Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all, new here. We are just starting to research about lizards. We have a 10 year old son who is very excited and has been going to the library and using the internet to get info. Being a dog person, I understand how important it is to get the facts first before getting an animal. There are so many out there! I need some guidence as to which lizard(s) are fairly easy keepers, where to buy, and what is needed to care for them? I prefer not to buy from a "pet store" so how would I go about finding a breeder? So many questions and so much info out there just needing a starting place.

Thanks!

If you prefer to e-mail me privately my e-mail addy is CharStuff@aol.com

Leopard gecko - small (10" or less), non-aggressive, easy to handle, etc.

Here's a good caresheet: www.anapsid.org/leopardgek.html

I'd get just one and keep it in a 10-20 gallon tank. You could use an incandescent bulb in a dome light fixture to warm the tank. If your house stays in the 70s at night you could just run the light 12 hours during the day and turn it off at night using a lamp timer. If your house gets cooler than that, you could use a red bulb to provide heat at night. I don't like hot rocks or heat pads (like the author of the above link). Don't need UV lighting. Playsand for a substrate. Curved bark or stone cave for a hiding area. Crickets and mealworms for food. A calcium/d3 powder for a supplement.

These lizards generally poop in one corner all of the time, so cleanup is simple. Clean the water bowl as needed. Put some bugs in every couple days.

Simple.

Negatives: Leopard geckos are night animals. It won't come out during the day too often. Since kids are at school during the day, and are busy with other things on weekends, this may be a postive instead.

Good luck.

Thanks so much!