Considering Getting a Leo, Prepartion, Tips, Advice Welcome

[Astral Wench]

Hi, I got two juvenile crested geckos about two months ago now. They are growing and doing well. My experience with them has been a lot of fun and so I want to expand into other kinds of geckos.

I have sweet talked my boyfriend into letting me get a leopard gecko and I was just wondering what kinds of things should I do to prepare. I can look at the caresheet and get basics but since I don't have a leopard gecko or anything for him yet, I'm interested in trying to figure out what to do to prepare. I know they are far more carnivorous than my cresties. And that they are not arboreal.

Basically I would like to have a set up prepared before I get another gecko and so I'm looking for any tips and advice to make him as happy as possible.

 

[GeckoManiac91]

Basically reading the care sheets and doing lots of research is your best bet! And like you said be sure you have the setup all ready and the temperatures right before bringing your new Gecko home. That way any problems you run into regarding temperature or other wise can all be fixed before you bring him home making his transition as smooth and easy as possible!

One tip of advice is to stay away from pet stores and their "advice". I actually had a pet store try to tell me a moist hide wasn't necessary for a leopard gecko... Ha!

Just do lots of research and be sure to use all the experts on GU to your advantage!

 

[Muffins94]

Welcome! I want to start off by saying thank you for doing research before getting your new addition! Too many people buy geckos without doing research, end up setting up an enclosure wrong and provide wrong care. Elizabeth has a great care sheet you can read and there's a nice video on it as well for a visual. Read through other threads as well. As for purchasing a gecko I would recommend getting it from a breeder, rescue or reptile show. Pet stores usually don't have the healthiest stock. I also recommend not buying one of those "desert kit" tanks sold at the store. They usually have things you don't need and therefore waste money.

For starters you'll need: minimum 20L (30x12x12) tank with a screen lid.
Under tank heater
Heat lamp & heat bulb (optional-depends on temps)
3 hides minimum- warm, moist and cool
Substrate: NO SAND- tiles, reptile carpet, paper towels, etc.
Coco fiber or moss or moist paper towels for moist hide
Water dish & worm dish (if feeding worms)
Thermometers(digital with probe) not analog or stick on
Thermostat for UTH set at 88-91 degrees
Hygrometer
Decorations (optional of course)
Cricket keeper for crickets
Food- crickets, mealworms, hornworms, roaches, silkworms etc.
I hope I'm not leaving anything out, this is off the top of my head.

Here's Elizabeth's care sheet: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...-demo-video-4-jan-2013-update.html#post302242

And FAQ's: http://www.geckosunlimited.com/comm...ntly-asked-questions-caresheet-info-plus.html

 

[Astral Wench]

While I would like to get a leopard gecko from a breeder, I have a friend that may potentially be needing to find a home for some of his reptiles and I would gladly give one of his little leopards a home first. Rescue pets need loving homes and that is something I am passionate about. He has three weeks to figure things out and I hope he can work things out.

So if I am unable to adopt a leopard gecko in need of a loving home, I do not know of anyone who breeds leopard geckos personally. Are there any tips to finding a reputable breeder? I know how to find reputable dog breeders but I get the feeling that it won't be as easy to find a reputable gecko breeder.

 

[Muffins94]

Good! Rescuing his would be a great idea. As for finding a rescue or breeder, type into google your state and leopard gecko breeders/rescue. Some people on here even breed them, I know Mardy does and their site is onlinegeckos.com I believe. Other sites I know of are lllreptile.com and bigappleherp.com. Both sell geckos as well as supplies. Look for healthy geckos and a person who is passionate about geckos. Someone who knows what they're talking about and knows proper gecko care. I know Mardy is a great breeder I plan to get one from her in the future. Another is to look on Craigslist for people rehoming theirs, or kingsnake for breeders. Hope that helps.

 

[DrenneRvc]

You could also check if your state has any reptile shows, I know mine does once every month! good luck!