About Us!

TikisGeckos was founded in 2010 by David Utrera.
 
David started TikisGeckos as a way to justify a growing obsession of New Caledonian geckos to his parents. At the time, the "business model" was just for the business to pay for itself. New gecko additions and gecko food were not cheap for a kid in high school! It wasn't until about 2015 that David decided to go full time with the business and make it a career. TikisGeckos is a living example of the American Dream! We would like to thank everyone who has ever contributed in making this dream a reality.

 

 David "Tiki" Utrera

 
Ever since I was a kid, I've had a fascination with animals. Growing up, I kept everything from bearded dragons to sugar gliders but it wasn't until I got my first Crested Gecko in 2007 that my reptile addiction took off. Every day I would go through pictures of crested geckos online and the new found obsession never seemed to dwindle. Back then I browsed multiple gecko forums to try and learn as much information on these animals. As the years passed I kept acquiring the nicest geckos I could afford from various breeders. I knew I wanted to breed them but I still didn't have a business in mind. I just wanted to produce pretty geckos! In 2010 I asked my parents for a small loan of $1500 to invest in a 50 lot of crested geckos from ACReptiles. I kept back some of my favorite ones and sold the rest for profit. This was when I finally started thinking of my hobby as a business.  Growing up I was always told that in order to make a decent living in the animal industry I had to become a veterinarian but that was not something I wanted to do.  When I learned that there were people out there making a living selling reptiles, I finally realized what I wanted to do. Fast forward a couple years later and we have been able to build a business that has allowed me to be self sufficient. There is still a lot more room to grow and goals to be achieved but for the time being I am happy to say that we are living the dream. This whole thing would have never been possible if it wasn't for every person close to me and every customer that contributed. TikisGeckos isn't about me, its about the community as a whole. Some of you have literally watched me grow up on YouTube when I started this thing in my parents garage. None of this would have been possible without you guys. Thank you for the years of support, I am forever grateful to you guys.

 

Manny Durand

 

Since I was child I have always been fascinated by animals. My interest in animals definitely started when I caught my first fish in my backyard. I was completely taken over by intrigue and love over this alien creature. Ever since, I could not learn enough about all kinds of living creatures from fish to mammals to reptiles to birds and everything in between. My first breeding experience with animals came soon after with birds. My dad and I started breeding peach faced lovebirds (Agapornis roseicollis) for fun. I remember raising the first group of babies and being left in astonishment by the color variety of the group. Ever since that day I have always looked at breeding as creating living art. Years later when I was in high school I started breeding betta fish and I still had that same obsession with breeding animals as I did as a kid. Fast forward to 2011, I started hanging out with David and we shared the same passion for animals. Around that same time he sold me my first crested gecko. I would stay late nights to help feed geckos and learn as much as I could. I never intended on doing this full time but what really started me on the road to this business was when I got my first panther chameleon from Kammerflage Kreations. After that I began actually focusing on breeding and getting as many reptiles as I could afford. As my collection grew I began working more and more with David. Eventually we both wanted to do this full time and the rest is history. This dream wouldn't have been possible without the support of every single one of you. I am eternally grateful for your continued support. We still have many more things that we want to accomplish, goals to meet. The grind won't stop. Thank you all for your support. 

 

Daniella 

 

 

My love for animals was discovered from a very young age, watching my idol Steve Irwin growing up is something very near and dear to my heart. I was fortunate enough to win a contest and actually visit his zoo in Australia after his passing, along with interning as a keeper there for a few summers. I have always volunteered and been involved with local sanctuaries and animal rescues in my area, apart from my keeping my own array of different animals. When I met David and Manny and was introduced to Tikis Geckos, I knew I wanted an opportunity to be apart of the team, even if it meant just cleaning tanks at first. Their love and knowledge for their reptiles really spoke volumes and really portrayed  how this company operates. It's all about the passion for these animals and education! I was hoping I would be an asset and it's been an amazing adventure ever since. I've been learning so much from being around these different types of reptiles and it's been awesome getting to speak with every one of you that call in with questions and place orders! I really do look forward to continue growing with the Tikis Geckos team. 

 

 

 

 This business would be nothing without every family member, friend and dear customer that helped us build it. We love all of you!

 -the TikisGeckos team