Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i just purchased a lepord gecko (bout 2 inches) im not sure if its male or female and is probably to young to be sexed. I was wondering if the very fine sand is safe flooring for my gecko? im worried the little guy will get it in his eyes.

He kinda seems depressed because all he does is sit in his coconut hut and sleep..

are they more active in the night?

And is it normal for him to shake thier tail (kinda like a snake) before they leep on a cricket?

some of these question will seem pretty stupid i know but this is my first gecko. the only herp ive really been into is chameleons, and geckos are a big difference from my chameleon family.

any replys would help lots

Thanx
Jay

>>i just purchased a lepord gecko (bout 2 inches) im not sure if its male or female and is probably to young to be sexed. I was wondering if the very fine sand is safe flooring for my gecko? im worried the little guy will get it in his eyes.
>>
>>He kinda seems depressed because all he does is sit in his coconut hut and sleep..
>>
>>are they more active in the night?
>>
>>And is it normal for him to shake thier tail (kinda like a snake) before they leep on a cricket?
>>
>>some of these question will seem pretty stupid i know but this is my first gecko. the only herp ive really been into is chameleons, and geckos are a big difference from my chameleon family.
>>
>>any replys would help lots
>>
>>Thanx
>> Jay

Yes. Your geck is to young to sex. More than likely your geck is a female because breeders incubate for females more than males because they breed in herums.

The fine sand substrate would not be good to use because it could cause impaction when the baby goes to catch a crick. It's best to keep him/her on paper towels or newspaper until they are at least 6" long.

Yes, the shaking of the tail is normal. Ours do that all the time.

Hope all this info comes in handy.

Nate

PS: You can scroll dow through all the old forum post's because these questions have been brought up before and answered very well. See ya
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*Nate*the*Great*

Your concerns and observations are very thoughtful.

Don't forget that leopard geckos are nocturnal, and as such will be stressed and more prone to hiding for a while until it begins to understand that things like the overhead light in your room and whatnot are not threats. You will notice them out during the day, but not nearly as active as they are at night.

Sand I would rightfully avoid until older. I personally use paper towel even for adults.

As for the hunting behavior, that's perfectly natural and you should enjoy it while you can! Adults [comparatively] rarely raise their tail except for breeding interactions.

If you've successfully cared for chameleons you'll find leopard geckos to be quite simple, but equally rewarding in my opinion.
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Steven Beckerman
E2MacPets