2.2 Carrot Tail Viper Geckos

Herps and Fish

2.2 Carrot Tail Viper Geckos

To give an overview the first two were acquired as semi adults around the same time as the trio of crested geckos, mid summer 2001. They were placed in a ten gallon half built up with gravel (1/4" diameter) half with washed beach sand (not from an ocean). The sand was chosen due to it's small smooth shape and lack of dustiness. When I went to move them to another cage (that will soon be pictured) I gently stirred my hand through the sand checking for eggs, joking with a friend that they would not lay them in the gravel. I did not find any eggs, and immediately went to tearing out the gravel only to crush two perfectly formed and previously standing eggs both fertilized, what did I learn? Never ever rummage through gravel even though you don't find it suitable for egglaying!!
The second two I acquired about three months later, and introduced them to the new twenty gallon long with no problems with the other geckos.
Heating for this terrarium is done with two large undertank heaters, both located on left hand side of terrarium, this is another possibility as to why the succulent on the left hand side perished so quickly after introduction??

Carrot Tail Viper Gecko 20 gallon longActual size=240 pixels wide

This is a twenty gallon long using flagstone, washed beach sand, coir and 1/4" gravel, the mix is something that I wish I would have done in parts, but instead just mixed as I went, I really love the look of it, as you can see in another picture it is really conducive to the pattern and color of the carrot tail viper geckos. The terrarium itself is constructed through one of Phillipe Vosjoli's *sp* methods found in his book "Desert Vivarium" it is kind of a reverse false bottom with the egg crating being laid down first then screen is layed on top, pvc piping is used as the potting devices so you can water just the plants instead of the whole terrarium, the plants used were all succulents, unfortunately I do not know their scientific names, if anyone out there does please email me so that I can list them. the small succulent in the back right hand corner is some type of agave, the one in the front right looks to be a type of sedum. The one on the left died shortly after planting, so I don't know that it really matters that the name be listed. the potting mix in the pvc pipes is a light airy mixture containg coir, washed beach sand, crushed coral aragonite, and crushed cuttle bone, the last two being added for their calcium benefits.
Originally compact flourscent lighting fixture was used above the terrarium, which gave the setup a much better overall look, and I really feel was better for these high light plants, unfortunately I soon moved it to a new saltwater tank, and substituted a 24" double striplight, the sedum seems to have suffered (notice it's "lankiness"), I will get a compact flourescent back on here as soon as possible!

This is one of my female CTVG. This picture clearly shows why I like the mix used for the terrarium, she blends in quite well, hopefully somewhat like in nature.

20 gallon long CTVG terrarium right corner; Actual size=240 pixels wide

Right hand corner of terrium, female CTVG in middle. You can see agave spp. in back, sedum to right, and front left some type of hen, once again I blame the looks of the hen also on the light, and somewhat to my lack of proper watering.