# I love gecko's :)



## Goth-Gurl (Nov 15, 2009)

I love gecko's soo much  I wish I could have some.. but my mom won't let me and I can't afford all the tank and stuff  I will get some one day.

I want to see everyone's geckos  tell me about them.. are they good pets?

My college has some gecko's. We have a leopard gecko, a frog-eyed gecko which is evil XD and another type of leopard gecko which has a really really long name. We have loads of other reptiles too 

I upload some piccs


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## Goth-Gurl (Nov 15, 2009)

this is the leopard gecko from college... It is sooo cute ^ ^


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## RockRomantic (Apr 29, 2009)

cute gecko!


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## Guest (Apr 4, 2010)

Goth-Gurl said:


> are they good pets?


Yes and no really, it depends on what species you are considering. Some species of Gecko are more suitable as display animals, rather than for handling.

Almost all geckos consume live insects, so this is something you will have to take into account. Other members of the household may not be comfortable with the idea of creepy-crawlies.

Before buying any reptile, don't just consider the cost of buying the equipment. Veterinary fees can be expensive should your reptile require treatment, unless you take out third party exotic pet insurance, you will also have to find a vet that deals with reptiles. These reptiles can live for 15-20 years if well cared for, so be prepared for a long-term commitment.

Rather than buying a Gecko from a pet shop, source a reputable breeder or a good reptile dealer instead. If buying from a dealer, the staff should be knowledgable on the species and not just make random guesses when confronted with questions. Check the validity of the advice you've been given on a good forum before parting with your cash.


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## vickie1985 (Feb 18, 2009)

Pleccy said:


> Yes and no really, it depends on what species you are considering. Some species of Gecko are more suitable as display animals, rather than for handling.
> 
> Almost all geckos consume live insects, so this is something you will have to take into account. Other members of the household may not be comfortable with the idea of creepy-crawlies.
> 
> ...


That has also helped me, thank you! We was going to buy from pets at home, but ive just questioned myself! lol


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## serpentseye (Feb 20, 2010)

NOT [email protected]!!!!! the staff are hardly tRAINED, ALL OF THE PETS THEY HAVE SOLD US ARE PREGNANT


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## serpentseye (Feb 20, 2010)

I have one, but buy it from a reptile shop.


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## vickie1985 (Feb 18, 2009)

serpentseye said:


> I have one, but buy it from a reptile shop.


i will have to have a look for a rep shop then  thank you, if i was handed a baby gecko i wouldnt have a clue what to do but panic! lol


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## Nocturnal (Apr 7, 2010)

Leopard geckos are good pets if you know how to look after them.  They can give you quite a fright sometimes if you're not sure what's going on, though!

They're not good if you want to keep multiple animals in one tank, though. Females may fight and hurt each other, and males will DEFINITELY fight and hurt/kill each other.

African Fat-Tailed geckos are similar in size and appearance, but have slightly different housing requirements.

Here's my little 8-year-old leo:


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## vickie1985 (Feb 18, 2009)

Nocturnal said:


> Leopard geckos are good pets if you know how to look after them.  They can give you quite a fright sometimes if you're not sure what's going on, though!
> 
> They're not good if you want to keep multiple animals in one tank, though. Females may fight and hurt each other, and males will DEFINITELY fight and hurt/kill each other.
> 
> ...


how do they give you a fright then? do they play dead? lol


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## Nocturnal (Apr 7, 2010)

They may stop eating for over a week on a lark, often don't appear to ever drink (they do, just when you aren't watching), and will make the craziest noises when you don't expect it. 
They can also go very dark and dull-colored and look like death warmed over if they're kept too cold.


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## Goth-Gurl (Nov 15, 2009)

Aww yuur gecko is sooo cute ^ ^


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## vickie1985 (Feb 18, 2009)

ha ive always wandered what noices they make, they seem to quiet.
are they funny to watch or just quite boring?

do they bite?

what temp does the tank get kept at?

(sorry, this will be 1001 questions soon)


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## Nocturnal (Apr 7, 2010)

Ask as many questions as you like, it's always good to be informed!

They hiss when they're very angry, make a sort of clicking noise when they're annoyed, and squawk like a bird when they're startled.

They typically come out at night, though once they're settled they'll wander around during the day. They don't *do* a lot in their downtime (though they're adorable when they're asleep), so the real action is when they feed. If you don't like bugs, or you don't like seeing bugs killed, this isn't the pet for you.  They're amazing little hunters though, and I've always found it entertaining to see them stalk and pounce on insects. 

A tame gecko will also be able to be taken from its cage to crawl around on you or, supervised, on the floor. They do tend to crawl up your sleeves and fall asleep though, so keep an eye on 'em! :lol:

Juveniles are more feisty than adults and will jump around and try to bite. Luckily they're tiny and it doesn't hurt.  Adults will bite if you really tick them off, or if you're feeding them from your hand and they miss, but their teeth are small. Unless it's a large male gecko and/or it gets a soft part of your hand (between thumb and forefinger, for example), the bites often fail to even break the skin. I've been bitten twice, both accidents on my gecko's part, and it was not painful. Just don't get them so angry or frightened they bite you in earnest.  Either way, a bite from a hamster or a cat causes more damage than a gecko bite.

The tank needs a cool side and a hot side, with the hot side between about 88F and 97F (no cooler than that, though, because they need heat to help digest their food), and the cool side maybe 80F-75F, room temperature basically. A UTH (under-tank heater/heat mat) with a thermostat is typically how this is achieved - bulbs can heat the tank if necessary, but leopard geckos benefit from a heat mat because they like to take in warmth through their bellies. They are also nocturnal, and adding lights to the tank is unnecessary and will cause them to hide and sleep more.

Hope that answered your questions!


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## vickie1985 (Feb 18, 2009)

Nocturnal said:


> Ask as many questions as you like, it's always good to be informed!
> 
> They hiss when they're very angry, make a sort of clicking noise when they're annoyed, and squawk like a bird when they're startled.
> 
> ...


Thank You

that has answered everything i can think of right now.
im not a huge fan of bugs, and i dont mind seeing them killed  lol
usually me squatting them, so some tweezers and a gecko might just be a master plan for me! haha. the only thing im not sure on is things like crickets, but i think its more becuase ive never been near the bugs that you feed reptiles so its going to take a little bit of fear to get me used to those i think.
Ive been informed of a good reptile shop in my area i just dont know about any tank prices etc yet


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## Nocturnal (Apr 7, 2010)

A lot of people prefer to use mealworms or other larvae to feed their geckos, since they're not as mobile or noisy as crickets, and they're a bit less "icky" all around. :lol: 
If you can get over the squeamish bits, though, gutloaded (fed something nutritious before being offered as food themselves) crickets and locusts are very good feeder insects for leopard geckos.

I couldn't offer a guess on how much the whole setup will cost, as I'm outside the UK and prices are different over there.


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## vickie1985 (Feb 18, 2009)

i see thats fine, its not the cost im worried about, i just dont want to get one and then think "oh crap, how do i care for him" lol

how do i tell the sexes? 

(sorry yet another question!) lol

i dont think crickets will be a problem, its just that initial fear but i know i will get used to it lol, its like spiders, i wouldnt go near them, now im quite confident at putting a glass over them and removing them. i cry if a moth is in the house though lol


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## Nocturnal (Apr 7, 2010)

That's good, one of the biggest and most common mistakes people make is buying a gecko with no clue how to look after it! 

With younger ones it's tough to tell for sure just by looking. Once they approach breeding age, males will have a prominent "V" shape of pores on their undersides near the vent - these secrete a waxy substance they use to mark their territory. There will also be notable bulges near the tail, though it can be hard to determine the sex on that alone. 
An experienced reptile breeder should be able to tell you what gender you're getting if it's old enough; a pet store's opinion is generally not as trustworthy. If the gecko won't submit to being held long enough, you can set it in a transparent container to get a good look at its underside.

:lol: We all have to get over certain aversions for our pets I suppose! 
Another thing you'll have to do with whatever insect you choose is dust them with calcium powder every few feedings. With crickets this may amount to tossing them in a bag with the stuff and shaking them for a while. Which is actually quite enjoyable if you don't particularly like crickets. :lol:


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## julyyoyo (May 22, 2009)

:thumbup:good for you
I have no idea how to take care of a gecko or lizard
and I can not tell the difference between different geckos:frown:
I know there are small ones and big ones and different colors but I just don't see the spectacular point   in new species of giant lizard discovered in the Philippines
they say monitor lizard are the world's longest and largest lizards::confused1:


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## vickie1985 (Feb 18, 2009)

Nocturnal said:


> That's good, one of the biggest and most common mistakes people make is buying a gecko with no clue how to look after it!
> 
> With younger ones it's tough to tell for sure just by looking. Once they approach breeding age, males will have a prominent "V" shape of pores on their undersides near the vent - these secrete a waxy substance they use to mark their territory. There will also be notable bulges near the tail, though it can be hard to determine the sex on that alone.
> An experienced reptile breeder should be able to tell you what gender you're getting if it's old enough; a pet store's opinion is generally not as trustworthy. If the gecko won't submit to being held long enough, you can set it in a transparent container to get a good look at its underside.
> ...


now that sounds like my idea of fun lol. i wont have a problem with worms etc, its just things that fly or jump really lol


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## Goth-Gurl (Nov 15, 2009)

Hey everyone!! I have now got my leopard gecko  You may have seen some pictures of her on my threads around the forum. She's a lovely mack snow morph and she's a sweet little thing. I got her from a pet store where I volunteer. :3


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## MissG (Apr 18, 2008)

This is Flame, my Crested Gecko. He is 3 and a half month sold, although in this pic he is only 2 months old. He measures 12 cm's and weighs 5 grams!










They are very easy to look after as they get on quite happily at lower temperatures. I do provide a low wattage heat bulb and also a low wattage UV for mine, just to provide the very best, but some say it's not necessary.

They can survive on Crested Gecko Diet, which is basically fruit and vitamins, which you mix with water. I prefer to feed live food and fruit.


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## Goth-Gurl (Nov 15, 2009)

Wow  your crestie is gorgeous  whats its name??

So are cresties nocturnal? .. because I was adviced by the pet store to use a 14 watt (very low) UV light.. for my leopard gecko.. and I don't know if i should.


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## Guest (Nov 2, 2010)

Goth-Gurl said:


> So are cresties nocturnal? .. because I was adviced by the pet store to use a 14 watt (very low) UV light.. for my leopard gecko.. and I don't know if i should.


Cresties are supposedly nocturnal, however my last one would often prowl around during the day.

Leopard geckos don't need UV and probably wouldn't receive any benefit from it, however it wouldn't do any harm to use it.


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## MissG (Apr 18, 2008)

Goth-Gurl said:


> Wow  your crestie is gorgeous  whats its name??
> 
> So are cresties nocturnal? .. because I was adviced by the pet store to use a 14 watt (very low) UV light.. for my leopard gecko.. and I don't know if i should.


Thanks. I think so too! His/her name is Flame, which is also his morph.

Cresties tend to be more active at night yes.

I see more harm not providing UV then providing it. They certainly would be exposed to small amounts in the wild, even if nocturnal.


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## Goth-Gurl (Nov 15, 2009)

I decided to remove the UV lighting .. I am just going to use a normal 15 watt bulb to ensure that I make sure she has the correct sleep/wake cycle as she should.


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## CrystalGecko76 (Jan 19, 2011)

I have a leopard gecko named Louis. He is a regular colour but he is a big boy! I feed him once a week on locusts and a few waxworms. He was eating crickets but started throwing them up for some reason and he went off Mealworms. I keep day time temps of 31-32 degrees Celsius but when the spotlight goes off it drops to 30-31 degrees. He has bitten me twice and it hurts. He nearly took a lump out of my finger. It wasn't his fault I was helping him shed the last few bits of skin. He is skittish but I don't want him over tame anyway it isn't natural. He has never dropped his tail and he actually does like me lifting it gently and running my finger down it. It is about the only area he doesn't mind touched (freak!). He squeaks and clicks on occasion but nothing else. I have a moist hide and dry hide for him. His next viv will gave a place fir the uv light too as the viv he is in now is not great. The reptile place I got him and his viv from ripped us off but I am glad I saved him from them as they were rubbish! Hope you have fun with yours...they are lovely animals.


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## Nattie08 (Jan 21, 2011)

aaaahhhh which ones would I show you...I have loads....

This is Gomez, my pictus gecko:










My outcross leo:










My SHTCTB, Jelly Belly:










My Blazing Blizzard, Storm










and my Tibetan Frog Eyed Gecko, Rex










oh and my tokay gecko...


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## Nocturnal (Apr 7, 2010)

Loving all the photos, y'all have some great geckos!


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