Owen's story is very special to me. That Sunday, I had just come back from a trip to spread my best friend's ashes. She had died unexpectedly a week earlier, from complications of diabetes. Monday, I got the call that Spark, who had been in the veterinary hospital for medical boarding, had also unexpectedly died. Tuesday came, and there was a tiny gecko, waiting to surprise me in the incubator.

Owen hatched a week early. Her egg yolk wasn't fully absorbed, and her stomach hadn't sealed shut yet. I was distraught. Such a frail newborn would be an easy target for infection. I designed a special chamber for Owen in the incubator, trying to keep everything clean and moist but still allow air exchange. Owen stayed in the chamber for a week or so, until I saw that the belly had fully closed. I was a ball of nerves, I figured the odds were high that Owen would get an infection or not be able to process food properly. But Owen defied the odds and thrived.

For a while, Owen was raised in an individual nursery area. At a few months of age, Owen moved in to a full 10 gallon setup with her sibling Impi. To my horror, when Owen was 5 months old, Impi bit off and ate part of her tail! I couldn't believe it, I was furious, They were well-fed and had plenty of room. I moved Impi into the other hatchling tank (Alaska, Steve-O, and Terri), where everyone was slightly bigger than him, while Owen recuperated.

I am inclined to keep Owen, so I will not be listing her on the 'available' page. However, if there is a strong interest, I might consider selling her to the right sort of customer. If you want Owen, send me an email telling me why, and I'll consider it.

Owen's full siblings are:

Stewie (2005)

Impi (2006)