Getting a Gecko...help.

[Mariettaphotog]

Hey guys...first post here, but I have been reading and soaking in info like a sponge. Let me explain my situation - I gave my 6 year old daughter (who is a reptile and bug FREAK), a choice between a turtle and a tortoise as a reward for something she did extremely well. She has been asking for one from me since her mother (we are divorced) wont let her have one in her house. She isn't opposed to her having one, just not in her house. Anyway, I asked her which she preferred and she surprised me by asking "Can you get me a Gecko instead"?

well, I agreed and we are going tomorrow after our Zoo trip to look at and possibly get a 2.5 year old Leopard Gecko, his entire habitat, and everything that comes with him from an individual.

I guess my questions are -

1. How do I know it is healthy? Anything I should be looking for?
2. Is 80.00 too much to pay for everything including the 20 gallon tank?
3. Is 20 Gallons too small for him?
4. In general, what do I need to expect from the whole "owning a gecko" experience?

I know to be a fact, no matter how much she says she will take care of it, it will be ME that does and it will essentially be My gecko. Im cool with that as I have always wanted one so now I get the chance to have one and my daughter is then one happy girl. It is win-win.

Thanks in advance guys!

Allen

 

[fl_orchidslave]

A gecko is not a good choice for a 6 year old if the parent is not first experienced with the species. The biggest issue is handling. Naturally, she will want to handle it, and frequently too. Between the gecko's jerky movements and a young child in motion.... it won't likely turn out well. You will be telling her "no" a lot, and it won't end up being a very good experience for her. However- a lizard that is very tolerant and likes to be held is a bearded dragon. They also like to eat "table food" like romaine, squash, strawberries, etc. They enjoy walking about or watching TV while perched near the shoulder area. She would have more opportunity to interact with this type animal.

 

[Franklinj480]

If it is essentially "your" gecko I see no reason why you (if you're a responsible adult) wouldn't be able to sufficiently supervise your daughter. It would be best that the gecko remains a "don't touch" pet but as you become more experienced with handling/caring for it you can educate your daughter on the proper handling techniques.

I suggest the gecko as a family pet, but under your lock and key. I'm assuming joint custody when it comes to how much time she is at your house, so its not like the poor thing would be at the mercy of a 6 yearolds bedroom. It seems like it wouldn't be too difficult to teach your daughter to sit very still with her hands in her lap and let the gecko crawl over her when she comes over. You could do the gecko chores when shes over and teach her how they're delicate and what they need to be healthy and non-stressed.

Having a reptile is a great education opportunity for her, now's a great time to instill an interest and good husbandry.

To answer your questions:


Who is the individual you're getting the gecko from?
Why are they selling it and the setup?
What exactly does the setup include? (hides, under-tank heating pad, etc)

20 gallons is a perfect size for fully grown geckos
$80 is a good price for gecko and setup (assuming its complete and the animal is healthy)

A healthy gecko is alert when there's activity in its environment, it shouldn't have shed skin stuck to it, it should have a thick body and tail, it's eyes should be clear of gunk and they shouldn't be sunken into it's head.

In general you should expect the unexpected. Knowing where/who to go to if a medical condition arises, and having the funds to deal with it.

 

[OnlineGeckos]

Great advices from above. I'll just add to make sure to read up on the ideal environment setup for leopard geckos. Often people will try to sell you basking lamps, sometimes heat rocks, other times sand substrate. Those are not things your leopard gecko needs. They require (absolutely require) an under tank heater. The UTH (under tank heater) should cover 1/3 of one side of the tank, be on 24/7, and that'll be your designated "warm" side. You also must get a digital thermometer with a probe, they cost around $10 so they're cheap. The probe should be lowered to touch the bottom where they will lay on, and the warm spot should be between 90-95 degrees, while the cool side should be in the low 80's or so. A thermostat will help with regulating the temperature of your UTH.

Your substrate should not be anything loose that can be ingested. Just watch some youtube videos on how leopard geckos eat, you'll understand why loose substrate is a bad thing. They take a huge bite at their food and they usually swallow whatever that comes with that bite, including sand or anything small enough to get down their throats. So for the substrate ideally look for slate tiles (best option probably), repti carpet, or paper towels if you don't care how the bottom looks.

Your leo will require 3 hides, a warm hide, a cool hide where they can sleep, and a moist hide where you can stuff wet paper towels or moss inside to help them with shedding.

A 20 gallon tank is perfect, it's good enough for 2 geckos so if you are getting one, you'll leopard gecko will appreciate the space. Make sure the 20 gallon is the long type as leopard geckos don't climb. So don't go for the high setup.

I think leopard geckos are an ideal reptile pet for beginners or anybody who doesn't want to deal with snakes or oversized animals. For one, leopard geckos are more docile than most other reptiles. They poop in one corner that they choose and will always poop there, makes for easy cleaning. They don't make sound or noise, they don't stink as long as you clean the poop every day. They also don't get ridiculous large sized, unlike iguanas or bearded dragons where you gotta get large cages. Leopard geckos can fit in a 20 gallon tank, neatly put in a corner or on a wall decorated to look good. I live in a small apartment and they are just perfect pets that won't make your living place look like a jungle or scare your guests away.

Just have realistic expectations, make sure both you and daughter understand leopard geckos tolerate holding occasionally. They tolerate it, meaning they don't necessary always enjoy it. So like most kids they will want to hold it, pet it, play with it like a toy. She will need to understand she won't be able to run around with it, put it in a basket and cart it around like you can do with a kitten, and they don't always enjoy you petting them on their backs. Also know that they usually get more docile when they get into adult age (1 year old+). So if you happen to get a baby or juvenile, you may end up not being able to handle it until later on. They are very jumpy and skittish when they are young.

Oh and I gotta mention they are nocturnal. So kids may get bored with them as they don't "do anything" during the day when humans are awake. They usually get active at night, that's also the best time to feed them. I know kids like to watch these animals do things, and I've read a few posts on various forums from younger people that said "they don't do anything I'm getting rid of them". So yeah, if you and her got the right expectations, leopard geckos are great pets.

Anyways just some of my thoughts and opinions, good luck

 

[Mariettaphotog]

excellent advice, guys...its funny, but she was telling me all about the gecko and what it needs and was telling me some of the same stuff. She is a terribly smart 6 year old. lol. IM the one that needs to learn. lol.

I think she will be awesome with the gecko. She really does know a lot about them and the way that they live. keep the advice coming guys...I gotta learn!

 

[Franklinj480]

keep us updated, pictures too!

 

[LeoMerlin]

The best thing to do is keep looking around, geckoforums.net is a great place for research and advice! I have been doing a ton of research since we brought our little guy home. We got him at a reptile show, I knew nothing about little geckos at first but the man we got him from told us how to take care of him. Ever since then I became obsessed with finding the best care for Merlin. UTH are a definite must, and I've read it is necessary to have a calcium dish at all times. UVB bulbs are not the best solution from what I have read so I don't recommend them. I am not an expert, I'm just going with what I've read and what I've been told. I do have the UTH for my guy and a blue/red bulb combos. Blue for day, red for night. Not everyone does that if they've got the UTH but it's supposed to help add more heat if you're not able to control the heating properly ( I think so anyways). Shallow water bowl is a good idea, with fresh water daily. For the substrate, sand is NOT a good idea, I've read many places that it can cause impaction (I think that's right?) and that's not good for leos. A lot of people say papertowels or newspaper is a good substrate idea, as it's cheap and easy to clean. I have a reptile carpet for terrariums that's very easy to clean. But definitely keep asking around, and sounds like your daughter is very bright for her age so I think she'll understand the whole "can't touch him too much". I've read that you can get leos to come to you, but it can take awhile. Mine doesn't like me trying to hold him just yet, so I'm trying to leave him be. I put my hand in so he can get used to my smell like I've read but you don't want to stress them out too much. Hope this helps! I'm still learning myself as I said so again this is from my research that I've been doing around on the forums or online or my book I got about leopard geckos