Providing your room temperature ranges between 70-78F there isn't any need for additional heat. If temperatures tend to be below 70F alot, then a low wattage bulb will be required to ensure a warm spot of about 75F. This bulb should be mounted outside the cage and only warm up one section. It also should only be on max. 10-14 hours a day.



If room temperatures fall in the desired range, no additional heat is needed at all. If you intend to have live plants in the cage, then a full spectrum florescent tube will need to be provided to ensure the plants get the light they need.



Though I personally have never kept leopard geckos, they do have a bit more care requirements, needing a definitely hot spot etc. Both geckos are nocturnal and both tolerate handling for short periods well enough. Crested geckos are arboreal whereas leopards are terrestrial. Crested gecko tails don't grow back should they come off, leopard tails do.



I find crested geckos do have alot of personality, with their big eyes, crests and almost comical grin. The way they unstick their feet as they walk, all very interesting. Whether a crested gecko is right for your son, will depend on what your son wants in a pet lizard. If he wants one he can handle quite a bit and see in the day time, a nocturnal gecko wouldn't be a good choice.
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PHLdyPayne

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