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Posted by Silly-atus fan on November 24, 2002 at 08:30:17:
In Reply to: Christmas posted by GECKOFREAK on November 23, 2002 at 22:42:06:
Oh boy, you don't make it easy, huh? Tough choice there.
Since you're most likely going to be at shcool, hanging with friends and enjoying the typical life of a teenager, I'm going to stick out my neck a bit and say you'll be gone for quite a while each day. In that case, I would really recommend a crestie over a dart frog. I've got around 100 darts, and even though they're set up to need minimal care each day (besides feeding), I'm thinking a "Teenager on the go" or at least one "with a life" might be hard pressed to keep the tank conditions right all the time - darts don't do much in the line of compromising on care. They are easy to keep, but do demand a certain amount each day. Cresties are way easier to keep, more forgiving of you being out with friends or overnight, they don't dry out and shrivel up into raisins in a matter of hours, and their food is so much easier to get a hold of.
If I'm way out on your social life, and you are around reliably each day, and can get or raise small food items, (pinheads, fruit flies, rice flour worms, springtails etc), then you might be okay with dart frogs. But they are display only, no handling. Cresties again win here if you want a pet you can hold.
One other thing to consider, crestie cages/enclosures are much cheaper, easier to set up and maintain, and food is much easier too. Fruit fly cultures crash, get infested with mites, and a whole slew of other things, which might be a bit hard to recover from if you're working with an allowance (as opposed to a bigger amount of money from a salary). Cresties can, in a pinch, make do with just fruit for a few days until crickets come in, they can if needed, eat larger food items in a pinch too, something that darts just can't do.
If I were you, I'd consider what I would do in the worst case scenario - say in mid winter, food bugs are running a bit low, there's a blizzard on the way and the stores won't get much for a few days or week..... would you be able to stockpile enough food or supplies for darts, or would it be easier to deal with cresties in this case (raid the fridge for some gecko food).
One other thing to consider - heat. Cresties can be kept warm for a lot less expense than darts, depending on where you live. Would your parents mind the electrical costs of a dart tank (for heat, light and whatever other doodads you need), or would they be happier with a much easier, less technical gecko setup, which won't use as much electricity to run?
And, if you're gone on vacation for a few days, cresties could be easier for a pet-sitter to take care of (moms usually don't like doing the bug scene :).
