Im a newbie!!

[AB3]

Hey guys I've never had a reptile and I was thinking about getting a gecko cause they r so cool. What do I need?

 

[ReptileMan27]

Hey guys I've never had a reptile and I was thinking about getting a gecko cause they r so cool. What do I need?

Well first you need to decide what species of gecko you want,im guessing a leo?. Their are lots of good care sheets on leos out their, if you have any specific questions feel free to post them.

Here are a few basic things you will need for a leo

10 gallon tank alteast for one adult and a cover

Under tank heater

Couple hides,water dish,calcium dish

Calcium powder with vitimain D3 in it to dust the cricks/mealies, plus regular calcium powder without vitimain d3 in it for the calcium dish.

Substrate: paper towels,newspaper,slate rock,reptile carpet

Those are just the main basic things you will need, defently read several care sheets:main_thumbsup:

 

[Ishtar]

make sure you purchase a healthy gecko. best way to do that is through a breeder. sometimes petco/petsmart are not a wise choice.

you should go for it.

 

[robin]

ima newbie too :B

 

[Golden Gate Geckos]

Welcome to GeckoForums.net!

 

[robin]

thanks mean old gecko lady

 

[GeckoMandi]

Welcome to the forum!

I will add to what Jason said, you will want to add a humid to aid in shedding You should get a Leo, be warned though they are ADDTICTIVE!

 

[PrototypeGeckos]

Welcome, and you will love geckos and keep in touch to the forum here and you will all the info you need.

 

[AB3]

thx, im not sure what gecko I want yet, but I know I want one I can handle outside their cage on a regular basis. Whats the best kind of substrate?? Im also looking for something easy to take care of because im only 17 and I go to school, work, and I have a saltwater fish tank(A LOT OF WORK) so im kinda busy know what I mean, if I have to clean the enclosure once a week that would be good.

 

[GeckoMandi]

Substrates- I say papertowels some people choose to use sand but lots of debate over that.

If you want a nice looking tank go with slate, ceramic tiles.

Depends on how much your gecko goes poo I guess, lol I clean mine when needed or normally sprayed out once a week.

 

[lil_katiedan]

I suggest tile as the substrate. It's nice, easy to clean and it's safe for the gecko.

Alot of breeders have caresheets listed on their site, read as many as possible and don't worry about asking to many questions, we're all here to help .

Also, one more tip, as Pat mentioned be careful where you purchase your gecko. Your best bet is to find one you like online, pretty much everyone here has great geckos and you won't have to worry about getting ripped off or receiving an unhealthy leo. There are alot of pretty geckos available that you won't have to spend a fortune on.

Good luck!

 

[ReptileMan27]

thx, im not sure what gecko I want yet, but I know I want one I can handle outside their cage on a regular basis. Whats the best kind of substrate?? Im also looking for something easy to take care of because im only 17 and I go to school, work, and I have a saltwater fish tank(A LOT OF WORK) so im kinda busy know what I mean, if I have to clean the enclosure once a week that would be good.

If you want something to handle then a leo or AFT are your 2 best choices. Leos and AFTs dont require much care, no more then fish. As far as substrate, depends on what you get, for leos paper towels,newspaper,slate rocks, repti carpet, or tiles. For an AFT, newspaper,paper towels, coco fiber, or reptl carpet.

 

[AB3]

whats an AFT??

 

[ByRandom]

African Fat-Tail Gecko...

 

[AB3]

O I think i want a leo.

 

[LadyGecko]

HI-and Welcome to the forum!!

I know that this is primarily a gecko forum but I believe that if you are looking for a lizard to "hang out" with that a better choice might be a bearded dragon or a Blue Tongue Skink
Sophie-one of my Bluey's

I have all 3 species of lizards and the dragons and the bluey's are most definitely more laid back about being handled than Leos or aft's are
Also-both Leos and aft's are primarily nocturnals while Bluey's and dragons are diurnal
The downside to both bluey's and dragons is that they are omnivores and require greens and veggies in addition to bugs in their diet
Also-they require a good source of UVB lighting which can get expensive-bulbs need to be changed every 6 months unless you are using the expensive Mercury Vapor Spot Lights-which i believe might last one year-I'm not sure on that fact
Oh and one more thing-their enclosures need to be alot larger due to their adult size than for a Leo or a aft
one of my Amel Aft's-
Maize

Bearded Dragons come in some very pretty colors and their are smaller and larger sized ones(that brings to mind the smaller Rankins dragons that are smaller still and can be kept in groups)and Bluey's are very pretty with their individual markings and there are several varieties/species of them to choose from
One of my dragons-Sally

and Harry

Crested Geckos are yet another option to consider-extremely easy care and while they are nocturnal-they do come out and hang on the glass during the early evening hours and they can become quite tame with regular handling

It all depends on exactly how "hands on" that you want your reptilian pet to be
Hope that this has helped some

Sandy

 

[BalloonzForU]

Nice post Sandy. I'd say no to a crested if you want something real laid back. You never know if you'll get a jumpy one. I've never handled a Blue Tongue Skink, but I agree Bearded Dragons are pretty cool and like to just hang out.

Personally I like the smaller AFTs for something real calm and easy to handle.

Good luck deciding what you want, I know I can't chose just one. You'll notice most of us here keep more than just leos.

 

[LadyGecko]

Nice post Sandy. I'd say no to a crested if you want something real laid back. You never know if you'll get a jumpy one. I've never handled a Blue Tongue Skink, but I agree Bearded Dragons are pretty cool and like to just hang out.

Personally I like the smaller AFTs for something real calm and easy to handle.

Good luck deciding what you want, I know I can't chose just one. You'll notice most of us here keep more than just Leos.

Thanks Felicia-I dunno-I have some Leos that like nothing better than to take a flying leap when I handle them and I usually don't leave them just sit on me as I know they will be jumping off at any second-so they're no better than some crestie's with staying put
However-some Leos are soooo laid back
I guess it just all depends on the luck of the draw and what you end up with-a skittish or a calm one
The giants seem to be more laid back and all of them seem to mellow some with age
And yeah- I love my aft's-they are so sweet-but they are even more nocturnal than the Leos
:main_yes:

Keeping one kind of reptile seems to be impossible for most of us-LOL
I started out with one beardie and look at me now
lol
There are just so many nice ones to choose from

Sandy

 

[AB3]

hmm, I know i definatly want a gecko but I dont know which one to pick, I like how the crested ones look, but the leos are cool to, and I like your aft, its such a hard decision. I just want one I can chill with you know what i mean. Im afraid ill get one that is really jumpy.

 

[LadyGecko]

Well if you are looking for a reptile that will "hang out "with you for hours-I'm not sure that a gecko is your best choice
Granted that I am not very "Hands On" with most of my reptiles but I think that most geckos really prefer being on their enclosures-doing their gecko thing
I have always thought that most geckos are more enjoyed with observing them more than actual physical contact-just my 2 cents here
That is why I suggested a Beardie or a Bluey-they would be more likely to sit on/with you for extended periods of time while you watched TV or play/work on the computer
Or get a giant Leo-they do seem to be more laid back in general-not sure if their larger size has something to do with their more mellow disposition-but they do seem to be calmer in general than the smaller ones


Anyone out there have a gecko that will sit calmly with you for extended periods of time?

Sandy