Leopard Gecko : What You Will Need Before You Bring One Home

Leopard geckos have become very popular amongst reptile enthusiast, teachers, and children in the past few years. The main reasons for their increase popularity is due to the fact that they are cute, easy to tame, and very affordable. You can find Leopard geckos for as little as twenty dollars. However, do not be fooled by this price, if your looking to buy a more rare color or unique pattern then you'll have to spend a lot more. One of the saddest situations is when someone spontaneously buys a Leopard gecko without knowing what they'll need in order to keep it healthy, and happy. I'm a proud owner of several Leopard geckos and I'd love to share some tips with you.

Before you bring your Leopard gecko home you will need a tank to put it in. If your buying just one gecko then you will need at least a 10 gallon tank. If you plan on buying two, then you will need a 20 gallon tank. Keep in mind that Leopard geckos must be at least 6 months old before they can be sexed. Baby geckos are TS or temp. sexed. This method is not 100% so you might think your buying two female, but end up with two males. If this happens you will need to buy a second tank because they will eventually start fighting.

Now that you have your tank, which didn't cost your to much, you will need to create your Leopard geckos habitat. First thing you need is a heating pad that goes under the tank. They sell these at most pet stores. Your pad needs to be large enough to create a hot spot on one end of the tank. You do not want to buy one as big as the tank. One end needs to be warm, and the other end cool. You will need paper towels to line the bottom of the cage, or special sand. I use a calcium sand which makes cleaning the cage a breeze. With the sand you just scoop the poop out. If your going to go this route make sure you buy calcium sand. This sand is digestible, and will not harm your Leopard gecko. You will need at least one bag per every 10 gallons of tank. You are also going to need to hides. One hide will be placed in the hot area, and the other one in the cool area of the tank. Be sure to place damp natural moss under one of the hides, and moisten it daily to help keep your gecko healthy. You can also buy the natural moss that you will need at your local pet store. In addition to what you have already bought, you will need a water dish, a food dish (that mealworms can't escape from, sand sifter (to clean out the poop), a spay bottle (to mist your moss), tank thermometer, cricket keeper, calcium dust, live crickets, and live meal worms.

Example of expected cost:

10 Gallon tank $12.00

Under tank heater $20.00

2 bags of Calcium sand $30.00

2 Hide boxes $25.00

Water bowl $4.00

Feed bowl $4.00

Spray bottle $1.00

Natural moss $8.00

Sand sifter $4.00

Thermometer $3.00

Cricket keeper $15.00

Calcium dust $10.00

Live crickets $1.00 (12)

Live meal worms $3.00 (30)

TOTAL $ 140.00

There are some important basic rules to remember. Do not put anything loose in their cage that they might swallow. Make sure to change their water daily. Geckos are nocturnal so they do not require any special lighting. If you own a cat, you might want to also purchase a lid for your tank. Geckos can not climb the glass tank walls, so their is no need to worry about them escaping.

As you can see that cheap little cute gecko, will require a little more money then a hamster or gerbil would. However a Leopard gecko can live a long time if he is house properly, and keep healthy you can expect him to be around for up to 10 years or even more. Leopard geckos make great pets, and they are fun for all ages. But watch out, Leopard geckos are addicting, before you know it you'll own a few.