Joshua Carson has confirmed and established a line of T+ albinos. Nonetheless, remember that in case you are shopping for a wild-caught imported animal labeled as “albino” it’s thought of an unproven gene till you are able to do the work of proving that it’s a heritable trait and whether it is suitable with different established strains.
Tokay Gecko Assaults Tree Snake, Which Regurgitates One other Gecko
Tokay Gecko Care
Diablo: Diablo is a morph that’s characterised by a purplish undertone that may seem translucent at instances. They’ve distinctive jet black eyes and spots that may go from a deep orange to a shiny yellow. This morph appears to have been first confirmed easy recessive in Indonesia again in 2018. The mission was additional developed by Max Ong in Malaysia in 2019. We now have our first USCB examples of this morph due to the efforts of Logan Barret of M95 Genetics.
Conclusion
Tokay geckos have many qualities that make them ideally suited candidates on your subsequent scaly pet. They are often extraordinarily hardy so long as a number of pretty easy circumstances are met. They arrive in a wide range of colours and sample morphs. Whereas their perspective would possibly make the method of taming them tougher, it’s all the extra rewarding whenever you do achieve taming one down. Gone are the times of taking a look at tokay geckos as “low cost” imports and disposable pets. Over the previous few years, there was a surge in curiosity in protecting and breeding tokay geckos. Ideally, get your self a captive bred animal. Imported animals, whereas they is perhaps tempting, do require some extra concerns and care. Even then, typically, they won’t do properly. US captive born and bred tokays are extremely wanted captives, particularly these of varied shade and sample morphs. Whereas we now have a greater understanding of genetics and inheritance of sure tokay morphs, there may be nonetheless a lot to be found. As talked about earlier than, do your analysis in case you are occupied with getting sure morphs of tokays. Whereas many could look phenotypically the identical, they won’t be genetically suitable. It goes with out saying that we now have solely scratched the floor. We hope that in case you are on the lookout for a gecko that has vibrant colours and a spunky perspective, you’ll think about getting a tokay gecko.
Jimmy Ma is the proprietor of Gekko & Gecko, LLC. He has been protecting reptiles for greater than 20 years and is at the moment working with tokay gecko morphs and New Caledonia big geckos. You may attain him on Instagram at @gekko_and_gecko. Joshua Carson is the co proprietor of CPX Reptiles with Mark Prieto. Joshua has morethan 15 years expertise working with tokay geckos. CPX Reptiles works with tokay gecko morphs and unappreciated oddball reptiles. You may go to them on Fb at CPX Reptiles.
