First time gecko owner advice

[Magicmonkey]

So my son wants a pet gecko (we're thinking possibly a leopard gecko) and we're considering getting him one for his birthday which is coming up. Just to head off the usual objections at this point, this isn't a decision that's been taken lightly (no pet should be), it's not a fad for him (he's been pestering us about this for the past 2 years), he's responsible (been the primary carer for our dogs for the last few months to show he's responsible. Don't worry about the dogs, the gecko will be kept in his room which the dogs can't get into, and absolutely worst case they do get in, the tank will be on a shelf that's too high for them to see), and finally, I'm willing to take over care if necessary (always wanted a pet lizard).

But, with all that being said, I've never had a pet gecko, and I'm not entirely sure where the best place to start looking for advice/resources is. So I'm looking for some general advice for good resources for first time gecko owners, or any other tips on what kind of things we need to look out for, best types of tanks (if there are better types), ideal size of tanks, what type of equipment is needed (and what's just BS marketing) etc so we can get a better understanding of what would be required before we "pull the trigger" on getting one.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[acpart]

Here is some basic advice:
--don't trust the large pet stores for either care advice or geckos
--read care sheets (here's mine: https://geckcessories.wordpress.com/leopard-gecko-care-sheet/; google "leopard gecko care" as well).
You'll find that the care sheets say the same thing about many topics but differ on other topics. Figure out where the differences are (sometimes there's just more than 1 way to do things) and ask about that on these forums.
--There are no reptile shows going on now for obvious reasons. However, you may be able to find websites for past shows in your area (knowing where you live would be helpful in case some of us know reputable breeders). See if you can find the part of the website that lists vendors. Many of them have links to their own websites, so take a look to see what they have and how they're reviewed. Your best bet will be to get a gecko from a breeder or a store that specializes in reptiles.

Start with that, and see where it gets you!

Aliza

 

[ZNature]

There is a channel who has some great advice on leopard gecko care . The channel is “Leopard gecko” on YouTube. And I would just say do a lot of research and if you aren’t sure about something just ask a question on this forum! When I was researching on how to get my Leo I was so confused on so many things and I know it can be frustrating with all the misconceptions out there on Leo’s.