Ever since we had our Open House in September, 2004, when we had an assortment of animals from the local pet store over, my daughters have been begging for a leopard gecko. They held a beautiful, calm female for at least two hours that day, and were hooked from that point on. So I thought I’d dedicate this article to informing you all about these cool little reptiles.

The leopard gecko is an ideal pet that takes up little space, has simple food requirements, comes in designer colors and can withstand the life dealt out by even the most absent-minded of keepers. They are excitable as babies, but harmless, and as adults they become very tame. With a maximum size of 7-10”, this lizard is easily handled by supervised children. But remember, their tails can break off (and be regrown), so make sure you never pick them up by that fleshy tail. They need a glass or plastic cage that offers 10” x 10” of floor space for each gecko, and needs to be at least 12” high. Here are some tips for proper care of your little herp:

• Use paper towels or newspapers for the cage bottom. Easy to see when soiled, and cheap.

• Never use sand as a substrate as they may eat it and become impacted.

• Always provide water in a shallow lid or bowl that won’t spill.

• Use a 6” wide plastic container for a hide box. Fill the container with moist potting soil and cut a 1.5” diameter hole in the lid or side to serve as an entrance.

• Mist the soil box daily. This aids in shedding.

• Provide a sturdy top for your cage, especially if you have young children or cats (a nurse at our hospital lost her gecko “Corona” to her cat).

• Feed four live food items daily per gecko

• Never let direct sunlight strike the cage, as it will overheat your little guys to death!

• Never have more than one male per cage (males have small pores on the back of their legs)

• Keep the temp between 65 and 85, using approved heat sources for reptiles.

In captivity, leopard geckos are best fed mealworms or crickets, which you can get from a pet store, a bait shop, or even order through the mail. It is important to “power feed” the insects, as that will provide much needed nutrition to your gecko. Place the worms or crickets in a gallon milk jug with some chicken feed (and a carrot for a source of water) for at least 2 days before you offer them to Mister Gecko.

If you go to a pet shop to get your lizard, the best times are between April and October (the hatching season). Personally, the baby stage is the most stressful for them so if you are lucky to find an adult, get it. Look for ones with a nice fat tail, about _’s the thickness of the neck. They should be alert, with open eyes, and their colors should be bright. Avoid ones that don’t open their eyes readily, have loose skin stuck to their feet, or are too thin. If all goes well, your gecko can live up to 10 to 15 years!

As for my girls, well, they are currently in a 30 day trial of taking care of our dogs and cat, to show that they are responsible pet owners, in order to earn a little leopard. I just hope they don’t name it “Geico”!

Till next time, Dr. Steve

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