The Leopard Gecko -

One of the greatest well-dispositioned lizards is the Leopard Gecko. (Eublepharis Macualrius) These little fellows make great pets and are very gentle and it is very rare if they bite. Unlike their cousins, these Leo’s do not have ‘suction cup” feet. They like to climb and explore but they are not capable of climbing up the tank.

The Leo is a pet that is easy to keep and resilient. They can live 10-20 years so when you purchase your Leo, you can be assured you will have a pet that will be with you a very long time. They enjoy a clean home, heat, a little house and food and water.

The young Leo is banded and boldly colored but it fades as they mature. Adults are 8-10 inches from tip of the nose to tip of the tail. Being nocturnal critters, they retreat into their rock crevices or little homes during the day.

Habitat -

Don’t bring your Leopard Gecko home until you have all you need on hand. Transition can be less stressful if you are prepared. Use a 10-gallon for a single Leo, and 20 for two or more. A “hide” box is necessary for them to sleep in. They are black and plastic which makes them easy to keep clean. Use a piece of screening to cover the tank, which you can get from the pet shot. Your Leo will shed and requires a “moist box” which is easy to make from a empty clean margarine tub where you cut a hole in on the side and fill it with fine grained, moist vermiculate. Smooth the edges around of the hole and 2-3 times a week mist the box avoiding freestanding water. You will need a small water dish. Your Leo may want to hide in the moist box but give him both so he can make a choice.
A few rocks placed where they won’t fall on your pet, placed separately would be enjoyed or a log here and there so they can enjoy some activity. Read the rest of this entry »

Preventing bearded dragon disease and illness should be pretty easy if you are maintaining proper cleaning schedules and providing the proper diet and nutrition. This will greatly reduce the chances of your dragon getting sick, but won’t completely eliminate the threat. Your lizard can still suffer an injury, burn, or even become obese if you don’t keep a close eye on them.

A common cause of injury comes from the set-up of the enclosure itself. A lizard can be seriously harmed by an unstable accessory that may fall on them. When arranging your “furniture” within the enclosure, be sure that everything is nice and stable. Beardies tend to jump on and off of things, which can easily knock over unstable items. After I am finished arranging everything, I will give them a “jiggle” to see how secure they are.

Another frequent health risk are burns. Many owners do not realize that heat rocks and pads are dangerous. They see them in the reptile section when purchasing their first dragon, and assume they are safe. The truth is, bearded dragons are cold-blooded and thus cannot feel how hot they are getting until they are already burned. Another source of burns are lights that are arranged too close to the pet. If your lizard has a way to get too close to your light, it will. Make sure all lights are at a safe distance and cannot be reached via climbing. There are safety covers available to purchase if need be. Read the rest of this entry »