Chalupa.the.Chahoua
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- 7
I have a Pine Island Chahoua. I decided to make an account because I often go here if I'm wondering about something my gecko and I want to see what other people say about their own gecko with the same circumstance. I thought it would be fun to finally join the forum. 
This is Chalupa. At this point, it's been close to 8 weeks since I've had him. I bought him from the breeder Gray Sky Exotics off of MorphMarket.com The breeder is great and has some very nice geckos. Mine cost about $775. He was absolutely worth the investment. It's been so interesting learning about him. I'd been planning on getting a Chahoua for awhile. I knew I wanted a gecko for years, but it took time before I finally decided realistically which one I'd prefer to have the most. Although I like crested geckos, I don't like the fact that they drop their tails so easily. I thought about Gargoyle geckos too, because I really like their colors, although I've heard that some can be pretty aloof? I researched different geckos, from Halamahera to so many others. My dream gecko initially had been a Leachie. I learned about them a year or so ago and I've been obsessed with them ever since. I love looking at pictures of them and watching videos. But taking time to research them, I don't think I'd want to have one knowing that it might be nasty and try to rip my finger off. I decided on a Chahoua because I love how they're known to be more personable and very inquisitive, look similar to a Leachie, and have a much better attitude compared to leachies. My guy is wonderful. It has been weeks since I've had him, and getting him to trust me has been a process. The breeder said that he's very sweet and very easy to handle. When I have held him, which would be the day I clean the cage, he's great. I'm still getting used to the nature of geckos and their potential to jump away at any moment, so I kinda have some slight anxiety holding mine because I just don't want him to run away! He pretty much just sits there in my hand, like the breeder said. He's so cute! I've been hand feeding him Pangea on a spoon to earn his trust.
What do you guys recommend about handling? Like getting them in and out of the cage? I've been putting my hand in front of him in the cage too, so he gets used to my hand. Sometimes I think he wants to come out because now when he sees me he climbs up a branch and approaches the door while I'm right there in front of the cage. Should I let him out when he does that and see if he goes on my hand? He's so fun to watch. He'll climb up and down his cork round, in and out of it, through the leaves, and walk around the perimeter of the cage, haha. He loves the suction cup bamboo branches.
While I'm here, I'd like to know how I'm doing on care.
So I live in Southern California, and where I live the temps in the morning range from 69-71 degrees.
In the afternoon the temps range from 72-74.
And in the evening the temps range from 75-77.
But as summer approaches it's starting to get hotter in the mornings. Now in the mornings to the afternoon the temps are often 74-75 degrees.
By evening the temps are around 75-78 degrees, with the highest having been 79 degrees.
Humidity levels are typically 70-80 percent. If the humidity level is too high then I turn my fan on in the room.
I prefer to leave the window open so he gets natural air but if it gets too cold then I close it.
The cage setup:
The cage measurements are weird because the cage is shaped like a hexagon. It's 22.5 x 19.6x 16.4. He seems to enjoy the space.
I have two cork rounds the connect, with one being slanted upward and the other one is stood up like a tree stump so he can go in and out through both cork rounds.
I have suction cup plants that hang around the sides of the cage to give him privacy. Though some spots are a little bare so I think I should get a few more plants.
What I use for the floor is called a moss carpet. It's something that I'd seen along with the felt repti carpet and I thought i would be nice for the cage, make it look more realistic with the grass. I got my Chahoua knowing that I would not be comfortable with substrate considering that there's a huge risk of him ingesting it and that's the last thing that I need. ;/
Besides, the humidity already gets high enough without the substrate.
I use a digital thermometer for the temperature and a separate thermometer for the humidity. It's the kind that shows the humidity in the big blue shade and the temperature at the bottom.
I think he's been settling in pretty well. I'm still trying to build trust with him. One more thing, can someone give me some advice about a Chahoua that won't eat his insects? The breeder said that she would throw them in the cage and he'd always hunt them down but with me he never eats them! So I've been giving him the Pangea with insect in it, just to make sure he gets something at least.
I offer both Pangea and Repashy, pretty much all the flavors. I started to get creative and combine flavors, haha, like cherry & watermelon, cherry & pineapple.
Well it's nice to meet everyone. Chalupa says hi!
This is Chalupa. At this point, it's been close to 8 weeks since I've had him. I bought him from the breeder Gray Sky Exotics off of MorphMarket.com The breeder is great and has some very nice geckos. Mine cost about $775. He was absolutely worth the investment. It's been so interesting learning about him. I'd been planning on getting a Chahoua for awhile. I knew I wanted a gecko for years, but it took time before I finally decided realistically which one I'd prefer to have the most. Although I like crested geckos, I don't like the fact that they drop their tails so easily. I thought about Gargoyle geckos too, because I really like their colors, although I've heard that some can be pretty aloof? I researched different geckos, from Halamahera to so many others. My dream gecko initially had been a Leachie. I learned about them a year or so ago and I've been obsessed with them ever since. I love looking at pictures of them and watching videos. But taking time to research them, I don't think I'd want to have one knowing that it might be nasty and try to rip my finger off. I decided on a Chahoua because I love how they're known to be more personable and very inquisitive, look similar to a Leachie, and have a much better attitude compared to leachies. My guy is wonderful. It has been weeks since I've had him, and getting him to trust me has been a process. The breeder said that he's very sweet and very easy to handle. When I have held him, which would be the day I clean the cage, he's great. I'm still getting used to the nature of geckos and their potential to jump away at any moment, so I kinda have some slight anxiety holding mine because I just don't want him to run away! He pretty much just sits there in my hand, like the breeder said. He's so cute! I've been hand feeding him Pangea on a spoon to earn his trust.
What do you guys recommend about handling? Like getting them in and out of the cage? I've been putting my hand in front of him in the cage too, so he gets used to my hand. Sometimes I think he wants to come out because now when he sees me he climbs up a branch and approaches the door while I'm right there in front of the cage. Should I let him out when he does that and see if he goes on my hand? He's so fun to watch. He'll climb up and down his cork round, in and out of it, through the leaves, and walk around the perimeter of the cage, haha. He loves the suction cup bamboo branches.
While I'm here, I'd like to know how I'm doing on care.
So I live in Southern California, and where I live the temps in the morning range from 69-71 degrees.
In the afternoon the temps range from 72-74.
And in the evening the temps range from 75-77.
But as summer approaches it's starting to get hotter in the mornings. Now in the mornings to the afternoon the temps are often 74-75 degrees.
By evening the temps are around 75-78 degrees, with the highest having been 79 degrees.
Humidity levels are typically 70-80 percent. If the humidity level is too high then I turn my fan on in the room.
I prefer to leave the window open so he gets natural air but if it gets too cold then I close it.
The cage setup:
The cage measurements are weird because the cage is shaped like a hexagon. It's 22.5 x 19.6x 16.4. He seems to enjoy the space.
I have two cork rounds the connect, with one being slanted upward and the other one is stood up like a tree stump so he can go in and out through both cork rounds.
I have suction cup plants that hang around the sides of the cage to give him privacy. Though some spots are a little bare so I think I should get a few more plants.
What I use for the floor is called a moss carpet. It's something that I'd seen along with the felt repti carpet and I thought i would be nice for the cage, make it look more realistic with the grass. I got my Chahoua knowing that I would not be comfortable with substrate considering that there's a huge risk of him ingesting it and that's the last thing that I need. ;/
Besides, the humidity already gets high enough without the substrate.
I use a digital thermometer for the temperature and a separate thermometer for the humidity. It's the kind that shows the humidity in the big blue shade and the temperature at the bottom.
I think he's been settling in pretty well. I'm still trying to build trust with him. One more thing, can someone give me some advice about a Chahoua that won't eat his insects? The breeder said that she would throw them in the cage and he'd always hunt them down but with me he never eats them! So I've been giving him the Pangea with insect in it, just to make sure he gets something at least.
I offer both Pangea and Repashy, pretty much all the flavors. I started to get creative and combine flavors, haha, like cherry & watermelon, cherry & pineapple.
Well it's nice to meet everyone. Chalupa says hi!
![GPPU6173[1].JPG](/data/attachments/19/19424-7d3f995f5501790e6d9e2394a2294206.jpg)
![IMG_E6232[1].JPG](/data/attachments/19/19425-8412fac2347063fef1769ddda343bc4c.jpg)
