URGENT! Housing two leopard geckos together

[Toreo]

Hello!

I have no idea what to do right now and that's why I'm reaching out for help. I do not want any negative comments on my decision, just advice to help me what to do.

I got my first leopard gecko a little over a month ago, he was about 2 months when I got him, ergo he's about 3 months now. I went home to visit my dad, and the person looking after him forgot to close his tank and he escaped. My Australian friend and I looked EVERYWHERE for him, put out lots of dishes with mealworms, but we couldn't find him. Weeks went by, and we figured out that my cat must have eaten him.

My parents felt very bad for me, because I was absolutely heartbroken that my Ditto was taken away from me in such an unfair way. Therefore they gave me money to buy a new one 2 days ago. A beautiful yellow leopard gecko named Yoshi, a little bit over 1 month old.

Then, this evening, my cat was playing with something on the floor. Suddenly the "toy" squeaked and I rushed to find Ditto on the floor. Alive and well, just tired and thirsty. Now I'm keeping them together because I have no extra tank for him, they've been close but no bullying is happening. I keep reading about people keeping juvenile leopard geckos together, and that two females CAN work. Since they're so young I have no idea what gender they are, and right now I can't afford a tank. I'll have to wait for my birthday november the 3rd to be able to afford a new tank.

What do I do? Try keeping them together and be on guard to make sure no bullying/fighting happens? Split the tank in half? Until I get money to buy a new tank. Selling one of them is not an option because I love them both and I want to take full responsibility for what has just happened.

Read: both of them has been in quarantine before I bought them.

Sincerely,
Tora

 

[mdevries08]

What a rollercoaster that you've been through! I'm glad to hear that Ditto is ok after his little "adventure." I'm sorry you had to go through so much but at least you have two beautiful geckos safe and sound now!

If you only have to wait until early November to get a new tank and they are both juveniles I think they would most likely be ok being together for that amount of time and if you can feed them separately and maybe give them a few extra hides so they can each have their own space that would probably be best and may cut down on any fighting. If you see them squabbling you'll have to separate them immediately though.

You might be able to find a cheap tank at a thrift store or flea market if it looks like one is bullying the other. I would separate them as soon as you can though since they are unsexed and even female pairs have been known to randomly attack each other even after having lived with each other for years.

Enjoy your little leo babies!

 

[Toreo]

What a rollercoaster that you've been through! I'm glad to hear that Ditto is ok after his little "adventure." I'm sorry you had to go through so much but at least you have two beautiful geckos safe and sound now!

If you only have to wait until early November to get a new tank and they are both juveniles I think they would most likely be ok being together for that amount of time and if you can feed them separately and maybe give them a few extra hides so they can each have their own space that would probably be best and may cut down on any fighting. If you see them squabbling you'll have to separate them immediately though.

You might be able to find a cheap tank at a thrift store or flea market if it looks like one is bullying the other. I would separate them as soon as you can though since they are unsexed and even female pairs have been known to randomly attack each other even after having lived with each other for years.

Enjoy your little leo babies!

Thank you for your reply! Yes, it was very sad to lose my first gecko so fast in such an unfair way, it was actually hard to believe that he's back. But I'm so happy!

They're still okay together (fingers crossed), they slept together in the humid hide today. I have a 20 gallon tank with 3 hides. Since Ditto is more tame than Yoshi I try to handfeed him while Yoshi eats out of a dish since I'm still a terrifying giant.

The problem is that some reptiles just got legal in Norway, so there's little to no used tanks for sale. But a friend of mine got a kind of big container for his spiders, and I could borrow it if they start to fight. Yoshi is sadly very small, I actually think he's too small. 7 grams and 7CM. So I'm super on guard to make sure everything runs smoothly, in their favor Yoshi prefers the warm hide and Ditto prefers the humid hide.



Ditto



Yosi

 

[PoppyDear]

What beautiful Leos!

mdevries08's advice was spot on, the only thing I will add is to maybe add a few more hides. A general rule is 3 hides per gecko:
•MOIST warm hide
•DRY warm hide
•DRY cool hide

There shouln't be any aggression at this age and they shouldn't squabble over hides, but it isn't a bad idea to add a few more! I saw an old thread on here, someone had some babies who ate each other partially and died because of it. I don't say this to scare you, as that is extremely rare, only as a caution!

It always surprises me at what such small little geckos sre capable of, they are indeed hardy and survivors! I am ecstatic! So glad you found little Ditto! Is everything going well?

Also, my birthday is November Third as well~ :coverlaugh:

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Welcome to Geckos Unlimited, Tora!

FYI

Sexing Leopard Geckos -- Leopard geckos become sexable at about 6 months old. Males can be distinguished from females by a distinct /\-shaped row of pores above the vent and by bulges below the vent. To see their vents and potential male pores and bulges gently press their bodies up against the glass. They'll squirm if you try to turn them over.

• Click: Sexing Leopard Geckos