Very new to this. questions

[Steelsoul]

Hello everyone! I have been reading alot about leopard geckos recently, and I have always wanted one. I have some basic questions about them however, So I figured I would bounce some questions off of you.

1. I live in Montana, USA.. Is that too cold for a gecko even with a heat lamp? I assume with proper humidity controller/heat lamp I should be okay, but I want to make sure.

2. I work on my computer alot and even use a mic for meetings quite frequently. It seems like alot of people have specific rooms for their geckos, but is it a negative thing to keep the tank near my computer (not facing the bright monitor) where I spend most my time? I figured hearing my voice may seem to help me during the taming process if my gecko hears my voice alot

3. I have a pretty patient personality when it comes to animals, but i have never had a reptile. I have always wanted a gecko, as they are far more interesting to me than dogs or cats and the like. Since I am so new to this, will I be compitent to take care of a baby gecko (I'd like to get one at a early age to watch him/her grow up) or do I need to get an adult?

4. We don't have to use LIVE vegitation, right? tropical plants are deffinetly not my thing hehe. I'd try to keep them alive for the sake of my gecko, but Id rather devote more time to caring for him/her instead

5. Im hearing a 10 gallon tank is good for 1-2 geckos.. but I am having trouble picking out the environment! I don't want it to get overly crowded in there haha. Is that a worry? should I start with it fairly barren and add things as the gecko becomes more aclimated, or can i have a whole new play place for them when I bring them home?

Thanks everyone for your time!!!

 

[ElapidSVT]

i wouldn't recommend using a heat lamp. under tank heat is what's necessary for leopard geckos. montana's fine. no worries about it being near the computer. it will prolly bug you to feed it every time you sit down. reptiles are patient animals. babies take a lot more care than adults. daily feedings can be hard to stay on top of. the good part is that, cared for properly, they grow quickly. leopard geckos come from desert environments so live plants are probably a bad idea. i've never seen a leopard gecko play so cage furnishings are personaal preference.

good luck!
rob

 

[StopperExotics]

1. I live in Montana, USA.. Is that too cold for a gecko even with a heat lamp? I assume with proper humidity controller/heat lamp I should be okay, but I want to make sure.

It's definitely not too cold, no matter where you live. You'll need an under-the-tank heater though; although spine-heat can be good for geckos who have health issues, they need belly heat to digest their food. You'll need a humid hide, and a dry hide, as well as a wet/dry side.

2. I work on my computer alot and even use a mic for meetings quite frequently. It seems like alot of people have specific rooms for their geckos, but is it a negative thing to keep the tank near my computer (not facing the bright monitor) where I spend most my time? I figured hearing my voice may seem to help me during the taming process if my gecko hears my voice alot

You can keep your geckos wherever you please in your house. We have them, basically all over the place. Hahah. We have... several.

3. I have a pretty patient personality when it comes to animals, but i have never had a reptile. I have always wanted a gecko, as they are far more interesting to me than dogs or cats and the like. Since I am so new to this, will I be compitent to take care of a baby gecko (I'd like to get one at a early age to watch him/her grow up) or do I need to get an adult?

You can get a baby if you wish, but you'll want to make sure you have all of the proper supplementation for him/her. And be prepared to have to change names if you find out if your gecko is a male or female instead of what you previously thought. Beware of TS females, look for ones that are visually sexed. (You'll be looking at 2-3 months old in the least to be able to visually sex them).

4. We don't have to use LIVE vegitation, right? tropical plants are deffinetly not my thing hehe. I'd try to keep them alive for the sake of my gecko, but Id rather devote more time to caring for him/her instead

Live vegetation? Well, geckos aren't vegetarians by nature. You'll need to come to grips with owning/keeping bugs. IE: Crickets, superworms, wax worms, silk worms, meal worms, roaches, etc. You need to look at gutloading the feeders as well, with Fluker's, potatoes, lettuce, etc.

5. Im hearing a 10 gallon tank is good for 1-2 geckos.. but I am having trouble picking out the environment! I don't want it to get overly crowded in there haha. Is that a worry? should I start with it fairly barren and add things as the gecko becomes more aclimated, or can i have a whole new play place for them when I bring them home?

10 gallon is probably fine for 1 gecko, but any more than that I'd generally put in a 20 long for more run-around room.

 

[STUTFL]

I can't keep anything alive except the shamrock plant and the leopard gecko, so you should be alright if you pay attention to the advice you get here. :laugh:

They eat bugs (no plants, and they live on hard desert ground), but while there are some fairly creepy feeders (crickets, roaches) a leo will do fine on a variety of insect larvae, which are easy to handle and store.

A 10 gallon is sufficient for one leo, though it can be tough to fit everything in there if you like to "decorate" with rocks and big hides and such.