Tokay Gecko questions

So, My 8yr old son told me he wants us to get a Tokay Gecko. I think he saw it on Wild Kratts or something, but he is mildly obsessed with this lizard. He has watched shows about them, looked for library books on them, had me show him photos and read him stuff from the internet on them, etc. We've been talking about one for about 4 months now. We went to an expo when I got my BP and he saw one there and it's been downhill ever since. lol.

Have any of you ever owned one? Any advice? I've read they aren't too bad, but not the best lizard to have for handling... not like a leopard gecko or a beardie may be. I'd much rather hear from someone who has one or has had them as to their feelings towards them.

Obviously, my son getting a lizard, ultimately means, I'm actually getting a lizard for him to look at once in a while. I have a 2'x2'x14" pvc enclosure with a UTH and CHE that is sitting unused right now, so I'm sure I could make a home for one, unless that's too big. With my bp, I've got some experience with maintaining heat and humidity, so I'm not too worried about the husbandry aspect. Just wanted to get some opinions on the Tokay.

thank you,
Jason

My husband has owned them, so I'm just relaying his opinion.

Tokay geckos are very nasty and if they get out you will never get them back. They hiss bite and puff. A very nasty crunchy bite. He is very very against one for a kid or anyone who wants to interact.

He would rather deal with a Caiman than a tokay. And he has dealt with both. His original response was they are the nastiest 🚫 🚫 🚫 🚫-⭕️ 🚫 Ers he has ever dealt with.

Hope that helps, sorry it wasn't too positive but at least it was his honest opinion?

They bark too LoL
They are not really a hands on gecko though I have been able to hold a couple.

https://youtu.be/7uLZ-4NuiHA

Not my video but one of many that show even the most I'll tempered little creatures can be tamed. Just need the patience to do it and accept the fact that you will get bitten at some point.

Not the best choice for a 8 year child IMO, yes the can be "tamed" but it requires patience and consistent work and I doubt a young child will be able to provide that.

They are not beginner geckos and you might set yourself up for failure by choosing this species, their are plenty of cool lizard that are much easier to deal with and that would be best suited for a child that age.

Agree with everyone else. A hands off pet in many cases. There are CBB's available now, which are tame-er, and some people even allegedly sell tame ones. My friend bought one and it was still quite flighty. With work they can become tame, but an 8 year old isn't the most patient of people to put in said work.

Cool.... thank you all for the feedback. This is pretty much the vibe I was getting from other resources. I think we'll just hold off on the Tokay and see what they offer in the line of Leopard Geckos at the next expo.

Again,
Thank you all for the input. It is very much appreciated. :)

Definitely NOT good for an 8 year old. They are very aggressive and bite. I handle my tokays with gloves because I got a few nasty bites that drew blood. Their teeth are like little razor blades and they just slice through skin like butter.