Leopard geckos?

[Srmcclure]

Hi! I'm am looking into getting my son a leopard gecko sometime in the relatively near future as his first pet that is all his (other than a betta) and I've heard this is a really good 'starter' pet. Hes 11 years old so I figured it would be a good age to do it.

I've heard they are calmer more docile pets usually which I think he would really like to be able to hold over once in a while, but my real question is I dont want to get wrong Info online like I did for my tortoise. Do any of you guys have accurate care sheets or links to places you all trust for correct care? Also, suggestions of other reptiles you might think would be better? Can't do snakes right now even though I love them. My apartments won't let us have them and they do actually come to check filters, spray for pests and etc so there's no hiding it either, not that I'd really want to anyway. Weird, but whatever.

Thanks everyone!

 

[iAmCentrochelys sulcata]

i have kept a leopard gecko, they are just a hard and easy as other animals. i fed her mealworms, Crickets, roaches, ect. but back then i didn’t do much research i still cared for her the right way. i’ll say you should start with a 30 gallon Tank if you wanna get one when i had one it was believed 10 gallon would do it now i think to myself What the heck that’s Small!
you can also try a crested gecko. but talk to your son first he might not like it. and not care for it you shouldn’t get one without doing research and make sure he’s up for the Task.

if you live in a Apt how you keeping your tortoise??

 

[Srmcclure]

i have kept a leopard gecko, they are just a hard and easy as other animals. i fed her mealworms, Crickets, roaches, ect. but back then i didn’t do much research i still cared for her the right way. i’ll say you should start with a 30 gallon Tank if you wanna get one when i had one it was believed 10 gallon would do it now i think to myself What the heck that’s Small!
you can also try a crested gecko. but talk to your son first he might not like it. and not care for it you shouldn’t get one without doing research and make sure he’s up for the Task.

if you live in a Apt how you keeping your tortoise??

My apartment manager said tortoises are fine, but no pit bulls and no snakes lol. Our apartment allows us to have all sizes of dogs. She even has a big floppy bunny in hers lol.
Right now our tortoise is only 3 inches-ish and hes in a 4x2 closed chamber, but I have the whole dining area he can have when it's time.He also has an outdoor area on our balcony. Our balcony is 4x10ft and right now for outdoor time since hes so small he's in one of those bigger blue Doggy pools to get some sunshine.
We are currently saving for a house though. We just got married this last September, so weddings all paid off and done and now house is on it's way lol.

I have a 36x18 inch terrarium with hinge doors I was planning on using for whatever reptile he chose. He wanted a green iguana, but I told him we want something that will stay much smaller than those guys lol. We were looking at leopard geckos because he thought they were cute and it seemed do able for him. I've had a crested gecko before and he was cool, but super lazy lol. Only moved to hunt lol

 

[iAmCentrochelys sulcata]

My apartment manager said tortoises are fine, but no pit bulls and no snakes lol. Our apartment allows us to have all sizes of dogs. She even has a big floppy bunny in hers lol.
Right now our tortoise is only 3 inches-ish and hes in a 4x2 closed chamber, but I have the whole dining area he can have when it's time.He also has an outdoor area on our balcony. Our balcony is 4x10ft and right now for outdoor time since hes so small he's in one of those bigger blue Doggy pools to get some sunshine.
We are currently saving for a house though. We just got married this last September, so weddings all paid off and done and now house is on it's way lol.


I have a 36x18 inch terrarium with hinge doors I was planning on using for whatever reptile he chose. He wanted a green iguana, but I told him we want something that will stay much smaller than those guys lol. We were looking at leopard geckos because he thought they were cute and it seemed do able for him. I've had a crested gecko before and he was cool, but super lazy lol. Only moved to hunt lol

lol i get the picture now, she doesn’t trust/like those animals snakes and pit bulls personally i’m not sure about snakes i feel weird touching them and a pit bull... well there are the best.
why not get him a tortoise? a testudo
there’s so much animals that don’t have to be reptiles. does he like tortoises? you have experience caring for them right?
good luck!

 

[Srmcclure]

He loves sulcatas lol. Which I do too, we're just not setup for that specific tortoise unfortunately. He saw them at an expo and got to hold the babys and loved it.
I've showed him the Russians at petsmart just to give him an idea of other species, but he wasnt too interested unfortunately ?
I also thought about a turtle of some kind because I've had plenty of those in the past, but hes in the kid phase of 'I dont care' and is all about video games. He loves animals, but they aren't his switch or playstation. I'm just trying to get his attention away by finding something he'd like and to help with responsibility

 

[Tom]

Leopard geckos are fantastic first reptile pets. They aren't as robust as some, so your son will have to be taught to be calm and gentle with it.

I've kept them in the past, but I'm no expert on them. For expert advice talk to @MichaelL
Check out this thread he recently posted: https://tortoiseforum.org/threads/leopard-geckos-hatching.181578/
He is the person I'd ask for tips from.

Also consider a bearded dragon. They are a little bigger and are a bit sturdier. They are super chill and will tolerate more handling better.

A third option you should look into is the blue tongue skink. Probably the easiest reptile pet there is to care for. This one would allow you to skip the feeder insects entirely. Very hardy, very sturdy, very handleable, and their inquisitive calm personality make them an instant favorite.

Getting a new baby!

Hello, lizard lovers! Since my sweet DT Chug died, I have pretty much decided not to get another tortoise. Because of my black thumb, I had to rely almost completely on grocery store food along with Mazuri. I never felt like I was providing the best for him. Plus, it's getting harder for me to...

tortoiseforum.org

Detailed Blue Tongue Skink Caresheet - BlueTongueSkinks.NET

These would be my top three picks, and you were right to steer away from a green iguana. Most of them are positively nasty and aggressive. A bite from one of those is likely to happen, and can be very serious. They can do some real damage.

@Josh , the owner and runner of this forum, also has a bunch of other forums. One was a bearded dragon forum and there is some great info there. There used to be links to those other forums at the bottom of the page, but I can't find them now. Josh? How do we find your other forums now?

Good luck choosing. Start a thread when you get it, and tell us all about it!

 

[Tom]

He loves sulcatas lol. Which I do too, we're just not setup for that specific tortoise unfortunately. He saw them at an expo and got to hold the babys and loved it.
I've showed him the Russians at petsmart just to give him an idea of other species, but he wasnt too interested unfortunately ?
I also thought about a turtle of some kind because I've had plenty of those in the past, but hes in the kid phase of 'I dont care' and is all about video games. He loves animals, but they aren't his switch or playstation. I'm just trying to get his attention away by finding something he'd like and to help with responsibility

Sounds like you should pick a species that YOU like, since you will likely end up caring for it.

 

[Srmcclure]

Sounds like you should pick a species that YOU like, since you will likely end up caring for it.

Haha your most likely 100% right!

He has always said the pom is MY dog, the aussie mix is DADS dog and he doesn't have anything. Love kids dramatics lol. We've told him they are the FAMILY pets, but hes not having it lol. He helps with the dogs, but I figured maybe having something that is HIS would help, but being 11 i want something that won't be too difficult for him so he could actually enjoy owning the pet. I would help with it all, but it would be his.
He actually doesn't like out leopard tortoise right now because he saw how I had to scramble to get the right stuff after you guys pointed out all that bad info, so he says it's too much work. ? he doesn't understand that the right info makes all the difference lol.
And I will look into the skink! That would be so cool! I wasnt aware of their disposition ?

 

[MichaelL]

All the species Tom said are awesome. I prefer Leopard Geckos out of them all. You can really get some with amazing coloration, and if you get a juvenile or baby they are eating monsters. Not saying the adults aren't, but the babies are just way more. However, you can't really handle the juveniles or babies and they will just jump off your hand and run for cover. The adults allow handling and will slowly explore walking all over your hand and arm, but I would say a bearded dragon is better for relaxing on the couch watching a movie. Leopard geckos are still very handleable though. I don't have experience with blue tongues, but I have heard enough stories to know they are amazing. Good luck!

Also I'll just make a list of care right below this post, leo gecko care is much simpler than many other species.

 

[Srmcclure]

All the species Tom said are awesome. I prefer Leopard Geckos out of them all. You can really get some with amazing coloration, and if you get a juvenile or baby they are eating monsters. Not saying the adults aren't, but the babies are just way more. However, you can't really handle the juveniles or babies and they will just jump off your hand and run for cover. The adults allow handling and will slowly explore walking all over your hand and arm, but I would say a bearded dragon is better for relaxing on the couch watching a movie. Leopard geckos are still very handleable though. I don't have experience with blue tongues, but I have heard enough stories to know they are amazing. Good luck!

Also I'll just make a list of care right below this post, leo gecko care is much simpler than many other species.

Thanks so much!

 

[MichaelL]

Okay so the care: Leopard geckos are very hardy, so if you mess up a few things it won't be the end of the world. However, have these things in mind.

• Tank size. A leopard gecko can live in a ten gallon tank for its whole life. That being said, a twenty gallon is preferable. I keep my two in a 50 gallon, and they use the space thoroughly. But there is no need for that big, I like giving them some more space. Just try and get a twenty gallon.
• Substrate. I go simple. I use paper towels for my adults, and repti carpet for the babies in the ten gallon tank. I think repti carpet is great, and it looks better. I have also heard of this sand mat thing that is sort of like repti carpet but more like actual terrain. All these work. Don't use sand, dirt, anything like that. It actually is an impaction risk. Not a myth. Long ago, when I didn't have much experience, I kept mine on sand. Somehow, I kept seeing sand show up in their poop. Luckily, I changed the substrate quickly and nothing bad happened. I was lucky.
• Heat. I used to use an under tank heater, but it would get too hot sometimes and I didn't feel comfortable with it near my geckos. I now use Exo Terra 75w Night Heat Lamp. The dark blue/purple one. This brand and specific bulb has lasted more than all the other types.
• Hides/decor. I would have 3 hides. One near the heat lamp, one on the other end, and a humid one in the middle. In the humid hide, put some peat moss and keep it moist all the time. They will go into it to shed.
• Diet. The main staple diet should be crickets, mealworms, or superworms. I buy about 500 mealworms online. After they are delivered to my house, I get a container and fill it with oatmeal. I give them a few carrots to get hydrated. Then, a few hours later, I take the carrots out, and put the container in the fridge. This prevents the mealworms from becoming beetles. Occasionally I buy some crickets or mealworms to spice up the menu every once in a while.
• Food and water dish. I have a food dish where I leave about 10-15 mealworms always, and refill whenever they are eaten. The water dish should always have clear water, and be washed out whenever it becomes dirty.
• Supplements. Repashy superfoods is a supplement I use. It is a little pricey at about 8 dollars, but it has all the vitamins and minerals the gecko needs. I leave a third dish for them, filled with this powder. My female is always seen licking it up, as she is constantly laying eggs and needs the calcium especially. You don't have to have the dish, and instead can just dust the food given.

Just ask if you have any more questions, good luck!!