Are you considering a classroom pet? I have a leopard gecko named Charlie (gender ambiguous name because I think it's a girl but I don't know for sure!) It is 5 years old and still going strong!
- They don't stink. This was a big one for me!
- They can be potty trained. Well sort of. They will pick a spot to do their business and if you put a paper towel down there, you can just throw it away. Again-no stink!
- They don't make noise. Not a peep.
- They are nocturnal. This is good and bad. They are not very active during the day so no distractions but they aren't super interesting to watch either.
- If handled from a young age, they do not bite (it doesn't hurt anyway) and are fairly tolerant of touching.
- They don't require a huge tank. Mine is a 20-gallon fish tank with a mesh lid.
- They don't eat or drink very often so they can be left on the weekends or for a few days at a time on break. Here is Charlie drinking.
- They don't carry germs.
- They aren't messy. They shed their skin but they eat it (gross!) so you don't have to clean it up. Here is Charlie shedding.
Things to consider:
- They eat LIVE bugs. This can be a dealbreaker if you are squeamish. Their diets consist of crickets and mealworms both of which can be purchased at a pet store. I actually can get mealworms at my gas station because they are also used for fishing bait. They will not eat them if they are dead. Here is Charlie eating.
- They aren't really cuddly. They will allow you to hold them but not for extended periods. They can't be left out of their tanks because they will hide.
- They need a heat lamp that must be on at all times because they are cold-blooded and cannot produce their own heat.
What your pet leopard gecko will need:
- 20-gallon tank with a screened lid. You can use a smaller one at first but they will grow so you may as well get the big one to start with.
- 2 food/water dishes. I prefer these because the worms can't crawl out of it.
- A hiding hole. They are nocturnal and will get stressed if they don't have a place to hide during the day.
- A wet box. This can be a small disposable container like a food container that you cut a hole in and line with a wet paper towel. They are desert creatures but need moisture sometimes, especially when shedding.
- A heat lamp. I only have a night time bulb on at all times because I have sunlight near the cage so it can tell when it is day or night. I have a double light that I used to have a day time bulb and a night time bulb with timers but found it to be unnecessary so I just use the night bulb. Always have an extra bulb on hand for when it burns out because they need constant heat.
- A cage carpet/lining or special sand. I have only used the carpet because it is less messy.
- A calcium supplement to sprinkle on its food.
All of these things can be purchased at a pet store and on Amazon.
I've had 2 other leopard geckos at home so I'd be glad to answer any questions about them!
