Another potential owner, from TN!

[jtennent]

Good afternoon!

My name is Joe, and I've been thinking of picking up a lizard for my apartment the past few weeks. I haven't done enough research yet to make a decision, of course, but I have narrowed it down to either a leopard or a bearded dragon (yeah I know, fairly vanilla options haha). I was recommended this site by a good friend of mine (who...has an account, but I don't recall it), who said this would be a great resource for making my decision!

 

[Wild West Reptile]

Welcome to the forum Joe! You will find lots of good info here, not to mention a lot of great breeders. Feel free to ask any questions you have through email or PM.

 

[justindh1]

Welcome to GF Joe! I think this site may be a bit biased towards leos. You will see some nice beardies but a lot more nice LG for sure. I am sure you'll be happy with either one.

 

[jtennent]

Yes, I figured the site would be a little...gecko-leaning, not so much beardies, haha. It's not something I want to rush into anyways; I want a pet, but it's an investment upfront. So I'll probably be checking threads for the next few months.

I do have one quick question; it seems that the best place for a lizard tank would be in my bedroom. I know leos are nocturnal, would their lights disrupt my sleeping? Or would it be better to put the tank where no one would be disturbed by the light?

 

[justindh1]

Yes, I figured the site would be a little...gecko-leaning, not so much beardies, haha. It's not something I want to rush into anyways; I want a pet, but it's an investment upfront. So I'll probably be checking threads for the next few months.

I do have one quick question; it seems that the best place for a lizard tank would be in my bedroom. I know leos are nocturnal, would their lights disrupt my sleeping? Or would it be better to put the tank where no one would be disturbed by the light?

Using a light is something that people have many different opinions on. My advice to anyone who buys a gecko from me and ask about lights is that a red 60w incandescent bulb is what I would go with but lights aren't needed. If you want a white bulb then make sure the gecko has a couple really dark areas for them to hide in. They will be more active with less light but the choice is up to the owner.

 

[ClownCarOnFire]

Oh, hey. SUP?

 

[jtennent]

Oh hey, there you are! Figured you'd be lurking around here somewhere.

Using a light is something that people have many different opinions on. My advice to anyone who buys a gecko from me and ask about lights is that a red 60w incandescent bulb is what I would go with but lights aren't needed. If you want a white bulb then make sure the gecko has a couple really dark areas for them to hide in. They will be more active with less light but the choice is up to the owner.

If I have the lizard's cage in my bedroom, I think a white light may be rather...unhelpful as far as sleeping is concerned. A red light may work in a pinch, but what would you recommend as an alternative?

 

[DrCarrotTail]

There are lots of under tank heaters (commonly referred to as UTH) on the market. Many people believe they are a lot better for geckos than an overhead heat lamp.

 

[GodzillaGecko]

Welcome to the forum.

Red or blue lights work fine and won't bother you when your sleeping. I used to use a blue light for my tokay's and that tank was setup in the bedroom. INfront of my face...which was a horrible idea cause they bark lol.