# Dart/Phelsuma Mixing



## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

Here we go with one of our favorites: animal mixing. Ok, so I have 8 leucs inside a 115gl viv. I know many people have had mourning geckos (L. lugubris) with darts, but I have a pair of P. comorensis that I would like to place with the leucs. The comorensis are day geckos and would thus be active at the same time as the darts, but their size is almost identical to the mournings.




This is the 115gl. The leucs have a lot of room for themselves, as would the Phelsuma, which would have all the vines (if anyone would like to purchase any of the vines, click here, 8)) at the top and the upper regions of the viv, where the leucs almost never go. I would like to know peoples opinions and the mixing of the leucs and the comorensis, and obviously if anyone had any first hand experience with this type of mixing that would be great.

Luke


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## Chondroholic (Aug 18, 2005)

The only problem I can think of is heat. Your day geckos will need some small basking spot of sorts. It's a very large tank so I would think if you used an elevated spot away from the plants/frogs and a fairly low wattage incandescent bulb that it would work out. Just my 2 cents.


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

Thanks man, I positioned the vines at the top so that they are close to the top where the temps are perfect for them.

Luke


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## Reptiledan (Nov 23, 2004)

*Mixing*

I had a pr of V Niger mixed in with a fairly large group of Imitators they seemed to get along just fine. On several occasions you would see the Imis crawling across a gecko resting on leaves. Watch the heat!!! Dan


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

i've got a lined day gecko and green anole in a 30gal with 3 blue azures, no probs, the lizards stick to the top and everybody pretty much ignores each other. In another 30 gal i have a persica gecko and green anole in with a green auratus....the anole chases the persica once in awhile but since its nocturnal it does most of its hunting at night while the anole is asleep, both ignore the frog and vise/versa....oh there is atleast 1 fire bellied newt in each tank too...no problems there. Well except one newt ripped half the face off another and killed it awhile back, but no problems between species. 

The azures are starting to show breeding behavior and there is a water feature so they could morph out some frogs in the tank, at which time the there might be an issue with the lizards in there.

Anyways im trying to stay away from mixing for the most part now, these tanks were all set up when i was first starting and i hesitate to change them much since everyone is doing fine.

I doubt you'll have any problems with the lizards your putting in and a tank like that, especially if breeding the frogs isnt a huge priority.


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## SMenigoz (Feb 17, 2004)

Luke,
I think it'd work. I raise both darts and phelsuma and, although never doing so myself, often wonder how the two would co-exist. Some thoughts:
Food-- smaller geckoes will eat fruitflies but prefer small crickets. Figure some way to suspend a feeding cup in your tank for the geckoes to pluck the crickets from. Crickets running around a frog tank could stress your frogs.
Light/heat--as suggested, a basking light is needed if you don't have enough already. Compact flourescents work great; typical strip lights don't generate enough heat to keep the geckoes happy.
Humidity-- remember that day geckoes don't like to have their feet wet at all times like frogs. there needs to be places they can go to "dry out". A fan would be strongly suggested.
Cleanup-- day geckoes are known for pooping on the front glass of your display. Additional attention needed...


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## Rain_Frog (Apr 27, 2004)

WOW LUKE!!! That tank is a scream!

Does coccidia spread to geckoes?


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

The Fight

In the left corner we have D. Leuc and in the right corner we have P. comoraegrandensis, lets get ready to rumbllllle!



They check each other out...it look like it's going to be ugly!





Lol, I was a bit nervous at first, but once the gecko approached the leuc, the frog jumped right over his head and landed behind him on the vine, talk about fancy foot work! I think they will be ok, although I will keep a very close eye on them. I'm surprised the leuc was even up there, they never climb up that high.

Luke


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## Guest (Dec 14, 2005)

Luke,
Please keep an update on this project. 
I have P. quadriocellata, and I think that they would do well with my newly aquired cobalt tinct's. 
I got the 2 month old gecko's about 3 months ago (so 5 mo. now) and they are very fast at moving about...(nicknamed "rocket butts" is appropriate for these guys)...They can shake the sh*t out of a cricket 1/4 their size and gobble it up no problem. 
I'm thinking that a slightly larger frog in comparison to the gecko would be a good mix.
The frogs and geckos are all in their own seperate viv's, but some day, as I study each ones behavior, I think they would cohabitate reluctantly.


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## Ben_C (Jun 25, 2004)

I can't speak for all Phelsuma/Dendrobates combinations, but I definitely would not put a P. laticauda w/ D. auratus if you intend on breeding the auratus in the tank. P. laticauda will happily consume eggs/tadpoles of auratus (and presumably most other dendrobatids).
Hope this helps,
B


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

Well so far, the comoraegrandensis stay in the top of the viv, most likely due to the ~86F temperature. I haven't seen them go any lower. The frogs generally stay in the bottom of the viv, where the temp is 68-74F. Keep in mind that the height of the viv is 30". So it looks like the two species will stick to their space based on the temperature gradient, but I will definitelly be watching them closely.

Luke


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## Guest (Dec 15, 2005)

Darks!de said:


> Well so far, the comoraegrandensis stay in the top of the viv, most likely due to the ~86F temperature. I haven't seen them go any lower. The frogs generally stay in the bottom of the viv, where the temp is 68-74F. Keep in mind that the height of the viv is 30". So it looks like the two species will stick to their space based on the temperature gradient, but I will definitelly be watching them closely.
> 
> Luke


Dweeb Question..... why would you want to mix species anyway? 
?


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## Darks!de (Nov 16, 2004)

What a dweeb! lol, just kidding. I have a large amount of room available in this viv and wanted to use the canopy space. I saw these phelsuma at a reptile show and had to get them. Putting these two together you get your answer.

Luke


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## Guest (Dec 15, 2005)

Darks!de said:


> What a dweeb! lol, just kidding. I have a large amount of room available in this viv and wanted to use the canopy space. I saw these phelsuma at a reptile show and had to get them. Putting these two together you get your answer.
> 
> Luke



Ok... that certainly makes sense. I have a 125 with a wood base and top that I'd like to set up as a viv... I was thinking about what might live in it. I think it's too big (unless I section it off or can find a species of dart frog that is a foot long!). Think I'll trade it for some smaller tanks and try that. ESPECIALLY since I've never kept many ampibians and NEVER darts.


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