Noob question about leopard gecko night cycle...

[mattps81]

I am doing some research/planning for a leopard gecko for my 4 year old son and I to share. We are very excited to get one soon and this site is great for answering most my questions.

I have a question before we buy one. We plan on keeping the gecko in our living room. There is a good amount of sunlight in the room during the day. At night, we usually have a decent amount of lights on in the room until we go to bed around 11pm. Im concerned that the living room lights will interfere with the geckos day/night schedule.

Do leopard geckos need a solid 12hrs or so of pitch black? Or will the living room lights not have much affect on their sleep patterns?

Thanks.

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Welcome aboard! Leos are one of GU's specialties.

It's better to keep your leo in a room that's less busy than a living room.

Leos are crepuscular. They are active at dawn, dusk, and during the night. A leo spends much time during our days sleeping in a warm dry or warm moist hide. Would this be acceptable to you and your 4 yo?

A good resource is the Leo Caresheet that's linked below in my signature. Just scroll to post 81 (left side numbers) for the short version.

 

[mattps81]

Thanks for the response! Since my son goes to bed around 730pm, that's probably around the same time the leopard gecko wakes up. Sounds like it may not be a good fit for us. I'm guessing its not recommended to handle the gecko during the day while it's sleeping? Kinda saddens me, the leopard geckos look so cool!!

 

[new_rory]

My leopard geckos like to come out any time I'm hanging out near their tanks, regardless of time of day. I've found that the more activity in the room their in, the more active they are. I always tended to feed them around the same time (7 pm or so) and they'll come out on their own around then now looking for food. I've had plenty that I could handle during the day. I even had one who would hang out with me on the couch while I watched TV in the evenings. I've also slept in the same room as 2 of my geckos and they didn't seem to be overly active during the night (unless they were once I had fallen asleep - but I went into that room in the middle of the night). Each animal is different. Depending on where you get yours from, you might be able to get a better idea of how active it is during the day/evening.

Otherwise there are other geckos that are more active during the day, I'm just not sure which to suggest since I only have Leopard Geckos and Turner's geckos (and you can't hold the Turner's really - at least not mine, and it really does only come out when it's darker).

 

[Drago]

Your Leo may be affected by the lights being on that late, and as mentioned above, main rooms aren't very good for leopard geckos to be housed in. Here there are loud noises, bright lights, and constant commotion which can stress your gecko out. I'd recommend somewhere quieter like a bedroom or other calmer room that people go in often, but isn't crazy and can be adjusted temperature and lighting wise to suit your geckos needs. Geckos can make amazing first pets when cared for properly, enjoy your new little one when you get him/her!

 

[mattps81]

Thanks for the responses!

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thanks for the response! Since my son goes to bed around 730pm, that's probably around the same time the leopard gecko wakes up. Sounds like it may not be a good fit for us. I'm guessing its not recommended to handle the gecko during the day while it's sleeping? Kinda saddens me, the leopard geckos look so cool!!

You're welcome. Matt. Leos are flexible. Their sleep schedule seems on again, off again. They can be held during the day too.

I keep a 15 watt incandescent photo period bulb over my leo that's contained in a 5.5 inch diameter lamp. Sometimes my leo sleeps "hidden" but exposed, if that makes sense.



I'm especially concerned that your leo might be sleeping in one of his caves more often than not and that your 4 yo might lose interest. There's a half hide you could buy that's has 2 levels. If you place that near/against the glass, your son could see the leo while the leo sleeps.

 

[new_rory]

My nephews range in age from 1 month to kindergarten age and they love to see my geckos. One of them has been known to stand by Gordon's tank for several minutes waiting for him to come out (which he usually does since activity near his tank typically means he's getting fed - at least that's what he thinks). I think most little kids are interested in enough things that a 4-yr-old would be interested in the gecko when it's out (especially feeding time) and would be able to find something else to entertain themselves the rest of the time. As kids get older they could get more involved with the gecko's care and should hopefully maintain their interest. I bet if you had some plastic lizards for the kid to play with and pretend to care for, it would also help maintain interest. I've know some pretty little kids who were surprisingly good at "caring" for their pretend pets. My nephews frequently have "pet" bugs they keep in buckets and give food to (although the bucket usually gets tipped over or the chickens get to it and eat the bugs). We used to catch frogs and salamanders and crayfish, create habitats for them and then release them after a few hours.