# Mourning Gecko(s)



## stoofpipe (Jun 12, 2011)

So iv'e recently come across these cool little lizards and i have been really interested. I have been looking to get an other scorpion or maybe an other snake but i'm now leaning towards these. They seem pretty easy to keep and i will be able afford it, but before i get my hopes up to much i want to ask a few questions:
I have an exo terra 12"x12"x12", will that house one,two or more?
Can you handle them at all? I don't intend on handling frequently but just every now and then to more/check out, or do they get stressed or jumpy?
Can be fed on just fruit and gecko supplements or will they need a few insects?
What temperatures do i need? Iv'e read room temp is fine but i've also read 28° is best.
Will females always lay eggs and do i have to incubate them?
Are they readily availible?
By the way this would be my first lizard.Thanks:2thumb:


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## OverBoard (Dec 9, 2011)

Seeing as they're parthenogenetic, although you may think you have enough space and money for one lil' mourning gecko, it's probably best to consider the amount of money incubating the eggs and rearing the young will cost over the lifespan of the lizard(s), unless you killed the eggs before they hatched. Which would of course mean you had to check the vivarium for eggs frequently, and a mourning gecko could escape through the open door in a flash! They are easy to keep from what I've heard and pretty readily available (considering they breed so easy!) I believe Global Geckos and SleepyDee have some for sale at the moment?


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## stoofpipe (Jun 12, 2011)

OverBoard said:


> Seeing as they're parthenogenetic, although you may think you have enough space and money for one lil' mourning gecko, it's probably best to consider the amount of money incubating the eggs and rearing the young will cost over the lifespan of the lizard(s), unless you killed the eggs before they hatched. Which would of course mean you had to check the vivarium for eggs frequently, and a mourning gecko could escape through the open door in a flash! They are easy to keep from what I've heard and pretty readily available (considering they breed so easy!) I believe Global Geckos and SleepyDee have some for sale at the moment?


Maybe i could try get a male?


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## OverBoard (Dec 9, 2011)

stoofpipe said:


> Maybe i could try get a male?


Considering there are no remaining males that have been found, it might be a bit difficult. Parthenogenesis renders males completely irrelevant to the species' survival, so they tend to go extinct. You might be able to keep the amount of hatchlings in check by looking for eggs regularly and removing them as you see them, then simply not incubating them. I'm not really sure though-it's definately a subject to look into. I found this really good care sheet a while ago for them, it was in a different language but probably the most detailed on the web. You can get Google to translate it for you anway. I'll see if I can hunt it down for ya : victory:


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## stoofpipe (Jun 12, 2011)

OverBoard said:


> Considering there are no remaining males that have been found, it might be a bit difficult. Parthenogenesis renders males completely irrelevant to the species' survival, so they tend to go extinct. You might be able to keep the amount of hatchlings in check by looking for eggs regularly and removing them as you see them, then simply not incubating them. I'm not really sure though-it's definately a subject to look into. I found this really good care sheet a while ago for them, it was in a different language but probably the most detailed on the web. You can get Google to translate it for you anway. I'll see if I can hunt it down for ya : victory:


I think i've seen the one your on about but it i couldn't find anything on the availibilty of males and anyway if you dont have to incubate eggs i'm sure i could just sell of any babies that i hatch and anyway how many babies can one gecko produce.


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## OverBoard (Dec 9, 2011)

stoofpipe said:


> I think i've seen the one your on about but it i couldn't find anything on the availibilty of males and anyway if you dont have to incubate eggs i'm sure i could just sell of any babies that i hatch and anyway how many babies can one gecko produce.


True. As long as you have places to sell them too, which shouldn't be too hard I guess seeing as there are so many reptile keepers out there today!

I think it's best not to keep them singly as they are highly communal-but I'm not sure how many you could keep in a 30cm cube. Hopefully someone a little more knowledgeable will come along with the answers soon! :lol2:
And they produce clutches of 1-2 eggs at 3-6 week intervals on average.


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## SleepyD (Feb 13, 2008)

stoofpipe said:


> I have an exo terra 12"x12"x12", will that house one,two or more? ~ I have 5 adults in a 12x18hx12 exo with plenty of plants ~ although they have a heirachy the girls do well together
> Can you handle them at all? I don't intend on handling frequently but just every now and then to more/check out, or do they get stressed or jumpy? ~ no they're not really something you can handle.. they're very quick, darty and live up to the nick-name of pocket rockets :lol2:
> Can be fed on just fruit and gecko supplements or will they need a few insects? ~ mine all eat CGD though the adults also have small crickets
> What temperatures do i need? Iv'e read room temp is fine but i've also read 28° is best. ~ mine are kept in the rep-room with an ambient temp of 75*f
> ...


answers above in blue : victory:



stoofpipe said:


> I think i've seen the one your on about but it i couldn't find anything on the availibilty of males and anyway if you dont have to incubate eggs i'm sure i could just sell of any babies that i hatch and anyway *how many babies can one gecko produce*.


from what I've read males are exceedingly rare and to be honest as they're parthenogenic males aren't needed anyway  as to how many babies can one gecko produce..... the answers a lot plus the babies when they hatch are very small, very fast and great escape artists :whistling2:


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## stoofpipe (Jun 12, 2011)

Thanks for the help, I suppose I could do a good search of the tank every now and then and any eggs that i find could be moved into cricket tubs so that babies don't escape. Come next year i will probably get a couple of these geckos as they seem a joy to keep.


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## SleepyD (Feb 13, 2008)

stoofpipe said:


> Thanks for the help, I suppose I could do a good search of the tank every now and then and any eggs that i find could be moved into cricket tubs so that babies don't escape. Come next year i will probably get a couple of these geckos as they seem a joy to keep.


you may have difficulties trying to remove any eggs as the females stick the eggs down... if you're lucky the eggs might be laid/stuck to a leaf ~ in which case you can cut the leaf off and put it (and the eggs) in a cricket box (or similar) but if they stick the eggs to the glass/wall/roof then the eggs have to be left in situ as attempts to move them could result in breaking them


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## stoofpipe (Jun 12, 2011)

SleepyD said:


> you may have difficulties trying to remove any eggs as the females stick the eggs down... if you're lucky the eggs might be laid/stuck to a leaf ~ in which case you can cut the leaf off and put it (and the eggs) in a cricket box (or similar) but if they stick the eggs to the glass/wall/roof then the eggs have to be left in situ as attempts to move them could result in breaking them


Oh, Okay then, i suppose ill just monitor the eggs. Maybe i could make a note of when i first see an egg and write down where it is. Do you have any tips on catching hatchlings?


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## SleepyD (Feb 13, 2008)

stoofpipe said:


> Oh, Okay then, i suppose ill just monitor the eggs. Maybe i could make a note of when i first see an egg and write down where it is. *Do you have any tips on catching hatchlings?*


tips on catching the hatchlings?....... pray you're quicker then them :lol2:
seriously they move like greased lightening, can hide well and are small ~ if I see one I've missed then the easiest way I've found (if it's perched on the glass) is to manouver a crix box over it, tap the glass gently to scoot it into the box and put the lid on quick 

two hatchlings next to a 5p ~ 









two eggs next to a 5p


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## Thirteen (Jan 12, 2011)

Very interesting thread! 

Will soon have a 12x12x18 empty viv, how many can happily live in this? 

What substrate is better?

Found this care sheet, is it complete?
Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) care sheet -- update - Geckos Unlimited


SleepyD, will remember that you have some :2thumb: and as they seem to breed easily and frequently I might be in touch very soon if you have some available early january  What kind of price do they go for?

Thanks all

Tom


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

stoofpipe said:


> Oh, Okay then, i suppose ill just monitor the eggs. Maybe i could make a note of when i first see an egg and write down where it is. Do you have any tips on catching hatchlings?


Sleepy D has covered most points. Although i dont keep these i keep lygos, their egg laying behavior is very similar.What i do is when eggs are noticed, i just put a little dome netting cup, which come from tea strainers, t over the eggs. That way the eggs don't get damaged and also when hatched the babies can be easily removed. simples. 

Also sleepy D, any chance you could PM me about the morning geckos you have for sale as I know some people after them.

Jay


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## Thirteen (Jan 12, 2011)

SleepyD, your site answered all my questions:2thumb:
Will be in touch beginning of January


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## SleepyD (Feb 13, 2008)

Spikebrit said:


> Sleepy D has covered most points. Although i dont keep these i keep lygos, their egg laying behavior is very similar.What i do is when eggs are noticed, i just put a little dome netting cup, which come from tea strainers, t over the eggs. That way the eggs don't get damaged and also when hatched the babies can be easily removed. simples.
> 
> Also sleepy D, any chance you could PM me about the morning geckos you have for sale as I know some people after them.


lol the dome works if the little blitters lay the eggs on flat glass... two of my females insist on either laying the eggs in the corners between the lid and the mesh or in the edge right under the doors >.<
and PM on it's way hun : victory:


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## SleepyD (Feb 13, 2008)

Thirteen said:


> SleepyD, your site answered all my questions:2thumb:
> Will be in touch beginning of January


glad it helped


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## Spikebrit (Oct 23, 2006)

SleepyD said:


> lol the dome works if the little blitters lay the eggs on flat glass... two of my females insist on either laying the eggs in the corners between the lid and the mesh or in the edge right under the doors >.<
> and PM on it's way hun : victory:


Very true, I have some stiff mesh i wrap around certain eggs, but you cant get all of them and sometimes its just a matter of catching them in the viv or on the wall when they inadvertently escape as you try and catch them. 

They are so much fun, but so much trouble as well lol. 

Jay


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## SleepyD (Feb 13, 2008)

Spikebrit said:


> They are so much fun, but so much trouble as well lol.


ain't that the truth :lol2::lol2:


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## aron6 (Nov 9, 2015)

OverBoard said:


> Considering there are no remaining males that have been found, it might be a bit difficult. Parthenogenesis renders males completely irrelevant to the species' survival, so they tend to go extinct.


I caught mourning geckos (Lepidodactylus lugubris) doing what looks like mating, so i presume there are males of this species.


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

aron6 said:


> I caught mourning geckos (Lepidodactylus lugubris) doing what looks like mating, so i presume there are males of this species.
> 
> image


Intriguing. 
Would be very interesting to see if the "male" is proven to be male by way if hemipenal pores.


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