The Leopard Gecko Manual. Philippe De Vosjoil
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Did You Know?
If you are looking for a pet lizard that can tolerate longer periods of handling and more interaction, better choices are the blue-tongued skinks (Tiliqua scincoides and T. gigas) and the bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps).
Patternless leopard geckos are born with a spotted pattern that fades with maturity.
Handling Your Gecko
Leopard geckos, even though they are among the most easily kept lizards, are not necessarily the best lizard pets to be handled and interacted with frequently. They should be thought of as display lizards that will tolerate occasional handling.
Still, leopard geckos seldom bite and, if they do, the bite is of little consequence. Also, after a little handling, leopard geckos don’t scurry but instead move in a relatively slow and deliberate manner. As with all animals, the degree to which your leopard gecko interacts with you depends on the animal’s genetic propensity and the amount of interaction you invest in it. If you don’t spend the time getting your leopard gecko accustomed to gentle handling, it will remain skittish.
Leopard geckos that are regularly handled for short periods are usually calmer than animals that do not have such interaction. Extensive and long-term handling, however, is generally not recommended because it causes the animals stress. Hatchlings and juveniles are smaller and more nervous than adults and should not be unnecessarily handled until they become subadults of at least 5 inches long.
When picking up an adult leopard gecko, the best approach is to scoop your hand under the body behind the front legs and gently close your hand. This will restrain the gecko without allowing it to bite and without causing harm—as long as you don’t squeeze too tightly. Once a gecko gets used to gentle handling, it may be willing to just crawl into your palm.
You can cup a small juvenile or hatchling in your hands when you need to move it someplace, such as when cleaning the cage. An even better method is to coax it into a clean cup or other steep-sided container from which it cannot escape.
Be warned that if a leopard gecko falls from any height, it can be injured, perhaps fatally. Hold the gecko firmly and handle it only over a table or counter so if it does squirm out of your grasp and fall, the fall will be only a few inches and unlikely to cause harm.
Bringing Home the Gecko
No matter where you buy your leopard gecko, be prepared to transport it home safe and sound. This is fairly easy, but if you are a first-time gecko buyer, there are a few things to remember.
The seller will put the gecko in some type of container with air holes punched in it, such as a shallow cup or a small box. If the weather is particularly cold, you can put the gecko’s container inside another bag for better insulation. If the trip home is going to be a long one, consider bringing a small, insulated cooler with you to place the gecko in for the trip home. If you have someone else with you, it is a good idea to have that person warm up the car for a few minutes before taking the gecko out to it.
If it is particularly hot, run the air conditioning in the car, but don’t put the gecko near the vents. Your new lizard will be fine if kept out of direct sunshine.
No matter what the weather is like, drive straight home without stopping if possible. Once home, put the gecko in its new home right away.
Leopard Geckos and Human Health
As long as you keep up with cage maintenance, a leopard gecko is a fairly clean animal. Of course, this does not mean it is totally free of germs.
Reptiles, birds, and other animals can carry salmonella. It is part of the normal bacterial flora that lives in their digestive tracts. While the chance of contracting salmonella or any other illness from a leopard gecko is remote, take sensible precautions.
Always wash your hands with soap and water after handling the gecko as well as after handling any items from its enclosure, such as the water bowl or hide box. Don’t allow items from the cage to come in contact with anything—including countertops—that is used for human food preparation. If you need to use a sink or bathtub to clean the gecko’s cage or accessories, clean the sink or tub with a 10 percent bleach and water solution afterward. As an extra precaution, do not let a child handle a leopard gecko unsupervised (for both the lizard’s and the child’s sakes).
If you follow these guidelines, you will not have to worry about any health issues resulting from keeping leopard geckos or other pet reptiles.
Notice the lack of dark markings on this adult patternless gecko.
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