Gecko for my girl

Hi all,

My 7 year old has been asking for a gecko for almost a year now. She will be turning 8 this July. She is mature and responsible for her age and I feel she would treat the animal respectfully. I was considering going the Petsmart route but saw some serious concerns across the internet on the quality of their herps. I don't want to set her up for disappointment by getting a sick animal. It looks like the leopard geckos are the most common sold as pets. Is this correct and would it be a good place to start?

John Bursi
Jackson, MS

Hi john,
welcome to GF and your 7yr old daughter should be ok handling a leo, just don't let her squeeze it when you do have one, as they can see it as a threat and drop their tail off and they don't always grow back and if they do they're shorter and never look the same shape.

I brought my blaze over 2mths ago from a garden centre who is a female, where there's a big animal and reptile centre. They are very common to buy and i suggest going to a reptile shop or garden centre where you can see it yourself.
I like them about 6mths old onwards as they're more matured and previously i had to males and out the to i find the females alot carmer for handling.

I wish you all the best in finding one.

Okay, so I am back.
Thanks, Blazebabe for your response. I actually caught a wild gecko in the yard the other day and my daughter did very well handling it and was very careful to release it in a place it could hide easily.
So my daughter's birthday is a month away and I am looking for a reputable breeder in the southeast. We live in Jackson, Mississippi and don't have much in the way of pet stores. There is one I will call but they are pretty small. We bought a turtle there several years ago and they seemed to be short on reptiles that had legs.
Also, what is the best setup for leopard gecko beginners, tank-light-rock-wise?

Welcome to GF. Check out the caresheets by clicking on the "articles caresheets" tab at the top of the page. Mine is on there too and includes a section for kids with observation questions and activities to do with the gecko. Post something in the "wanted" section with the geographical area you're interested in and see who responds.

Aliza

Most everyone here will not reccomend a tank smaller than 10 gallons. You will most definitely want a hood so the baby doesn't escape. I wouldn't reccomend a heating lamp, because the super bright light shining on them all day can be stressful. You will want a UTH though - an Under Tank Heater. They sell them in the appropriate sizes by tank capacity. Heating rocks can get too hot and burn their feet, and that would be bad. You won't want to use sand on the bottom of the tank, because if the gecko accidentally eats it, they can't digest it. It will build up in their organs and cause all kinds of problems. I use paper towel, but you can use repti carpet, tile, etc. You will want 3 different hides. One that stays moist all of the time for shedding, one on the warm side of the tank (under the UTH) and the other on the cool side. A water dish, of course, and a calcium dish. Gecko's need extra calcium to keep their bones strong. I think that's everything! I hope this was helpful! Your daughter must be very excited. I'm 15 and a girl, and I was jumping around like a 3 year old when my dad let me pick out a leopard gecko one day at petco. I've had "Pepper" for 1.5 months now. It's all going great so far! Just be gentle with handling, and let the lil gecko sleep in the day, and feed it every day, and you'll have a happy leo.