Once I moved him in with my female (in 2020) Queen Maive, he became extremely territorial and defensive of his mate. I find his defensive aggression to be a very good sign of strong genetics. He’s acting like a tip top wild male. Though it did make trying to get into the cage for any reason a major challenge. (A really nice pair of leather reinforced garden gloves came in handy. LOL)
I purchased Queen Maive from Samantha's Geckos in Maine. She hatched on 11/6/2017. She was an extreme harlequin, had a full pinstripe, large furry portholes, tri-coloration, dalmatian spots, and tons of cream that likely was going to turn whiteout. I wanted to combine those improved traits to Hern’s. I was also able to get pics of her parents. She’s always been easy to handle and has never really been skittish or aggressive. Both excellent bonus traits.
Once she was fully grown, I moved her from her planted bioactive grow up cage, to my breeding cage. The breeding cage has multiple potted plants in it, with stones covering the top dirt to discourage digging in them to lay eggs. It makes the egg laying box very appealing and easy to use. During the entire 2020 breeding season, when she was not heavy with eggs, she held her weight right around 50 grams. I was very pleased that her weight was so steady.
I found this handsome gent on Craigslist and he had hatched the beginning of 2017.He had all the traits and colors I was looking for: full pin stripe, tri color, extreme harlequin, dalmatian. While the seller didn’t retain his lineage records, I was able to get pictures of his parents. Unfortunately, he dropped his tail several months after I got him. Once the nub healed up, he moved into a lush bioactive terrarium to finish growing up. I handled him semi-regularly and he was o.k. about it, but not thrilled.
I split the pair up (and in mid-season) because Hern was constantly stressing himself being on guard, to the point that he dropped a significant amount of weight. Once alone, he calmed down and put practically all the weight back on.
Updated 9-28-2023
7-2018
2-2021 pics. He is pretty cranky. But calmed down from trying to "kill" me.
Late 2020
2-2021 I know. She pudged out over winter. I put her on a diet after these pics.
5-2021 Some of the best shots I have of her sides showing her going white-out/wall. As well as her back, and showing how furry her back is.
The spikes in his port holes are very visible here.
7-18-21
Maive is asleep here.
Now she's awake..and wondering why I woke her up. Her base color got a bit darker once she woke up. She is also about half-way to laying a set of eggs (non-fertile).
December 2022, fresh pics
"Hello Ladies!!! Check me out! I can do pull-ups and crunches. I'm a stud!!"
Just laid a set of duds.
About to lay a set of duds.
I was going to breed again in 2022, but everyone caught a sickness. It took most of the year to get all the geckos healthy again. He's holding his weight and he's calmed WAY down. He's still living on his own.
Hern's parents--breeder unknown
Maive had to be treated for the sickness that everyone caught in 2022. She took about 6 months to get back to healthy.
She lost weight again in spring 2023 and the vet and I can't figure out why. She's in isolation and getting extra nutritional food supplements. As of October 2023, she is going to go off assist feeding. If she holds her weight, I'll take her off the extra nutrition food. Once she holds her weight for two months or more, I'll take her in for a vet check.
While I am selling her, she will not be available until she's back up to proper weight (55 grams, more or less). She is under vet care. I will have a full vet check and health-certification, before I sell her.
Update 8-2023: Vet tested--she does NOT have parasites.
