Mixing species -PLEASE READ

[Aceman]

All true. An unscrupulous pet shop owner, who shall remain nameless, houses an unbelieveably diverse selection of reptiles within the same tanks. As you say it may seem acceptable in the short term but ultimately the occupants become unduly stressed.

[arthur cooke]

This is the second viv I did, sorry it's a bit wobberly but it's all I videod with this viv, you'll see that it's bigger, first bit is when it was a month old and the others when it was a year or two.
YouTube - Naturalistic community vivarium

Stress is frequently used as a reason for not mixing and I have to argue this point, animals evolved to cope with every day stress and finding another lizard, frog etc in their environment is every day stress, this would happen every day in the wild.
The green anole in the first viv was 8 years old when he died,A good life for a green anole.

Dense planting enables an animal to escape and hide should it feel stressed and this is natures way of alleviating stress and providing an escape route does this. No different really than providing a hide for a leo.

cheers arthur

[Lizard_lass]

Originally Posted by Aceman

All true. An unscrupulous pet shop owner, who shall remain nameless, houses an unbelieveably diverse selection of reptiles within the same tanks. As you say it may seem acceptable in the short term but ultimately the occupants become unduly stressed.

I was recently sold a Brown anole male and an unsexed house gecko. Which I was told would live together quite happilly as they had been doing in the shop. less than 3 weeks later, I only have the anole left. There were 2 basking areas, lots of hides, and plenty of food, but still the anole killed the gecko

Having had a conversaton with the seller I have been told and I quote "thats the risk you take"

NOT what i was told when i asked the question originally.

[Nic B-C]

Arent brown aggresive thoguh perhaps they got details mixed up with a green anole

[arthur cooke]

Anoles can be aggressive among them selves but I never seen an Anole behave aggressively with another lizard.

House geckos when full grown are much bigger than a brown Anole, was there a size difference, if the house gecko was a lot smaller then maybe the brown tried to predate it, but it would've have to have been a lot smaller.

Did you see the brown attack the gecko or did you just find it dead. If the later you might be making an assumption. Many house geckos are wild caught and it may have been ill.

The bite strength of a house gecko is quite a bit more than a brown anole so I'm surprised.

The pet shop is wrong to say that's the risk you take, because it is not. Are you sure that they are not trying to wriggle out of selling you an ill animal.

cheers arthur.

[Lizard_lass]

They were both of similar size (around 4"), the day before the incident we noticed the anole flaring his dewlap, and having never had lizards before (although I have kept royal pythons for 15 years) didn't really reallise what was happening. I did some research and realised this was either for mating or predatory purposes.

It was decided we would move the gecko out for its own safety, and while preparing his new home, I walked in to see the anole pounce on him from a higher branch, then stomp all over him. It was all a little mad so not sure whether there was any biting going on.

On close inspection (following his demise)the gecko had little rake marks I assume from the anoles claws, all over him.

As for the comments by the pet shop, I think they were completely wrong in selling me the two together knowing I was intending housing them together, without any words of warning from them. They knew my situation, experience, and plans. Having spoken with them again they are refusing to take on any responsibility for having given me poor advice.

I will in future (now I have discovered this amazing place) be checking on this forum for any advice I might need.

[arthur cooke]

Glad you like us.
I still wonder if the little gecko was sick, normally the gecko would come out at night and the Anole in the daytime so the gecko being out during the day makes me wonder. Also I think a healthy lizard would've made a run for it. I had a house gecko in my mixed viv and never saw him from one month to the next, I'd get a little glimpse now and then.
cheers arthur.

[Nic B-C]

Thats sounds like it was trying to mate it and it was weak like Arthur has said

[Astritos]

Originally Posted by arthur cooke

Glad you like us.
I still wonder if the little gecko was sick, normally the gecko would come out at night and the Anole in the daytime so the gecko being out during the day makes me wonder. Also I think a healthy lizard would've made a run for it. I had a house gecko in my mixed viv and never saw him from one month to the next, I'd get a little glimpse now and then.
cheers arthur.

Hey Arthur wondering when you next do a vid would you be able to get some inside shots? Like put the cam in there in different places to get some good close up shots of them?
Just an idea.

Dan

[Nic B-C]

Whats the species in this one please Arthur?

I see theres a snake and a few breeds of frogs only know the red eye and nice to actually see that out in theopen as well