Leopard geckos have been available in the pet industry for many years. I’ve seen them in pet stores and at reptile expos for as long as I can remember. They’ve become much more popular in the last few years. My daughter has a few friends that own them. So, do they make good pets? I decided to do some research and here’s what I found.
Leopard geckos make very good pets. They are considered by many one of the very best pet lizards you could own. They are beautiful, cute, exotic looking lizards that are calm, friendly and easy to handle, even for children.
Before we talk about all the reasons why leopard geckos make good pets let’s learn a little more about them.
Interesting Facts About Leopard Geckos
- Where do they come from? – Leopard geckos are found in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan
- How big do they get? – Leopard geckos are a smaller lizard. Babies are about 3-4 inches long and adults are typically 7-10 inches long. Males are larger than females. Certain classes of leopard geckos called “giant” and “super-giant” can get as much as 12 inches long.
- How long do they live? – Leopard geckos can live about 10-15 years and some live as much as 20 years.
- What do they eat? – In the wild leopard geckos eat a wide variety of insects including, ants, crickets, small locusts, waxworms, flies and even nesting mice.
- Do they make noise? – Leopard geckos and geckos in general are the only kind of lizards that actually have vocal cords. They make various sounds like chirping and clicking.
- Why do they have fat tails? – Leopard geckos come from very arid desert regions. Sometimes food and water are hard to come by. Leopard geckos store fat in their tails so they have a source of energy to stay alive while searching for things to eat.
- Are they social? – Geckos like many reptiles are solitary creatures. They are also one of the easiest lizards to breed in captivity and can be kept in groups. As long as those groups are all female or have just one male. Males should never be housed together because they will fight.
- Do they have eyelids? – One of the coolest things about leopard geckos is their big interesting eyes. Many geckos do not have eyelids and need to lick their eyes to keep them moist. Leopard geckos actually have eyelids and can blink and even close them while sleeping.
More About Leopard Geckos
Now that we have learned a little more about leopard geckos lets look at what makes them a great pet lizard! We will also discuss some things you should consider before taking one home to your family.
Leopard Geckos Are:
- Easy to Care for
- Easy to find
- Do not need special lighting
- Affordable
- Easy to handle
- Easy to breed
- Available in many color variations
Considerations:
- Need regular care
- Need special lighting
- They eat insects
Why Leopard Geckos Make Good Pets
Easy to Care for
Leopard geckos are one of the most popular pet lizards available. One of the biggest reasons for this is how easy they are to care for.
They are generally very hardy animals that will tolerate some mistakes their owners may make in caring for them. Of course, it’s always best to learn as much as you can about caring for one before you bring one home.
Having said this, it’s still good to know that caring for a leopard gecko is pretty easy. They are not just going to die on you because of small mistakes. You can, in some ways, learn as you go.
You will need:
- A reasonable sized enclosure – A 10 to 20-gallon sized terrarium is all you need to house your gecko. This is one thing that makes them a great pet. They don’t require a large cage! In fact, it’s better not to have a large cage as they tend to wander away from their heat and water source. Make sure there is good ventilation and it has a secure lid. And definitely make sure your cat can’t get in!
- A heat source– Leopard geckos are nocturnal which means they are active at night. This is great because you won’t need special lighting but you do need to make sure they stay warm. You will need to provide a hot spot in the cage of about 90 degrees. This can be achieved by using an under the tank heat mat or an over the tank heat lamp. Be sure to use a thermostat so the mat or light doesn’t get too hot and barbeque your pet lizard! The hot spot should be on one side of the cage not directly in the middle. This will provide a temperature gradient for your gecko.
- A place for them to hide – Your gecko needs a pace to retreat to and feel secure. This helps keep them healthy and not stressed. A stressed lizard eventually becomes a sick lizard and you don’t want that.
- Appropriate substrate – You will also need a substrate(something on the floor of the cage). This can be newspaper, paper towel, artificial turf or flat stones. Even thought leopard geckos live in deserts sand is not recommended. They can ingest the sand and become impacted (get stuck in their digestive tract) and die.
- Regular access to insects – Leopard geckos eat insects and you will need to feed them regularly. So, you will need regular access to “feeder insects”. You should strive to vary their diet. Crickets, meal worms, super worms, wax worms, and dubia roaches are good options. You will need to feed them about every other day.
- Mist them daily – Leopard geckos do not have high humidity requirements but it’s a good idea to mist them once or twice a day with fresh water using a simple sprayer. This will give them a chance to lap some of that water up and help them shed.
The above is not meant to be an extensive guide for caring for your leopard gecko but we hope it gives you a good idea of what to expect.
Easy to Find
Leopard geckos tend to be one of the most available pet lizards on the market. At least in the United States. You can find them at pet stores, reptile expos, breeders, or online. We always recommend getting one from a local breeder if possible.
It’s also always recommended that you get a “captive bred” leopard gecko. This isn’t that hard to do since they are bred so frequently and there are a lot of breeders out there.
Affordable
The average cost of a leopard gecko is about $40-$50 U.S. dollars. If you are more interested in one of the many color morphs available that price can quickly climb. Some are as much as a few thousand dollars.
With such a wide range in price you should have no problem finding a gecko that you can really appreciate and that will fit within your budget.
Easy to Handle
This is perhaps the biggest reasons leopard geckos are considered one of the best pet lizards if not the best pet lizard by so many people.
They are generally docile, curious, friendly little creatures that are easy to handle even for children. They don’t have big sharp claws and they almost never bite.
They are not all this way but most of them are. This is one reason so many people love these amazing lizards!
Easy to Breed
Leopard geckos are very easy to breed. This can be very interesting for reptile lovers to take the next step in their hobby. If you are interested in breeding lizard’s leopard geckos would be a great option.
Available in Many Color Variations
Because leopard geckos are so easy to breed, they are available in many different color and pattern variations.
Perhaps more than any other lizard available, leopard geckos come in many different colors and patterns that are different from the way they would normally look in the wild.
Many breeders have worked for a period of years to select animals with various traits in color and pattern and pair them with one another to emphasis that color or pattern. The resulting offspring can often look very different than its parents. This is called a morph.
Leopard geckos are available in many different morphs. They can vary tremendously in pattern and color from all white to all black. From very bright oranges to yellows and pinks and from less pattern to more pattern, and so forth.
This is one more reason these geckos are so interesting and appealing. No two are exactly alike and it’s very easy for you to get one that has its own unique look!
Some Things to Consider
As with any pet reptile or any pet for that matter there are things to consider before you rush out and swipe your card. Let’s take a look at those next.
Need Regular Care
Leopard geckos need regular care and maintenance to be healthy. You will need to feed them regularly, mist them regularly and clean their cage regularly.
One really cool thing about them is that they tend to have a “bathroom” in their cage. They always “go” in the same spot. This makes it easier to clean.
You will still need to do some things daily and weekly. If you are the kind of person that has a hard time with daily habits and routines then a leopard gecko may not be a could choice.
Are Nocturnal
Leopard geckos are most active at night so they won’t be active during the day. This means you won’t be seeing them as much as you might like when you are awake.
This can be frustrating or boring for children especially. This isn’t something that should be a huge concern because you can still interact with them during the day. It’s just something to be aware of.
They Eat Insects
As mentioned above leopard geckos eat insects. So, you are going to need a regular supply of various kinds of insect feeders.
This means you are going to need to make frequent trips to the pet store or raise your own. If this is something that you feel uncomfortable with, or if you are too busy to do this, then you will have a tough time taking good care of a leopard gecko.
Conclusion
Leopard geckos make excellent pets for many reasons. They are often found listed among some of the very best pet lizards a person can own includingbearded dragons, blue tongued skinks, crested geckos and uromastyx.
They are colorful, cute amazing little creatures that are easy to care for and handle, even for children. In fact, many owners believe their geckos actually enjoy interacting with them.
If you are considering a leopard gecko for your new pet, we hope this information has been helpful.