Is adding gecko to snails tank a good idea ?

[tbger]

Today I found a very nice house gecko on my gf's ceiling. I figured these reptiles eat insects which I'm all good for, and I pretty much liked it so I thought I'd try to keep it together with my snails.

After reading what some here have told about their experience with geckos and snails in the same tank, I didn't feel confident with putting it in and thought I'd ask first.

As far as I know, geckos are very sensitive and would try to escape whenever they can -- which I assume, is wherever I open up the lid of my tank. This would be problematic as I do tend to open it up to spray water or check how the snails are doing ...

What do you think ?


Roy

[tsrebel]

I keep geckos with my snails. I have only terrariums with windows or all glass (so I would see geckos lurking before I opened). In general, geckos are quite shy and will only escape through wholes, cracks or if you leave the terrarium open. But they are escape artists and surprisingly flexible. They need a terrarium that is as escape proof as if it was intended for slugs.
Of course that depends on the size of the gecko. I keep very small geckos (mourning geckos).
(This Norwegian is a little envious that you can find geckos outside like that )

[barnaclesnail]

I once tried keeping a house gecko with my snails to keep down the fungus gnats, and would have to say it would definitely depend on the species. The poor little gecko was terrified of my largest snails, though he did show an interest in the gnats. But it was a chore keeping him content - also keep in mind that very few species of gecko have requirements that are compatible with snails. Geckos generally need it dry and warm, while the snails need it warm and very humid. I have heard mourning geckos are better, but I would personally never keep another house gecko with the snails again.

[tbger]

^^^ that's the same kind I have.

I didn't have a tank for it and keeping it in a sealed food container wasn't good for it obviously, so after reading the first comment here I decided to give it a chance.

It's been in the tank since yesterday and I couldn't observe anything special since then. I can't really tell whether it eats at all -- I did put it some dead gnats I found, but no idea if it's touched them already, nor can I tell if it's frightened of the sails or not. They're garden snail (Helix aspersas) and therefore "aren't too big".

Right now the gecko hides under a few leaves I'd put inside. I hope it's not afraid, only time will tell ...

What I was mostly afraid of is described in this movie, where you see a moderate-size (I think) gecko eating little snails:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=32RtH-1XKj8

I think my gecko is significantly smaller. I have two little snails in there and I'm afraid it would heart them somehow ...

I'm in a little hurry so pardon my unorganized writing

[tsrebel]

Tokay gecko are very large geckos. I actually saw one of my geckos trying to eat a snail baby yesterday. That is the first time I've seen it. She did not succeed. The snail were unharmed. Unlike the tokay in the movie, my gecko tried to suck the snail out of it's shell. It didn't work.
I feed my geckos Crested Gecko Diet (powder to be mixed with water) to be sure they get enough food. The snails love the diet too.

[tbger]

tsrebel -- thank you so much for your input.

I don't have any food for it right now, though it's become warm here and occasionally there are insects flying around. I can't know whether they're getting into the tank so I guess the gecko doesn't get enough food anyway. I'm afraid just of what you described, to happen as a consequence.

Funny thing is I recently put soil and leaves into the tank, but because it was full of insects like spiders and ants, I cooked it before putting it in. A few days later I found the gecko which is now hosted in this same tank which should by now be insect-free ...

I can either add new soil with the 'risk' of having insects in my room, which isn't nice at all (not a big spider fan here), or buy Crested Gecko Diet as suggested -- to keep the gecko content and hopefully away from my (smaller) snails.

[snailwhale]

How is your gecko doing? Is he being fed enough now with the new food?

Snailwhale

[tbger]

Until now I managed to get it to eat flies and other flying insects I found for it. I either catch them for it and put them in, which is hard and can't be done everyday, so I take it outside to make sure it eats. It works actually, it's grabbed a few flies -- one was eaten (alive) right off my hand while going on it.

It eats and walks around so fast which makes me laugh so much !

I hope it gets easier once the gecko food mentioned above arrives. I doubt it though, as this gecko isn't a fruit-gecko. Too bad I didn't check it before. I guess it can also be used to feed the snails so it would still be useful in case the gecko doesn't want it.

I think it is a She actually

Here's a photo I also posted in the Pictures forum. I love this little creature.

[tsrebel]

What a gorgeous little gecko!
So in the wild he'll eat just insects?
Mourning geckos and crested geckos eat both fruit and insects. I think the gecko food contains both. Hope she likes it anyway

[tsrebel]

Just wanted to let you know that my geckos seem to be eating snails' eye stalks. Just the babies are harmed. I now have a bunck of one eyed sbabies crawling around here. I'm very happy that the tentacles can regrow!
So keeping geckos with adult snails, or baby geckos with babies are safe, but not adult geckos with baby snails.

[tbger]

Hey,

Thanks a lot for the report ! I was wondering about that too, as snails can't retract their tentacle fast enough for a gecko. That's relaxing to know they regrow - are you sure that's the case ? After all it's not like a gecko's tail for example, which (as far as I've read) only got fat in it. An eye stalk loss might be crucial I thought.

The gecko's bite is very hard, it actually grabbed a tiny piece of my 'outer' (transparent) skin today !

Probably I'll now have to decide whether to keep them together or just release the gecko, as I have two Helix aspersa juveniles.

[tbger]

Just for you to have the right impression about how big the gecko is compared to the snails:

I don't have a picture of it next to a juvenile, but here are two pictures I recently. On the 2nd one it has a little insect I found. It held it for about a minute, then ate it and leaked its 'lips' as it usually does, hehe.





So that's the size of the gecko, and here's one of my little aspersas:



Here's another photo of the gecko staring at a snail crawling right towards it. You can see how big it is compared to the snail (a funny picture indeed ):

[tsrebel]

Your gecko is very similar in size to mine. I've only seen them attac tiny babies (smaller than 3cm), not snails the size of your juvenile.
I think the regrowth of eye stalks depend on the cause of injury and maybe also the exact way it was lost (how far down it was bitten off), and probably the age of the snail too. I've had an adult snail who lost one eye as an adult and it never grew back. But I'm also sure that my babies regrow theirs. Some of them seem to have one stalk shorter than the other (when fully extended), others have one stalk that are normal size at the base, but suddenly very thin up towards the eye. And the amount of one eyed snails is decreasing without deaths.
There may also be differences between species. My affected babies are Limicolaria numidica (family Achatinidae).