How to Raise Geckos

Geckos are small to medium-sized lizards that have become increasingly popular as domestic pets. According to Geckosuk.com, geckos are the "only reptile can use its voice," other than to make hiss, as they make chirping, barking and clicking sounds when interacting with other geckos. There are over 800 species of geckos but the perfect beginner gecko is the leopard gecko, as it is easy to care for, easy to breed and easy to house. Geckosetc.com states that the Gecko is "undoubtedly one of the best reptile pets today."

Things You'll Need

• Aquarium (10 gallon or larger)
• Live prey (gecko food)
• Heating pad
• Shelter
• Paper towels
• Water and spray bottle
• Ground calcium
• Tweezers (optional)

Instructions

1. House your geckos in a 10-gallon (or larger) aquarium. Multiple female geckos can live together if they are the same size. A larger female may dominate the tank and the food supply. Multiple males should not live together, as they are territorial and will fight. A young male and young female gecko should grow to adulthood in separate tanks. The male will mature faster and steal the female's food. Also, the male becomes sexually mature before the female, and will breed as soon as he is able to reproduce. Keep the male and female apart until you are ready for babies.

2. Use sand for the bottom of your aquarium if you have adult geckos. Geckosetc.com recommends using "Play Sand" or a similar type that you can find at hardware stores, as this sand has been screened and washed. This sand should be extremely fine (about .5mm or less), as the geckos can ingest the sand but may be unable to digest the larger grains. Young geckos should be raised on a paper towel bedding until they are 5 to 6 inches long. If they ingest sand when they are smaller than this, the gecko will be unable to digest it, as they have smaller "narrower digestive systems."

3. Use an "under-the-tank" heating pad for your aquarium. Geckosetc.com recommends the "Zoo Medi Repti Therm U.T.H." Place the pad under one side of the tank, so the gecko can have the option of lounging in warmth, or staying on the cool side of the aquarium. Use a thermometer to measure the heat of the tank. The "warm side" should be at 90 degree Fahrenheit. The Lizardwizard website also recommends spraying the inside of the tank with a light mist of water to maintain humidity in the aquarium and to moisten the sand.

4. Provide the gecko with some kind of shelter. This can be a paper towel roll, a small cardboard box or plastic container. Cut a hole in any of these for the gecko to enter. Make a shelter on both the "warm" and "cool" sides of the tank.

5. Make water available to your gecko. Geckosetc recommends providing water two or three times a week, but Lizardwizard.com states that they should always have access to water. You can use plastic bottle tops for the water, as it is a good size for the small lizards. In addition, the gecko usually drinks all the water (or eventually tips over) the bottle tops, so that bacteria does not have a chance to form, which sometimes happens with a larger water container.

6. You can feed your gecko a variety of "live prey," including crickets, mealworms, superworms, wax worms and even baby mice, called "pinkies." If you use worms, you should "gut load" them prior to feeding them to your gecko. Gut-loading is defined as "filling the gut of prey items with nutritious food." This involves letting the worms feed on carrots and prickly pear cactus before feeding them to your gecko. You can also purchase pre-mixed gutload food for the worms. It is difficult to feed your lizard too much, but they can occasionally become obese. Make sure that all the geckos receive an equal amount of food. If feeding your gecko crickets, make sure that you do not introduce more crickets into the aquarium than it can eat in 10 to 15 minutes.

7. Geckos shed their skin like all reptiles, and Leopard geckos shed their skin all at once. Make sure that the tank is very humid during this time. This will help with the process. If your gecko is struggling to shed all its skin, place it in a container lined with warm, wet paper towels. This will further loosen the skin and you can remove it with a pair of tweezers.

Tips & Warnings

• The Lizardwizard website recommends giving the gecko ground calcium, as it is an important supplement. You can provide this to your gecko in a bowl or by "sprinkling" some of the calcium around the mouth, and then spraying the gecko with water. This will make it lick its mouth and ingest the calcium.

• Do not use "industrial sand" for the aquarium, as it contains dust that is harmful to the gecko. Do not use calcium sand that is sold for use with reptiles, as the grains are too large. Geckosetc.com does not recommend using a basking heat lamps or heating rocks, as these can stress, and even burn, the gecko. If you use a shelter made of small rocks, make sure that it is stable and will not collapse on your gecko.

References

• Anapsid
• Golden Gate Geckos
• Sundial Reptile

Resources

• The Lizard Wizard
• Geckosetc