What age is the best to buy at?

[qw23e]

Hey guys! I haven't been on here in awhile. Well my little baby leopard gecko I bought last January didn't make it. I was doing everything right and it still wasnt enough. I had researched for a year at least and still. But anyways I was wondering if I were to buy another leo what age would be best to buy? I bought mine at 5 months. Would it be better to buy one who is older and maybe ready to breed already? I do want to breed so it would be a plus. I don't want to have to get another one that might be to weak and die because of one tiny little thing. Thankyou for any info guys!

 

[Khrysty]

Where did you get the gecko from? They aren't really "weak" or fragile because of age, generally it's either a genetic flaw, or the prior care (the care of the person you got it from) that's to blame. Even so, at five months it is considered a juvenile and should be able to thrive just fine. I prefer to get mine as hatchlings or younger juvies just so I can make sure they're raised the way I want them to be raised.

If you're going to breed, perhaps its best to get a young one and raise it to breeding age. This way you'll be prepared come time for hatchlings..

 

[ILoveGeckos14]

I don't want to pry but the fact that you described a 5 month old as a little baby makes me believe he mustve had something up with him- for reference we have a 4 1/2month old that is 41g and 5month that is 47g. They are not little or babies. I'm sorry your little guy didn't make it but it sounds like he might have come to you with problems if he looks like a baby at 5 mo.

I prefer to get geckos young so that they spend their growing/development time in my care-but if you arent 100% confident yet it would be better to get a full grown, well-established adult.

 

[qw23e]

Thanks for the replies. She was fine up untill May. Thats when she stopped eating. It only got worse after that. I think it was one of the crickets I fed her. I think it had some sort of bacteria on it. I think I will just try again then. But I know one thing is that I will not use crickets. Just roaches or super worms. BTW I got her from pro geckos. Cody is really nice and I trust him. I think it was just a cricket.

 

[qw23e]

And also she was pretty big when I first got her. She was normal size for a 5 month old. But after that she lost alittle weight. Then she gained it back and started growing. Then she lost alot alot alot of weight! She started getting MBD because she wouldn't eat.

 

[ILoveGeckos14]

That stinks, crickets can be real dirty sometimes. I know one member on here had some geckos that got sick and some died because the crickets were poisioned from cat food gutload that went bad, so it can happen! Good luck with your next gecko!

 

[ReptarNDukeNukem]

I'm sorry for the lost.
Crickets can be dirty for lot of reasons,like one dies and you don't take out the dead cricket bacteria can grow then spread.Try feeding worm feeders like how you said and dubias also.

 

[gothra]

Just wondering how you know she died from a bad cricket? Did you take her to a vet to check if she had other problems? A vet could probably help her with the MBD.

If you want a new leo, I would suggest a young juvenille male; raise him until he is of breeding age and size before you start breeding.