Introducing Our New Leopard Gecko

Posted by Sarah on August 4, 2008

Remember a few weeks ago when I asked What makes a good reptile owner?

On Saturday I was reminded of how important it was to know where you’re going to get your reptile’s food from after I saw the most adorable leopard gecko at Petco.

The unsexed gecko had been given to Petco for adoption because it was “too far to drive to Fargo to get crickets for him.”

I have to admit that I was sad to see the results of something I had written about so recently, but at the same time I was glad that the gecko’s former owners realized that they should let someone else take care of him when they realized that they couldn’t, instead of neglecting him and not providing him with enough food.

Although geckos can eat mealworms, there haven’t been any mealworms in Petco in several months due to the mealworm’s slow breeding season - and even if there were some available there are people who love reptiles, but don’t want worms in their refrigerator.

I am one of those people, although we did have mealworms in the fridge for a few months, they are now in a dorm fridge we got at a yard sale.

Jeff and I had researched leopard geckos and crested geckos a while ago when we were considering one, so I knew that we could provide the gecko with what it needed.

We asked if the leopard gecko was still available, and we asked about the adoption process - you just had to donate some money to the Petco Foundation - in our case it was $7.00.

I do have to say that we left Petco without a new leopard gecko, and then before we were halfway home we turned around and went back to get the leopard gecko, a hide, and water and food bowls.

On the way home I jokingly said “I think we should name  him Panther.” You know, because he’s a leopard gecko.

Jeff said “I was thinking Tiger,” so Tiger it is.

Tiger settled happily into his new home - one of the chameleon’s old baby cages, and climbed right up into the top right corner of the cage.

He stayed there so long that I was wondering if he was stuck .

I read that you could put a paper towel tube in the cage for geckos to hide in, and after I did that Tiger moved down into it.

Tiger seems happy, and he’s eating.

He’s also used to being handled, although we haven’t handled him much since we only got him two days ago.

So that’s the story of Tiger, our new leopard gecko.

If you have a leopard gecko I’d love to hear how you house him and supplement his food, and I’d love to know of any leopard gecko resources that you trust.

Although I’ve done the research before, now I realize that there is so much conflicting information about their care and requirements that I don’t know what to believe.

Any help you could give will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!