[MAXXTRAX77]

Hey guys, seems like I may have found the right spot.... I a 20 year old from Iowa. Probably wondering where that is... Anyways I'm looking for a new pet. I can't keep dogs under the restrictions of the apartment. And my GF's allergic to cats... And I want something a little more exciting than a fish. I use to have Anoles when I was younger. If I remember right they were pretty easy to keep alive. Just buy/catch crickets for them to eat and you are all good. This time around I want a Gecko though.

My local pet store has a few kinds, a Marbled, Leopard, and two goldens? Not sure on the last two... Anyways I am interested in the Marbled. Its about 7-8 inches long and looks good. What is needed for getting a tank for him build up? I've been doing some research on tanks and I am gonna say up front I don't want something that looks "cheap"... Sorry if that offends anyone, but I want it to look real, live plants, not the stuff you see in a pet store. Can I do that? From my reading I need to clean the cage often? What can be used for the "bedding" dirt? Rocks, sand, mulch? What's the best heat source?

And about the conditions... How do I regulate the humidity and temperature. Let alone check the humidity?

Then about feeding, how many, and how often does a Gecko eat crickets? Are they relatively easy to take care of? Say I leave for a weekend trip. Will they be fine?

Thanks for EVERYTHING people, I know thats a lot to ask. But I really appreciate it!

[Riverside Reptiles]

Welcome to GU. There are several different geckos that are commonly called "marbled". Does it look like this...


If so, it's Gekko grossmani and you should scroll down to our "gekko" forum and ask your questions there. You'll get a much better response.

[MAXXTRAX77]

That looks pretty close... Maybe a little darker? Thank you...

[Riverside Reptiles]

No problem. Being a first time gecko owner, you may also want to consider a leopard gecko or a crested gecko. Both make excellent first geckos.