# Good beginner geckos?



## hunterk997 (Sep 20, 2013)

My nephew is getting his first reptile next week, but isn't sure what type of gecko he wants. He has narrowed it down to a house gecko, and a takyo- I might be wrong on the name- but it has to be able to live in a 15 gallon for a while. Any suggestions? What is the care of the suggested gecko(s)?


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## EchoTheLeoTort (Sep 20, 2013)

I'd personally suggest a leopard gecko or crested gecko. They are the best starters. I don't know much about the house or other one, someone else will hopefully chime in!


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## Kapidolo Farms (Sep 20, 2013)

House geckos are small and similar to tokay geckoes, can run up walls. A leopard gecko can be handled with little concern about it biting, then can't run up walls. Tokays bite, and it is unpleasant. 

Leopards can learn to eat pelleted food, but naturaly eat insects. Cresteds eat insects, but also a powdered nectar that you can mix at home.

Of these the leopard has been bred into many colored and large varieties, some weigh a pound (very huge and $$$$).

Leopards can live in excess of 20 years, so maybe that slao suggests some ruggedness to them.

Will


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## hunterk997 (Sep 21, 2013)

He said he doesn't want a leopard gecko... I don't know why. He says that he thinks they're ugly. He's kind of worrying me because he's getting one based off of how cool it looks, not if he will be able to give it proper care.


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## lisa127 (Sep 21, 2013)

Leopard geckos will not eat the pelleted food made for them. They strictly want insects. They also do not weigh anywhere close to a pound. The very large giant leopard geckos weigh in anywhere between 100 and 150 grams. Normal leopards (non giants) weigh in anywhere between 50 and 100 grams. I agree though that they are extremely docile as a general rule. You say he doesn't want a leopard gecko.....what about the crested gecko? Both the leopard and the crested are better choices.


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## Kameo37 (Sep 21, 2013)

Lisa is right. Insects only for leos. I have two of them! They are great pets. They were purchased for my youngest (who just turned 6) and she can manage all of their care. 
My 8 yr old is pining for a crestie. They are even easier because they mostly eat crested gecko diet. 
From what I understand, tokays and house geckos are just not very handleable. Yes, they CAN be handled, but it's not tolerated well.


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## StudentoftheReptile (Sep 21, 2013)

House geckos and Tokay geckos are relatively easy to care for, but IMHO, neither are good beginner species. House geckos are small & fast, therefore they really are not ideal for a child who wants to handle a lot.

Tokays are large, fast and aggressive. They WILL bite when handled. So if your nephew is wanting something he can 'play with" (i.e. pick up and handle), I would not suggest either of these, or really any arboreal species.
---
If he is not keen on leopards, he may not like African fat-tailed geckos either, although both are probably my top picks. You may want to look into Pictus geckos (also known as panther geckos). Crested geckos are fairly easy and unlike most, they will eat a commercial diet.


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## Kapidolo Farms (Sep 21, 2013)

*Re: RE: Good beginner geckos?*



lisa127 said:


> Leopard geckos will not eat the pelleted food made for them. They strictly want insects. They also do not weigh anywhere close to a pound. The very large giant leopard geckos weigh in anywhere between 100 and 150 grams. Normal leopards (non giants) weigh in anywhere between 50 and 100 grams. I agree though that they are extremely docile as a general rule. You say he doesn't want a leopard gecko.....what about the crested gecko? Both the leopard and the crested are better choices.



Look at what Ron Tremper has done with these, there is a statue of Ron in Japan honoring his breeding them to one pound. I raised a few generation of leopards on pellets alone to assure their gut flora was as directed by a PI, at a lab I worked in. Just is.

Will

Sent from my SGH-T889 using TortForum mobile app


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## goReptiles (Sep 21, 2013)

Crested geckos are easy and can be fed solely a powdered diet. They can be offered crickets once in a while but the crested gecko diet should be the staple


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## lisa127 (Sep 21, 2013)

A pound is 450 something grams, is it not? No leopard gecko has ever weighed that much.


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## Millerlite (Sep 21, 2013)

454g to 1lb


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## lisa127 (Sep 21, 2013)

Will said:


> lisa127 said:
> 
> 
> > Leopard geckos will not eat the pelleted food made for them. They strictly want insects. They also do not weigh anywhere close to a pound. The very large giant leopard geckos weigh in anywhere between 100 and 150 grams. Normal leopards (non giants) weigh in anywhere between 50 and 100 grams. I agree though that they are extremely docile as a general rule. You say he doesn't want a leopard gecko.....what about the crested gecko? Both the leopard and the crested are better choices.
> ...



A pound is 450 something grams, is it not? No leopard gecko has ever weighed that much. I believe Moose was close to 160 grams. That's a far cry from 1 pound.


Also, you can consider to gargoyle gecko as well. They are similar to the crested.  If you're willing to consider other types of lizards, the blue tongued skink makes a fabulous kids pet.


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## StudentoftheReptile (Sep 21, 2013)

You could try a Berbers (Scnieder's) Skink or a sandfish. Trying to think of other easy species that can live in a 15-gal.


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## skottip (Sep 21, 2013)

Go big or go home. Get him a Leachie.

They tolerate handling, hardy, eat insects, small mammals and fruit.


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## StudentoftheReptile (Sep 21, 2013)

skottip said:


> Go big or go home. Get him a Leachie.
> 
> They tolerate handling, hardy, eat insects, small mammals and fruit.



It has to fit in a 15-gal. And I don't think she's gonna spring that much moolah for a "beginner" pet for her nephew.


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## Kapidolo Farms (Sep 21, 2013)

lisa127 said:


> A pound is 450 something grams, is it not? No leopard gecko has ever weighed that much.



Brain F*rt or what I'm not sure, yeah, 1/3 pound or there about. I re-looked at Ron's post, just over 150 grams. Giant for a leopard, and covers an adult's hand. Brings up the cool factor, but pricey.

I did not know there are specific pellets for geckoes, I used trout chow, Desert Iguanas taught me how to feed it to leopards. Desert Iguanas eat Kangaroo rat feces in the wild, so I figured geckoes from a similar type of habitat might have picked up a similar habit, they eat them pretty well. Small geckoes eat small pellets. That was done to assure the geckoes had no antibodies for Chagas Disease. They can carry it and be a model organism for studies. That was the driver for the pelleted food use.

Maybe not get stuck on a Gecko at all, or sort out "why" a gecko, is it the insurance company ad on TV?

Will


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## lisa127 (Sep 21, 2013)

I have a male tremper albino leopard gecko that as far as I know he has no giant genes. He is 11 inches long and 121 grams at about 1.5 years of age. For a gecko that as far as I know is not a giant, he is huge.


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## Kapidolo Farms (Sep 21, 2013)

If we are talking Rhacos, lets say tranckeo... are cooler than leaches? I think so. They are not the monsters that leaches are, but the face - a good looking face for sure.

Not an argument for one Rhacho or another, I like them both.

Will


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## nate.mann (Dec 12, 2013)

crested geckos are AMAZING: very easy and fun..good-looking too.


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## hunterk997 (Dec 12, 2013)

Sorry I forgot to update this. He got a leopard gecko. He has had it for three months now, I think. She seems to be doing fine.


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## happyjoyjoy (Dec 12, 2013)

EchoTheLeoTort said:


> I'd personally suggest a leopard gecko or crested gecko. They are the best starters. I don't know much about the house or other one, someone else will hopefully chime in!



totally agree!

if you want more hands on tho def a leopard.


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## T33's Torts (Dec 12, 2013)

I agree. Leo's are awesome.


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