I am thinking about getting a leopard gecko or mainly large geckos of any sort. I need information such as how much they cost average and also how hard they are to take care of. Thanks.
leopard or african fat tailed geckos are normally recommended as the "starter" gecko.
i've never kept any myself but a few years ago i got very close to it, so i'll throw some links your way that i found very useful. they're mostly links for leopard geckos but if i remember correctly fat tailed care is very similiar.
also the most important piece of information that keeps popping up is DO NOT USE HEATROCKS to heat the vivarium. they are not suitable for geckos as they can get very hot and burn the poor guys. heat lamps are a possibility but most places recommend heat mats, which are placed under one half of the tank/under the substrate which allows the gecko to choose where is the right temperature for it.
you also shouldn't use sand as a substrate because they can accidentally ingest it when eating, which causes impaction (build up of matter in the gut) which can lead to death if not recognised and treated.
[URL]http://www.leopardgecko.co.uk/documents/caresheet/caresheet.htm[/URL] - general info
[URL]http://www.leopardgeckocare.net/housing-cage/leopard-gecko-terrarium-vivarium-setup.html[/URL] - basic vivarium set up
[URL]http://www.geckosuk.com/leopard-gecko-feeding.php[/URL] - feeding
to the best of my knowledge the animals themselves can cost between £30 - £80 (CAN$45 - $120) although if you know some people who are breeding them you might be able to get them for less. setup costs for the tank and equipment is probably at least £150 ($230) but it depends how much you are willing to spend. the food also needn't be that expensive, crickets and mealworms you can buy in boxes and keep them in the freezer, geckos don't eat that much.
geckos are often seen as the starter pet, for those who have not kept reptiles before. they are (relatively) easy to look after - certainly compared to other reptiles. basically what you need to look after a leopard gecko is:
a vivarium/suitable tank
substrate to put on the floor of the tank (this could be anything from paper towels/newspaper to mossy substrate)
a heating element - heat mats are recommended, and should take up 1/3rd of the ground space of the tank
a hiding box
and a wet box, normally filled with moss or other suitable material to keep the vivarium moist
unlike many other reptiles, with geckos you don't need to worry about
- very specific temperatures (there are limits you need to keep within, but it's not too complex)
- UV light
- specific humidity requirements
i hope you could get something useful information out of my rambling!
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.
