Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am thinking about getting a gecko this march at the local rep. expo and I really dont know a thing about them..I have snakes but this is my first venture into the lizard realm..so can you hold these or are they pretty much just a look at type pet? Do they need alot of humidity? How big of an enclosure for one or two is needed? would a 20L gal tank with a screen top be okay? Would a ten gallon be to small for one and are they social and would like a buddy in there with them? this is just for starters so thanks in advance...

depends on what type of gecko your going to get, some a 20 is huge to, others that would be too small. If your getting a gecko from a show the people there should be able to help you out on the set up and care. I'd stick to a leo or created gecko only becasue those two are hardy and don't mind being handled, also African Fat tails do well.

I recommend getting a AFT(african fat tail gecko),leopard gecko,crested gecko,crocodile gecko,house gecko and small day geckos also maybe a tokay.

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www.freewebs.com/herper/
1.0.0 Ball Python(normal)
1.0.0 Crocodile Gecko
0.0.1 Mediterranean Gecko
2.0.0 African Fat tail Geckos(Striped and Banded Phase)
1.1.0 Leopard Geckos(1.0.0 Blizzard and 0.1.0 High-Yellow)
1.0.0 Tokay Gecko(Geico)
0.1.0 Crested Gecko(Buckskin Phase
0.1.0 Western Painted Turtle
1.0.0 Veiled Chameleon
1.0.0 Chinese Water Dragon(Louis)
0.1.0 Southern Brown Basilisk
1.0.0 Giant Green Iguana(Rex)
1.1.0 Green Anoles
0.1.0 German Short Hair Pointer(Brooke)
0.1.0 Rat(Ruby)
0.1.0 Tabby Cat(Trixie)

tokay

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www.freewebs.com/herper/
1.0.0 Ball Python(normal)
1.0.0 Crocodile Gecko
0.0.1 Mediterranean Gecko
2.0.0 African Fat tail Geckos(Striped and Banded Phase)
1.1.0 Leopard Geckos(1.0.0 Blizzard and 0.1.0 High-Yellow)
1.0.0 Tokay Gecko(Geico)
0.1.0 Crested Gecko(Buckskin Phase
0.1.0 Western Painted Turtle
1.0.0 Veiled Chameleon
1.0.0 Chinese Water Dragon(Louis)
0.1.0 Southern Brown Basilisk
1.0.0 Giant Green Iguana(Rex)
1.1.0 Green Anoles
0.1.0 German Short Hair Pointer(Brooke)
0.1.0 Rat(Ruby)
0.1.0 Tabby Cat(Trixie)

leo again hehehe

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www.freewebs.com/herper/
1.0.0 Ball Python(normal)
1.0.0 Crocodile Gecko
0.0.1 Mediterranean Gecko
2.0.0 African Fat tail Geckos(Striped and Banded Phase)
1.1.0 Leopard Geckos(1.0.0 Blizzard and 0.1.0 High-Yellow)
1.0.0 Tokay Gecko(Geico)
0.1.0 Crested Gecko(Buckskin Phase
0.1.0 Western Painted Turtle
1.0.0 Veiled Chameleon
1.0.0 Chinese Water Dragon(Louis)
0.1.0 Southern Brown Basilisk
1.0.0 Giant Green Iguana(Rex)
1.1.0 Green Anoles
0.1.0 German Short Hair Pointer(Brooke)
0.1.0 Rat(Ruby)
0.1.0 Tabby Cat(Trixie)

If you want something to handle, research Leopard geckos and African Fat tails, either would be a good first time gecko. Tokays are easy to set up and take care of if you want a awsome veiwing Gecko or if your brave at heart you can work on taming them, their fiesty but very active and interesting to watch.

Tokay

AFT(normal and Amel)

Leo

all are fun, good luck with your choices
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My posts and replies are my experiences only
1.2.15 Tokays
1.4.10 Leos(13 albino)
1.2.0 AFT's(amel male)
0.2.0 Stenodactylus Petrii(Dune Geckos)

Leopard geckos are really easy to care for and tend not to be aggressive. I've only been bitten a handful of times by mine. All of the times were because I was seeing if they were gravid or showing others how to sex them. They are not fans of being turned upside down since they do not have clinging lamellae (toepads). That is another good reason why they are great too they can't climb out of a cage unless you put a branch high enough for them to crawl out (I'd still have a screen top on it though so food does not get out and things don't get in.). They are also pretty and come in a variety of color morphs and can be purchased for relatively cheap. Plus for the most part they are mealworm eaters once you get them that way. That makes feeding easy. They like dryer conditions, but they need a humidity chamber. Those can easily be made by placing spanish moss in a "ziploc" plastic container and cutting a hol in it so your Leos can go in and out of it. They use that area to shed skin, lay eggs, and vegitate.

Crested geckos are a really cool gecko. The best way to get them is young so that way you can slowly get them accustomed to being handled. They have really neat features such as a tail with clinging lamellae on the tip as well as highly developed toepads. Their facial features are the cool thing about them. They have a wild look to them that matched by very few other geckos. They tend to be mild mannered and will will run you between $30-80 for one. I failed to mention that if they lose their tail it does not grow back.

Fat Tails are very similar to Leopard Geckos.

Tokays are interesting to look at. I always get comments on mine. People tend to like viewing them and always ask if they could hold one. That is a different story. Unfortunately with Tokay's many of them are wild caught so they tend to be skiddish and will bite HARD! If you can get some that are captive bred you might have better luck with handle-ability. The males bark out in territorial disputes and to attract females. Tokay's like high humidity and heavily planted enlosure with lots of hiding places. Mine tend to sit on the glass all day, but at night they are all over the place. Really neat and fairly cheap. I got mine for $7 each at a herpshow, but I know they are wild caught. Usually prices are $5-15 for wild caughts and about double for captive bred (that is worth it too!).

I think House geckos are kind of small and delicate to be kept as pets. They also tend to escape. They are cheap and are easy to keep, but you won't be able to handle them much. They drop their tails frequently, but they do grow back. They also hide a lot so get a few so you might see one every now and then. It might just be me though. I'm sure there are folks on here that completely disagree with me when I say they are not the best to keep.

That is it for me I think...sorry so long!
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14 Leopard Gackos 5.9.0
2 Tokay Geckos 1.1.0
1 Graybanded Kingsnake 1.0.0 (on vacation in my house)
1 Baird's Rat Snake (Thanks Vadoni!) 1.0.0
1 Trachemys scripta elegans 0.0.1
coming soon...
Corn Snake, Green Anoles, crested geckos, and Yellow Rat Snakes.