Hi everyone

[Some87]

Hi everyone. Just picked up my first leopard gecko today. I picked it up at big pet store chain since no local reptile store didn't have any in stock. I haven't sexed it yet because I have to acclimate it to the cage so I haven't touched it but once. Once it gets used to me I'll find out what it is and give it a name. From its size (about 2 to 3 inches) I think it's somewhere in the 1 month old range.

 

[acpart]

Welcome to GF. Enjoy your new gecko.

Aliza

 

[Some87]

I was kind of concerned since I couldn't get it to eat but finally ate 4 mealworms I still want to take it to the vet to just get a checkup.

 

[LegendaryValky]

Welcome!

 

[Some87]

Thank you for the welcomes

 

[Poppy243]

Welcome! Geckos are the best pets, you've made a great choice!
Don't worry if you are having trouble getting it to eat, as long as it remains a healthy-looking size. Some geckos go into brumation this time of year. From my understanding, it's kind of like a pseudo-hibernation. Reduced activity and feeding due to a slower metabolism because of the colder temps. Also, it's in a new place and is adjusting, so that plays a part in their feeding. My Clementine, generally a pretty healthy eater, hasn't been eating as much this past week. I took her home for Thanksgiving break and I think the travel stressed her out, even though it was only a 15 min drive from the campus to my house. Fortunately, a week of weak feeding isn't going to hurt her, and if your gecko isn't looking too bony, yours would be fine too! Plus, for an itty bitty little baby guy like that, four is probably a pretty decent meal!
Also, I don't think you necessarily need to take your gecko to the vet to get a checkup unless you suspect it has something wrong with it. Unnecessary stress should be avoided, and that's definitely unnecessary stress. Fortunately, it's usually pretty easy to tell when something is actually wrong with these guys, whether you know what that something is or not. So unless you see something you feel is unnatural, I wouldn't bother with the vet.
Additionally, I might add it's going to be difficult to sex the gecko at the age it's at. They can be sexed when they are above 10g with some degree of accuracy, to the trained eye, however you really don't know until they are closer to the 20g mark, provided they are growing at the normal rate most healthy captive geckos grow at. But even then it's no guarantee until they are a bit bigger than that. I know of a member on this forum who had two geckos she was planning on housing in a cage together, as she believed they were females, who ended up "switching" genders from what was originally observed. They just didn't show their male markers until they were a little older, one a little late, the other right about on time as it was younger. So I'd just name it something you like, and if you find out that it's the other sex, you can change it or adjust it, or keep calling it what it is! My sister has a ball python named Fred, and Fred is a girl! They named her that before they knew what sex she was. The previously mentioned member left one of the geckos' names, as it was gender neutral and could be either, and renamed the other one, who had a female name.
Good luck with your gecko! I've had a blast with mine. They're great pets, and even the people who don't like reptiles often seem to end up liking a leopard gecko they meet! I can name at least three people off the top of my head who aren't reptile fans but who love the leopard geckos they've interacted with lol.

 

[Some87]

thank you very much. Now I'm going to have one of the hardest times of my life because I'm bad with names. I'll skip the vet too because everything seems fine. I even saw a poop in the cage so I was happy about that.

 

[Poppy243]

I'm not always great with names. I asked my friend when naming Poppy and she just started throwing names out there and Poppy stuck out. Ask friends! Someone may say something you like. Or you can always pick a gender-neutral name or a nickname style name (like Sam, Max, Joe/Jo). One of my HS teachers has had her leo forever and whether he is a boy or not his name is Yoshi and he is just called a boy because she never sexed him. I'm tempted to go by and sex him, just out of curiosity!

 

[Some87]

So I gave some wrong info. He's about 3 and a half inches and I put him on the scale and he is at just 4 grams. I don't know if that would be a good indication on age or not. He is eating amazing too just tonight 5 meal worms and a few hours later 2 more they were all small. Still no name till I get a chance to talk to my friends tho.

 

[Tongue Flicker]

Welcome aboard!

 

[Martin1]

Hello everyone
I just want to know which the best thread to participate for discussion with other members?