Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So here's the three places I've looked at so far to get a gecko from. there's another really good reptile shop around here, but the owner is way too opinionated. I called him once with questions about my beardie, and I told him I didn't have my dragon on sand right then because he had parasites I was treating him for. He just said "bearded dragons are supposed to be on sand, if you had bought yours here you would have known that" and hung up on me. I tried calling again later with the question "what kind of sand should I use", and he said something like "if you were a customer you would know what kind of sand" and hung up on me. So it's just because of that that I don't want to do business with them. So here's the three options I've been looking at (I'll leave the actual names out for the local ones, because I feel uncomfortable openly critiscizing them):

A local reptile shop: This is where I got my beardie, but if I had paid more attention when i was there, I wouldn't have. The place is almost always a mess, the cages are just a tad too small for the lizards and turtles/tortoises, and way too small for most of the boids and monitors. The only leopard geckos I've ever seen there were about 6 of them in a 10 gallon tank with nothing but a heat pad, and overturned hide log, a couple crickets, sand, and a small piece of grapevine that didn't look stable. The geckos all looked like they hadn't shed in a long time, and they were lying on top of each other. I have to give this guy credit though, because when ever I come in he's alway watching videos on reptiles and trying to improve his husbandry techniques (for example, he used to house 2 or 3 different species in some cages, now I don't think i saw any, except for when he's cleaning out a cage and needs a place to put some animals that won't fight). I've already pretty much made up my mind that I won't buy another animal from him, though he does give pretty good deals on cages and stuff.

A local petshop: I like to shop here because all of the cages are perfectly sized, and everything's clean. the only thing I don't like is that the gecko tank is usually completely humid, so much so that you can barely see through the condensation. But then other times the geckos have not humidity, not even a humid hide. They also are not good at choosing substrates. The geckos have bark chips, the adult bearded has a combination of dirt and mulch, and the baby beardeds have calcium sand. They're still on the "maybe" list.

One of the local Petcos: I like this place a lot because they really do their best to care for their animals. The leopard geckos all have humid hides as well as other places to hide and a bowl of 1" mealworms. Plus, the baby leo geckos there are only $25 (the other petshop I was talking about wants something like $50-60 for theirs). Plus, petco has pretty much the lowest prices for supplies in the area. They are at the top of my "maybe" list.

I'll probably be going to one of the two petshops today because I need crickets, and that would give me a good chance to show my mom the cute little geckos (she fell in love with sidney the bearded dragon pretty fast, I don't think she would have a problem with a little cat-like gecko). I'll also be able to price out the stuff I need. It will probably be a little while before I can get a leopard gecko, because I still owe my mom and my brother money that they loaned me so I could get sidney his new tank (I'm in the hole about $140 I think).

later

I wouldn't get a gecko from a pet store especally from Petco. There is alot of good breeders like Golden Gate that takes good care of there geckos and give support whenyou ever need it. Its totaly worth it and the prices are some times better.
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danny h.

1.3 leopard geckos

Leopard geckos are bred on such a large scale that chances are someone near you has some they've bred. Where are you located?

I think you know which of those three are the best choices, but understand that any pet store has the potential(likelihood) to expose their animals to a host of parasites and poor living conditions. The turnover of animals at Petco and Petsmart really lend to health problems, be it environmental or illness/parasites from being exposed to other animals from the breeder to the store near you. Add that to the stress they've gone through in who-knows-how-many shipping containers, and you're really starting out with a less than ideal pet. Do some research and find a good local breeder, or if you're in a warmer part of the country, perhaps one of the breeders down south or out west can still ship to you safely.

Good luck
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Rob Jenkins
Have you seen the GeckoCam?
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the reptile place I talked about (with the bad living conditions) IS the local breeder. I like how they take care of the animals at that specific petco (other ones around here are aweful). They are much healthier than pretty much all the others I've seen around here at least. I just don't feel right getting an animal from a pet store. I think maybe I could find a private breeder. The other local petshop I was talking about gets theirs from a local breeder (I think), but I don't think they'd want to just go and tell me who, because that would be money they're not getting. I also don't really want to buy an animal through mail order. I had a bad experience in the past with a clawed frog that came dead. i wouldn't be able to handle it if a gecko died in transit (even though it rarely happens).

thanks for the help.

it might make you feel better to know that most Xenopus laevis sold by major suppliers are raised on tetracycline (needlessly), so they are extremely likely to die after they are shipped out, as their immune systems have no resistance to bacteria. this is especially true, ebcause they are shipped in foam, when they are aquatic animals, so their skin gets dry, and scratches become easily infected. also, scientific supply places (if that's where you ordered your clawed frog from) tend to put less care into the husbandry of their animals. (i get to say that, because i'm a research assistant for some people who have made their names working with amphibians.) anyway- there are many leo breeders that will do local pick-up, if you find one online that lives near to you. also, there's the prospect of reptile shows, to which reptile breeders from all around will come to show. however, in my opinion, it's more likely that you'll get a healthy animal via ordering from an online breeder (that is established), then getting one at (albeit most) pet stores, especially petco or petsmart. the only thing is to be sure that you (or someone) will be at home, to sign for the package on the first delivery attempt.
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marla
keeper of: axolotls, catfish, ferrets, leopard geckoes, oriental fire-bellied toads, and sugar gliders