leopard or crested

[bhiggs]

i am having a tough time deciding on which one of these to get can anyone give me their opinion on which one to get? also considering the fact that I would like to handle often with not so much stress on the animal.

 

[Daidra]

Leopard geckos are great as they love to be handeled once they are settled in and don't really get stressed out ,trust me I know as I breed and sell them.

 

[acpart]

If you're very interested in handling, I would suggest the leopard gecko. It's not so much, in my opinion, which animal will be less stressed, but which animal will stress out the owner more. I have about 15 leos at the moment and only 1 crestie and I do take him out every time I feed him his CGD (about 3 times a week) but it's always a question of how far he'll jump if he gets out of my hands and whether or not he'll land on my face. The leos, who are much easier to handle when they get to be adults, also vary in how tolerant they are. Mine range from being able to sit in my hand or on my shoulder for quite awhile to being very skittish and likely to jump into thin air.

ALiza

 

[Mel&Keith]

I have a Crested that is a sweetheart and loves to be handles but some of them can be pretty jumpy. Some Leos don't like to be handled much though so it's important to ask the breeder to recommend a gecko that is a good personality fit for you.

The care requirement are very different so I would go with whichever gecko's needs fit your lifestyle. Leos only eat insects and need a heat mat. Cresteds eat powdered diet that you mix with water with occasional insects and do not require heat but cannot get over 80F. Just a couple things to consider.

They both make great pets so either choice is a good one!

 

[leoman5654]

I have both crested geckos and leopard geckos and I agree that most Leopard geckos are more handleable than crested geckos. I have one crested that is super calm that even my 9 year old sister who is afraid of my leopard gecko can hold and another crested gecko that is always jumping and I would never let my sister hold in fear he would jump off of her. Plus my sister is terrified of it because it jumps so much. As said by someone else the care is very different between the gecks so you should read up on both. For crested geckos a good forum is the Pangea forums. I hope I helped

 

[ajveachster]

You may also want to look at housing, and what will fit better into the space you have designated. Tall and narrow, or short and long. Good luck with either you choose.

 

[leoman5654]

Good point. Forgot to mention that.

 

[JordanAng420]

I think that leopard geckos are great for beginner herp enthusiasts...Crested Geckos have some requirements that are quite specific for their husbandry, let alone breeding & egg incubation. I'd go with the leopard gecko to start, and once you master that species you can think about getting a Crested...

 

[Bodon]

I feel a crested is slightly easier to care for considering they dont NEED heat requirements, live food, lighting and so on. They also, imo are more fun to watch because they are a lot more active from what i notice. Only at night though, leos will be awake and doing stuff in the day time once and a while, its not rare that is. However my cresteds NEVER come out in the light, even if its the middle of the night and i turn a light on, they will go back to sleep. Also in the end i feel leos are a little closer to their owners than cresteds, if that makes any sense.

 

[elnott]

I think that leopard geckos are great for beginner herp enthusiasts...Crested Geckos have some requirements that are quite specific for their husbandry, let alone breeding & egg incubation. I'd go with the leopard gecko to start, and once you master that species you can think about getting a Crested...

what is so specific about a cresteds requirements to cause you to steer some one away from them? they are very easy to care for. they live comfortably around 70*, their eggs incubate at room temp, it cost less to feed them, they need some where to climb, and you mist them twice a day. this is all much harder than taking care of a leo. that requires undertank heaters, humid hide, dry hide, cool and warm sides of the cage, live food that can escape in the house. then there is the confusion of what temp you should incubate their eggs at if you want M or F, darker or lighter colors. just because you are more familiar with a species does not mean it is the better choice.

i am no expert, but personally if you are wanting to handle this new pet alot i would recommend the leo. they are hardier, they seem to have a little more personality, and cannot not jump as far as cresteds you also have to take into consideration intial cost and the cost of maintaining your pet. like mentioned before available space for a cage is also an issue. i also would recommend handling several different leos and cresteds and taking your time in making your decision. i am sure you will end up like me and owning both in the near future no matter wich one you choose first.

 

[Nigel4less]

I`ve kept and bred Leopard and Crested Geckos, and honestly prefer Leopards. They are just more personable in my opinion.