Docile Starter Reptile

by Paris Deeter

The leopard gecko is one of the most recommended starter reptiles because of their docile and friendly nature.

Unfortunately, most people do not know how to care for these amazing creatures properly due to being misled by pet stores.

To thrive, a leopard gecko needs:

• At minimum a 40-gallon breeder enclosure

That is right. Leopard geckos cannot thrive in 10-, 20-, or 30-gallon enclosures. These creatures are active and need space.

It also is typically not recommended to house leopard geckos together, no matter the sex. These geckos thrive when they are alone. Bigger is always better, so I would recommend going with a larger enclosure like 4 x 2 x 2.

• A heat source and thermostat

These geckos need a heat source that produces both IRA and IRB. A deep-heat projector or a halogen spotlight can produce both IRA and IRB.

Ceramic heat emitters, heat pads and other similar heat sources produce only IRC, so they should only be used for supplemental heating. Always have heat sources connected to a thermostat. It also is important to monitor cage conditions through the use of hydrometers and thermometers.

• Lighting

It is recommended to use a T5 10.0 linear UVB with a leopard gecko. UVB prevents metabolic bone disease, which is common in reptiles that do not have UVB. It is important to use a linear UVB rather than a coil UVB as coils produce uneven UVB ranges, which can be dangerous.

• Hides and fake or live plants

These help to make geckos feel safe and secure. Without these, geckos may not feel comfortable and may act skittish or not move around much.

• Substrate

The best substrate option for leopard geckos is a mixture of organic topsoil and children’s play sand. This mimics the natural substrate they have in the wild.

• Live insects

Leopard geckos need to eat live insects. Dead insects do not provide the same nutrients that live ones do. They should also be dusted with a multivitamin and calcium powder. I highly recommend purchasing a leopard gecko from a reputable breeder or going through a rescue for the best quality and for ones that are the least likely to have been mistreated.

Leopard geckos make awesome pets and typically do really well when set up right. They are fun, interactive and an easy reptile to setup. I highly recommend them!

Paris Deeter lives in Brunswick and has raised a wide variety of critters from spiders to rats. She welcomes questions and column suggestions, which can be sent to Joy@ BlakeHousePublishing.com with “Critter Crawl” in the subject line.

submitted by Kim S.