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Abandoned geckos doing well

The two geckos recovered by the North Bay and District Humane Society after they were abandoned are improving on a daily basis.

Nicole Driscoll, who is the society’s Manager of Investigations and Animal Control and also an Inspector with the Ontario SPCA, says the agency continues to look for who left the reptiles to die.

The geckos were found October 17th by a truck driver of Miller Waste on a city street.

The driver saw one of the geckos in a 10-gallon fish tank and when Driscoll arrived, she found the other one further inside the tank in its hideaway presumably trying to keep warm.

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Driscoll believes the geckos were exposed to the outdoor elements for a couple of hours before they were found.

She believes they would not have survived much longer because of the cold.

At the time it was minus 8 degrees Celsius and Driscoll says geckos need a temperature in the range of 30 to 35 degrees to live.

“They were cold and not moving to the touch but not dead,” said Driscoll when she arrived.

Driscoll has extensive training in the reptile and exotic animal field and knew what it would take to keep the geckos alive.

“I’m happy to report their core body temperature has risen to an acceptable level and their body condition continues to improve because they’re putting on weight.

Driscoll is trying to find who abandoned the reptiles.

“We’ve had people come forth with some ideas and leads but nothing has panned out as of yet,” she said.

However if those responsible are found, Driscoll says they face at least three charges under the Ontario SPCA Act.

“We would look at pursuing charges of causing an animal to be in distress, failing to provide adequate food and water and failing to provide care that is necessary for their general welfare,” she said.

Driscoll says there’s no excuse for the owners abandoning the geckos.

She says if they didn’t want them anymore, a simple call to the humane society would have solved that problem.

She says there are many animal rescue centres, pet stores and humane societies that can take in the reptiles.

Driscoll adds this applies to owners of other pets.

She says if you don’t want your pet anymore, just pick up the phone and call the humane society and it will help to try and find it another home.

As for the geckos, Driscoll says they are adults and appear to be male and female.

Although both were kept together during their recovery, Driscoll says they will soon be separated because the society doesn’t want them reproducing.

Driscoll says both geckos will stay with the humane society for educational purposes.

“It’s a great way to teach young children about the responsibilities of (owning) reptiles,” she said.

“We talk about how to care for them properly and what to consider if you’re planning to get a reptile.

If kept in captivity, geckos can live up to 10 years.

Their primary source of food is crickets, something Driscoll says there’s no shortage of.

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