This is the start of something beautiful.

Today we crossed that threshold.  The threshold between "People who keep reptiles as pets" and "HARDCORE HERPERS".  I mean, I've had ectothermic pets ever since Smeagol the frog, who came into my life in middle school.  Who was awesome, by the way.  And once scared the everloving shit out of me by landing on my face in the middle of the night after ominously thumping his way across my room.  Note: said frog did not live in the same room as me.  Not even on the same floor.  I still have no idea how he ended up on my face in the middle of the night instead of dessicated in a heating duct somewhere.  But anyway.  What I'm trying to say is that I've always had herps, but not like this.

Today we bought a Leachie.

Leachie is the popular name for the Rhacodactylus leachianus, or New Caledonian Giant Gecko.  It's the largest species of gecko in the world, and spends its time in the trees of New Caledonia and the surrounding islands.  They can get up to 14 inches long on the mainland.  There are a few sub-species, based on the island said beast came from.  Ours is a Nuu Ana locale, which is the smallest of the species.

This is Grendel.  She's about 1 year old, captive bred in Denver, and she has the prettiest damn face you ever did see.  She's getting ready to shed: hence the skin tab on her nose.  But would you just look at those wrinkles!

HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS WE BOUGHT A LEACHIE.

(Oh also, I started a blog.)