# 1600 geckos seized in a Phillippine warehouse



## mantisdragon91 (Jun 2, 2010)

It never ceases to amaze me how organizations like PETA are constantly railing against the pet trade, and yet hardly anyone ever hears about the trade in animals for alleged medicinal purposes which kills dozens of specimens for everyone taken for the pet trade.

http://news.yahoo.com/philippine-police-rescue-1-600-geckos-warehouse-104459143.html


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## aurantiaca1 (Dec 13, 2010)

Wow thats crazy! but what kid of gecko "reportedly sells for at least 50,000 pesos ($1,160)?"


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## Eric Walker (Aug 22, 2009)

Giant geckos and knobtail geckos are two i can think of right off the bat. Some knobtails here in the US can go for a bit more than $1500 even. nephrurus asper is one of them and i think they even top te $2000 mark


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## mantisdragon91 (Jun 2, 2010)

aurantiaca1 said:


> Wow thats crazy! but what kid of gecko "reportedly sells for at least 50,000 pesos ($1,160)?"


I actually think that part maybe an exageration on the part of the news writer. These are geckos that are destined for the medicinal trade and not as pets, and of the top of my head I would be hardpressed to think of what species native to that area other than Tokays would even weigh in at the 30 gram figure used to illustrate the value to the smugglers.


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## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

I've talked to someone who has witnessed some of the animals collected for 'medicinal' purposes first hand, and they actually will feed the tokays to the point of morbid obesity, as the larger the animal is, the more it sells for. After seeing how huge some of the tokays are, it would not surprise me if the largest animals went for that amount (kind of like tuna).


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## billschwinn (Dec 17, 2008)

mantisdragon91 said:


> I actually think that part maybe an exageration on the part of the news writer. These are geckos that are destined for the medicinal trade and not as pets, and of the top of my head I would be hardpressed to think of what species native to that area other than Tokays would even weigh in at the 30 gram figure used to illustrate the value to the smugglers.


As I understood it , it was Tokays, and one article even says they are trying to change the law to give them protection, which in reality will do nothing, especially since the traditional medicine trade is involved.I wonder if I started a new, obscure religion could I keep Fiji Iguanas, I wonder.....?


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## mantisdragon91 (Jun 2, 2010)

billschwinn said:


> As I understood it , it was Tokays, and one article even says they are trying to change the law to give them protection, which in reality will do nothing, especially since the traditional medicine trade is involved.*I wonder if I started a new, obscure religion could I keep Fiji Iguanas, I wonder*.....?


Only dead ones Bill And you would probably have to claim erectile dysfunction first.


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## Eric Walker (Aug 22, 2009)

What Are tokays being used for medically?


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## billschwinn (Dec 17, 2008)

Eric Walker said:


> What Are tokays being used for medically?


You have not heard? They cure everything from Hang Nails to AIDS! Just like the Tigers, Turtles, Rhinos, Turtles, they are running out, so now Tokays are the new cure!


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## eldalote2 (Jun 3, 2009)

Pretty sure that the only good Tokay is a live Tokay and even then, they are only good for an ego check when you reach in their cage.

I love my Tokays. =D


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## Brotherly Monkey (Jul 20, 2010)

billschwinn said:


> As I understood it , it was Tokays, and one article even says they are trying to change the law to give them protection, which in reality will do nothing, especially since the traditional medicine trade is involved.I wonder if I started a new, obscure religion could I keep Fiji Iguanas, I wonder.....?


so your snail juice cult finally went bust?


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## andrewleo (May 10, 2010)

I think the world has bigger problems than warehouses of geckos... but maybe not.


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## billschwinn (Dec 17, 2008)

Brotherly Monkey said:


> so your snail juice cult finally went bust?


What can I say, My new group is Okay Tokay!


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

Not to make light of this, but I can think of few things more terrifying than being trapped in a wherehouse full of "Corn-Fed" Tokay Geckos.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

mantisdragon91 said:


> I would be hardpressed to think of what species native to that area other than Tokays would even weigh in at the 30 gram figure used to illustrate the value to the smugglers.


Depends on how wide you want to consider the area, but as a broad defintion, off the top of my head over 30 grams would include Gecko vitattus, assorted Gehyra species, some of the Cyrtodactylus..... 

Ed


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## fieldnstream (Sep 11, 2009)

I've seen a few travel shows about SE Asia showing where they sell tokays on sticks in the markets...geckocicles, yum! I'm still confused about the prices in the article, seem a little inflated to me.


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## mantisdragon91 (Jun 2, 2010)

Ed said:


> Depends on how wide you want to consider the area, but as a broad defintion, off the top of my head over 30 grams would include Gecko vitattus, assorted Gehyra species, some of the Cyrtodactylus.....
> 
> Ed


I actually fat fingered my post, the article claimed 300 grams at which point you are in Uromastyx/Bearded dragon territory.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

mantisdragon91 said:


> I actually fat fingered my post, the article claimed 300 grams at which point you are in Uromastyx/Bearded dragon territory.


Ahhh. 

Ed


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