Opinion: start with juvenile or adult

[TheotheLeo]

So in the near future I'll be getting a leopard gecko for the first time in years.
I started with an adult but only had her for about a year. I was young and moving alot.
What does everyone suggest to start with again?
Are juveniles tough to start with?
I'm drawn to the idea of watching them grow into there colors and growing a bond as they mature but I'm also drawn to the adults since I can clearly see what there colors are and there so beautiful!

 

[acpart]

You could always get an older juvenile where it's becoming clear what the colors would be. The thing to avoid is a tiny hatchling because you don't know whether it will eat and grow. I used to sell my hatchlings at a minimum of 15 grams.

Aliza

 

[TheotheLeo]

What age roughly do you think the juveniles are at the average pet store?

 

[acpart]

It's hard to tell age because geckos develop at different rates. Geckos hatch with alternating colored bands in most cases. For the average normal gecko it's black and yellow or black and white (in the case of the snow morph) bands. For albino geckos it's pale beige and yellow or pale beige and white. As they mature the bands start to break up. I'd say that any gecko that looks like a new hatchling and still has the solid bands is too young to be sold (which doesn't stop pet stores and some breeders from selling them that young). Don't buy a skinny sick looking one because you want to "rescue " it. You will end up having the gecko die and may bring in contagion which will require you replacing all your gecko supplies.

Aliza