Above all else, I recommend purchasing the Gargoyle Geckos Book by Philippe Vosjoli, Allen Repashy, and Frank Fast. The answers to many questions can be found between its pages. At just $25, it can't be beat.
The original Rhacodactylus: The Complete Guide to Their Selection and Care book by the above 3 authors is a bit harder to find and more expensive, but fun to have for those interested in other species. I believe another one is in the works.
Rhacodactylus: Biology, Natural Husbandry, and History was written by Robert Seipp and Fredrich Wilhelm Henkel and is another interesting book for those interested in the other species. Expensive and out-of-print.
The Herpetofauna of New Caledonia by Aaron Bauer and Ross Sadlier offers detailed descriptions of endemic species found in New Caledonia. This book is a technical read.
Bio-Activity and the Theory of Wild Re-Creation was written by John Courtney-Smith is an interesting book for those interested in keeping live vivariums, and offers a holistic view on care in captivity.
Pillbugs and Other Isopods: Cultivating Vivarium Clean-Up Crews and Feeders for Dart Frogs, Arachnids, and Insects is a fun book if you are interested in keeping isopod cultures for live vivariums. Pretty color pictures, and one of the only isopod books printed.
Here's a blurb from Allen Repashy on the creation of his product SuperPig. I find it fascinating.
"Someone pointed me to this thread so I thought I would weigh in and try to set everyone straight about my product.
SuperPig is a product that consists of natural ingredients that are high in carotenoids. I think anyone that thinks this is just going to color up anything un naturally, really should take some time and research what carotenoids are. In short, they are many things, precursors to vitamin A, antioxidants, contributors to eye health, cancer fighters...... Anyone ever heard of beta-carotene, Lutein, Lycopene ?.... all of these are carotenoids sold as human supplements.
Carotenoids are abundant in nature and a variety of insects are full of them. Crickets and mealworms however, have next to zero, and are 90% of what most people feed in captivity.
SuperPig has been an ingredient in my gecko diet since the first day I made it, some 15 years ago, so it is nothing new. I packaged it as a separate product about three or four years ago as a response to customer demand, specifically dendrobates breeders.
Carotenoids in my products (as superpig) are there at levels that would normally be found in a natural varied diet. They are not dies, they do not falsely color animals, the just let them have the colors they would in nature. Ever notice why so many herps and amphibians in captivity look dull compared to those in nature..... lack of caroteniods in their diet.
Flamingos are pink because of the carotenoids in their diet. If they are not supplemented carotenoids in captivity, because they can't reproduce their natural diet, they will be snow white.... So keepers use superpig to return this natural color in Zoos around the world..... what is more natural? a White Flamingo, or one fed supplemental carotenoids to replace the dietary carotenoids they can't provide (the flamingos get them from eating heaps of tiny crustaceans.
I am the only manufacturer that has taken the time to source out so many natural ingredients that are high in carotenoids to balance out my products, and it is one of the things I am most proud of. I work like no one else researching and developing products that work. I would like to think I have built up a little trust in the community when it comes to choosing ingredients in the best interest of the animals.
Just because you don't know what something is, doesn't mean you should be afraid of it, it means you should take the time to do some research if it concerns you. If you don't know about something, it isn't fair that you just put up a flag and say it must be bad. The internet is full of resources and anyone who cares enough to do some research, could find all the answers they are looking for.
Cheers, Allen Repashy"
And when asked what prompted him to come up with this product:
"It all goes back to a single animal actually. In 1994, I received a wild collected male R. auriculatus and it was bright brick red. The whole body was red. After a few years in my collection, this gecko turned to a washed out brown color, and this incident is what spawned my research into what could cause this... which led me to studying carotenoids. This was around the same time I was first formulating and testing my diet, so I started researching and looking for natural ingredients that where high in carotenoids in order to try and bring the gecko back to its once natural glorious colors.
Long story short, after about five years of doing feeding trials, the gecko was back to the same bright red color that he was when I originally set eyes on him.
The red in this gecko I am talking about is not the bright red blotches that many recognize from nice gargs. those bright red spots seem unrelated, and for whatever reason, are not effected by carotenoids. The red I am talking about is a a whole body color...... This guy is still alive, and his genes are probably now in more than half the auriculatus in captivity I would guess.
At the same time, I started learning about all of the other interesting properties of carotenoids an their effects on overall health. I really considre them the missing link when it comes to comparing captive reared insect feeders with those getting a variety in nature.
Herbivores are another story all together.
Allen"
Scientific articles of interest, with PDF downloads below:
Ecological Observations on the Gargoyle Gecko
New data on the distribution, status, and biology of the New Caledonian giant geckos
| Ecological Observations on the Gargoyle Gecko |
| 1994_bauer_diet_of_r._auriculatus_the_gargoyle_gecko.pdf |
| new_data_on_the_distribution_status_and_biology_of_the_new_caledonian_giant_geckos.pdf |