a not-impulse rescue gecko (& some links)
It started, like a lot of things, in the pandemic. First was walstad tanks - freshwater fishkeeping without filters and heaters, with tons of plants. It promised to be cheap (ha!). It escalated into three fish tanks, then a small pond, then a goldfish and koi convention.
And through it all I watched a ton of videos of planted tank aquascapers (I really like the Cinescaper and George Farmer). I had to downsize tanks and fish when I moved (lovingly rehomed a lot of platies and rummynose to an even bigger friend's tank) and moved up only two fish to Maryland.
Then the YouTube creep happened. I started getting reptile content. I like animal husbandry and enrichment as a hobby generally, and I've never wanted snakes. But a leopard gecko is what my fourth grade self dreamed over. My parents (for the best, because they live 20 years!) said no and I pouted.
So after 30 hours of funemployed youtubing and cross stitching, I went on PetFinder to just look. And I came home with Mango, a 7 year old boy whose former middle school owner had grown up and was off the college. The intake form just kind of broke your heart - everyone involved loved this thing but she was off to college and parents to travel and I could tell everyone felt guilty. It's a fate that falls to many a gecko whose owners were "lucky" enough to have parents who said yes to a 20-year lizard lifestyle. So check your Petfinder! This shelter had four of these guys!
Here's his habitat. I love building enclosures that are enriching and pleasant to look at. It's a fun creative exercise. He is in the 20g he came with and I will upgrade him when my job starts, and get isopod/springtail colonies and permanent plants. I just have a philodendron in water here, tucked into a pocket that I made in the background (made from cut dollar store coco coir basket liner!)
He has a really weird onion-like tail! It fell off six years ago, regrew, and the shelter vet said he needs to lose a lot of weight.
It feels pretty cathartic to realize I am still the weird lizard-obsessed sixth grader I was back then, and be able to help this guy have a stable caretaker. And I missed having more critters to fuss over, it keeps me sane to have to care for other living things and get out of my head.
More leopard gecko content to come I'm sure. He's so cute.
LINKS
I figured it might make sense to add new links from my link bucket on my blog posts for anyone who might follow me on RSS. I like looking at other people's links in newsletters and blogs myself.
Tax Heaven 3000 - An art project reimagining tax filing website as a dating sim that... may have actually been functional in 2022? I love all the commentary in the different pages.
Studio Ansitru Cross Stitch Patterns - Cross stitch patterns by a pixel artist