Newbie Here....Tell Me Everything I Need to Know!!!

[TripleB]

I've been searching for the perfect pet for my family (wife, 12 year old daughter, 2 year old son, myself). In looking for the most enjoyable and least messy pets it seems that there were four that stood out: mouse, leopard gecko, corn snake, guinea pig.

Wife killed the mouse (caught about 6 in our last house) and the snake idea quickly. So that leaves two.

I've noticed the leopard geckos everytime we go to the pet store because of their beautiful coloring and because my two year old sounds 'cool' when he says "lissard".

Here are my basic questions:

1) What makes a good habitat for a leopard gecko? What should be used for the bottom of the cage (ie: sand, etc.)? (I have seen 'boxed sets' claiming to have everything you need for a gecko, but really...what makes them a happy home?)

2) Do they like being handled? Is it best not to handle them? If handled, do they quickly try to get away? Do they 'bite'?

3) I understand they like crickets and millworms (correct). How often should a leopard gecko be fed?

4) How often should the cage be cleaned out?

5) What other advice can you give me that you've discovered by owning one (that you may have never read or thought about before purchasing a leopard gecko)?

Thanks for any and all advice.

TripleB

 

[Wreptile]

1.
- A 10-20 Gallon long tank.
- NO SAND. Tiles work well, so does repti-carpet.
- Under tank heater for belly heat.
- I wouldn't buy the Leopard Gecko Set.

2.
I'm not sure if they "like to be handled" but I don't think they mind it. It's good to hold them so you can tame them. Most juveniles (in my experiences) try to wiggle our of your hand, but once they are tame, you can watch TV with them laying on your shoulder.

3.
Yes, crickets and meal/superworms are both good staple diets. You should offer them food every other day and let them eat until they are full. (Please correct me if I'm wrong.)

4.
You won't regret it if you buy a Leopard Gecko. They are an awesome species to own. Their personalities are great. When I walk up to a tank, they look up at my with big eyes, it's so adorable.


Hope that helps!

 

[Khrysty]

Couple more things: they need three hides: a hide on the "warm" side of the cage, one on the "cool" side and "moist" hide. The moist hide can be a simple tupperware container with a hole cut out of the cap and some moist substrate (peat moss, coco fiber, paper towels) on the inside. You can place this anywhere in the cage, though I like to put it on the warm side for a "sauna" effect.

You'll want supplements: a vitamin powder and a calcium powder. The calcium should not have D3 in it, but the vitamin powder should. Leave a small dish of calcium in the cage (like a milk cap full) and "dust" (coat) the feeder insects with the vitamin powder every few feedings.

Just a note: leopard geckos do NOT need UV lighting.

Buy an under the tank heater that will cover 1/3 of the floor space (if you buy a 10 gallon tank, buy a 10 gallon heater, etc)

You need a thermometer with a probe to put above the heater. Temps should be around 85*-90* on the warm side and about 10* cooler on the cool side

For a baby, you'll want to feed every day, for an adult you'll want to feed every other day. I'd recommend getting a baby to get it used to you.

When you first get it, it might not want to eat for a couple of days. Don't freak out, that's normal lol

They don't always enjoy being handled at first but the more you handle them the more they like it. They especially like your neck/shoulder area because it's warm.

Be wary of pet store-bought leopard geckos. They've been housed on sand. If you do a search on this forum for "impaction" you can see what horrible things sand CAN (doesn't always) do to geckos, especially babies. It's just something to watch out for.

There are a bunch of really good breeders on this site who would probably be willing to ship you a pet-quality gecko for pretty cheap. I'd recommend looking into that.

 

[ariana]

ive had many guinea pigs and leopard geckos are much easier to care for.

listen to khrysty and wreptile they got it right

 

[Lady_Kiya]

In my opinion geckos are the perfect family pet when you have small children. :main_yes: They do not require a lot of time on a regular basis. When you first get them they do need quite a bit, but after they are settled in they are good for a long time. I do small cleanings in my tank every other week, depending on certain factors. I, myself, use tiles as a substrate. It is easy to clean and makes it much easier to control temperature. Leopard geckos are generally a really clean animal. They USUALLY go to the bathroom in the same area, thus making clean up very easy. Other than that, really the only mess they can get into is the calcium powder left in their habitat. Trust me, Ares tortures me with walking in his :main_rolleyes: Other than that, monthly clean-ups are perfect. Some people also wait longer.

Just to give you an idea on enclosures here is mine. Do not feel overwhelmed, you can go much more simple, this is just an example. Perhaps someone can show you a very simple enclosure as well..

In this case I don't have a moist hide. I purchased Ares from someone as an adult and the previous owner never gave him a moist hide. He does not have issues shedding so far, but if some ever arise, I would add a moist hide. I do suggest adding the moist hide, to help with any shedding issues that can happen. The beige hide is his warm hide, the coconut hide on the opposite, as well as the log provides a cool hide. Thermometer with probe runs into his warm hide to keep the temperature of the floor.
Ares is not a picky eater. He will eat ay feeder worm he sees. He will not however, touch crickets. You will need to find what your leo likes and dislikes. Super worms, meal worms, dubia roaches, are among some of the staple feeders that can be used. Many people will suggest having variety, as a leo can get bored if being fed the same thing over and over again. They might even refuse to eat in this case. Wax worms, are also a feeder but should only be used as a treat every now and then.
If cost when it comes to feeders is an issue, breeding and keeping your own colony of meal worms is very easy and inexpensive.
I also would not suggest buying a gecko from a pet store. I would look into a breeder. Either one who is willing to ship to you, or maybe there are local breeders near you.
One more thing I would recommend is looking into whether or not there is a herp vet near by. This can come in handy in case of emergency.

Overall, deciding to own a leopard gecko was one of the best things I could have done. I absolutely love them as a pet, and adore them all around. They will slowly steal your heart. <3

 

[geckolvr88]

Here is a VERY basic set up I have for my baby. I've got a warm hide, cold hide, and a moist hide (I like to keep my moist hide on the cool side, so it doesn't dry up as often.) a water "dish" and a calcium holder.

I would definately recommend getting a leopard gecko. I absolutely love them and there are so many different morphs to choose from. They each have their own special personalities. I just love them.

But be warned, once you get one, you'll want more!

Also, use this site to your advantage, there is a lotttt of good information on here, and alot of people who know what they are talking about.

Good luck

 

[Whitey]

Seems like everyone has everything covered.... where are you located at? You might be able to find a...lets just call it "not so normal" leopard gecko for about the same price as a pet store. There are some breeders on here that have some AWESOME deals and coloring in their geckos.

Just a heads up, it gets addicting also... so stick with one or two leopard geckos and call it quits at that...lol

You can also use papertowels as a substrate, but I use tiles (from home depot or Lowes)... this doesnt mean you have to use like kitchen tiles, they have decorative tiles that I use they look like slate, its like 4 bucks for 10 of them so you would probably only need two for a 10 gallon.

Good luck, and hopefully you choose the leopard gecko, its nice to see someone get on the forums BEFORE they buy the gecko and get the right info.

 

[TripleB]

Seems like everyone has everything covered.... where are you located at?

1st let me say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has responded so far. All the information is a big help (I'm printing everything off to keep on record) and the pics of the habitats are awesome. After hearing what all spaces I needed (warm, cool, moist, dry) I was wondering how anyone could fit all that into one tank.

I'm located in Hickory, NC (about 45 miles NW of Charlotte). The local pet store has leopard geckos on sale right now for $17.97 but someone above mentioned that there are some breeders on this site that might be able to get me some 'healthier' ones for a good price. Look forward to hearing from those people.

Thanks again for everyone's help so far!!!

TripleB

 

[geckoqueen]

I did not know if you feed your gecko the same thing they can get bored and not eat. I just read that info here. This might be why my gecko has not ate for awhile, though I think last night he ate but usually he does not eat much. I always feed worms, or if beetles hatch though I don't have many of the beatles. I did not know to change foods, guess I'll have to buy crickets also. though my family does not want me to have the crickets in the house but when I move to my new apartment I am going to buy crickets because I think my gecko is bored with the worms. This explains the eating problem. I just learned something important..Thanks.
Also I bought 2 gecko's from the pet store. I have one gecko that lived. Does not eat much but I believe if I ever get another gecko it will be from a Gecko breeder. The pet store pets, not just gecko's seem to get sick alot, or come sickly as bought.
Also there is no Gecko vet close by but there is an animal hospital close by and he said he would look at
my gecko. Though does not specialize in gecko's at least there is a vet who would look at the pet.
Also if you ever move make sure the Gecko is out of the tank in a box with holes in it and a heating pad.
This way you don't take the chance of something falling on your gecko. When I move again which will not be far like 5 minutes away, well I am going to take the gecko out of the tank. I lost a gecko because I did not think anything would happen to it in the tank while moving. I had a moving van. Just if you are ever going to move, if it is far away, would be best to ship the Gecko in a box to your address. I wish i would have done this instead. I am very lucky the other gecko made it back and was not hurt.
And was cold weather when we travled, at night prob got 40 degrees out. I did take the geckos in the hotel with me but it still got cold in the van. It would have been better to ship them.

 

[Whitey]

There is a breeder on here located in SC or NC, I cant remember... I want to say his name is yellermelon??? If you click on the classified section on top of the page, then click on leopard geckos, you can see a slew of breeders on here that sell their geckos at a lil bit of a discount for the forum members. The only reason I mentioned a breeder closer to you is to cut down on shipping costs, but you can go with ANY breeder on this site. From my experience, ALL of the breeders on this site are awesome and their geckos are always way above and beyond healthy and beautiful.

 

[Barbel]

If you are looking for something easy to take care of, a leopard gecko is much easier than a guinea pig. I used to work at a pet store and though guinea pigs make really great pet for kids, they can get very stinky and require a lot of cleaning.
You can spot clean your tank out a once a week and then do a good cleaning every 4-6 weeks. A really easy way to do spot clean is to first find out where your gecko likes to use the bathroom. Let him go there for a week or two. Then buy one of those hamster/mouse corner potties and put it where the gecko poops. Then you can just take it out, dump it and put it back. I used to do that when I first started out and it works pretty well. They would miss sometimes, but they were actually pretty good at getting it all in there.
You can also use shelf liner as a substrate. It's only about $4 a roll and you will have more than enough to cover a 20 gallon.