Help Caring for Leopard Geckos
Leopard Geckos
Leopard geckos are probably one of the best beginner reptiles on the market currently for a number of reasons.
- They're relatively small.
- They come in a wide variety of colors and patterns.
- They have a relatively simple husbandry set up.
- They are docile and, for the most part, rarely bite.
I will admit, this particular reptile species is probably one of the most addictive. From personal experience, I received my first leopard gecko for my 16th birthday; I had opted not to drive and a leopard gecko was a much better gift than a car at that point. Plus, for my parents one small leopard gecko and its habitat was a much cheaper gift. But, anyway, it's been nearly five years, and today, I have 24 juvenile and adult leopard geckos and about 20+ eggs in my incubators.
For the nitty gritty of this hub, you'll find all the information to get you started properly caring for a pet leopard gecko.
Basic Leopard Gecko Care
Make sure that you know your options as to where you can purchase a leopard gecko as well as the signs of a healthy leopard gecko versus a sick one.
Before you bring home a cute leopard gecko, you want to make sure that you know and understand how to properly care for them. Without the proper husbandry, diet, and overall care, your potential future pet, may not thrive so well in your home.
One of the most important aspects of proper care for any animal, is making sure that you have the proper enclosure set up. For reptiles, it's essential that you understand how to set up the enclosure so that you don't miss an important element to keeping your potential future pet healthy.
As I mentioned above, leopard geckos come in a wide variety of colors and patterns. The number of morphs are constantly increasing, but to date, you may want to check out the variety of morphs that you can choose from.
Find out why your leopard gecko may not be eating, and find out what can you do to increase his appetite. In order to treat your pet's lack of appetite, you need to diagnose it, first.
It's not uncommon for leopard geckos to drop their tail. You just want to make sure that you know how to handle the situation.
If your leopard gecko is having trouble shedding, figure out why and how to fix it.
More Advanced Leopard Gecko Care
Breeding leopard geckos is, overall, pretty simple, but it is 1) time consuming and 2) costly. But, if you think that you can properly house hatchlings individually, feed them, and find homes for them. Then by all means, definitely make sure that you do so safely and accurately because breeding is very stressful on both the male and female geckos.
Even though the leopard gecko is a naturally dessert reptile, it does not mean that they are found in loose sand desserts. The natural habitat of leopard geckos is actually compressed dirt and hard rock, but you can still create a natural environment with a few key elements.
Leopard Gecko References
Personally, I recommend that before you bring home any animal you do all the internet research that you can. Make sure that you research topics that are highly debated, and make sure that you understand the proper care and common health ailments. I, also, recommend that you purchase at least one book because it's best to keep a reference guide on hand in case the internet is down or you need information fast.
