Hi all,

Really hoping someone can help me here. Im planning to get some geckos for my daughter and myself. We quite like the leopards but was wondering are they the best starter for newcomers. Im doing lots of research so would also like some ideas about good books and the general set up etc. Definitely not going to enter into this lightly so would love lots of advice folks!

Izzie

We kept geckos and the reptile forum was amazing!

Reptile Forums UK - Care, Pictures, Classifieds & More

geckos are nocturnal reptiles so use a blue or red light for them on the night (that is if you would like to see them moving at night) they like to climb so a viv of 2ft high would be good but 15/18 inches is suitable, a viv of atleast 2ft would be ideal.
plenty of places for them to hide, becareful of substrates as they can accidentally eat it, and can be fatal


here is an ideal viv

Reptile Vivarium Tough Plastic Snake/Lizard Starter Kit on eBay (end time 13-Jan-10 22:27:47 GMT)

Never buy "some geckos" ever.

The only commercially sold gecko species that are regarded as communal are cresties and even then you shouldn't.

Leopard geckos are solitary. Some people get away with groups of females, but just as many don't.

You cannot sex a gecko until it is a few months old, practically an adult, so if you get more than one male you'll have a scrap on your hands or a male and a female and thats a whole different problem.

Females in themselves are a pain because they need a specific environment to lay eggs even if they aren't with a male or they might just get egg bound and die painfully...

Leopard geckos are by far the easiest lizard to care for properly imo however as babies they are very very shy and even as adults they might only come out past your daughters bedtime.

My adult male leopard gecko is dog tame but i only see him for 10 mins every other night at around 9pm.

Reptiles are not a pet suitable for children... if you just can't resist, i'd get her a snake. Easiest reptile by far to look after and they aren't as delicate as geckos when it comes to handling them.

Hi Lou,
Thanks for your advice I do appreicate it!

She is 14 years old and very mature for her age and is insistent she wants a gecko,it is going to be a joint hobby that we will do together.

I definitely don't want her to have a snake Im terrified of them!

Izzie

Thanks for your advice, Im just looking at that viv now. It depends whether they are prepared to send it out here to Switzerland lol!

Izzie

Just think, Day geckos (Phelsuma, Lygodactylus etc) may become interesting later on, with experience that is...

Lol! have you got some of them. I think they are stunning but definitely something to think about in the future.There was this really cute one who was just staring at us and I loved his colour, I don't think my hubby wants the apartment turning into some tropical rainforest with critters everywhere lol but hey they don't shed fur!

Izzie

I've kept Phelsuma laticauda laticauda and I spent three weeks looking after a friend's Lygodactylus williamsi and Phelsuma madagascarensis grandis. They're not that difficult to be honest once you've got past culturing the food (fruit flies).

Where do you keep their food,that is one question i keep meaning to ask lol. I have four cats so I really need to be able to keep the food safe lol.

Izzie