1. Which is easier as a “starter” gecko…leo or crested?

2. Between leos and cresteds, which is easier to handle?

3. Which gets bigger? Leo or crested?

4. Is it true that mealworms can burrow out of their stomachs?

5. Do I need UVA/UVB light for a leo, crested, or day gecko?

6. Can you handle day geckos?

7. Help!! Its tail came off! Will it grow back?

8. Can I feed my gecko pinkies?

9. How often should I clean the cage and change the water?

10. Can different geckos be housed together?

11. Do geckos eat their shed skin?

12. In general, if you keep the enclosure relatively clean, are geckos stinky creatures?

13. Are tokay geckos really as mean as people say?

14. What is the largest gecko typically found in the pet trade?

15. What is the friendliest gecko typically found in the pet trade?

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1. Which is easier as a “starter” gecko…leo or crested?

Both the leopard gecko and the crested gecko are great starter geckos. Crested geckos might be considered easier because they do not require special heating and can eat an insect free diet, but leopard geckos might be considered easier because they can be fed a diet of mainly mealworms and are slightly easier to handle. In order to decide which gecko is best for you please visit our care sheets (crested gecko care sheet, leopard gecko care sheet) to get a better idea of each gecko’s individual needs.



2. Between leos and cresteds, which is easier to handle?

Leopard geckos are slightly easier to handle because they are terrestrial and do not jump and climb like crested geckos.



3. Which gets bigger? Leo or crested?

Leopard geckos get heavier in weight but visually the average adult crested gecko appears to be about the same size as an adult leo.



4. Is it true that mealworms can burrow out of their stomachs?

Not true.



5. Do I need UVA/UVB light for a leo, crested, or day gecko?

Leopards and cresteds are nocturnal and do not require UVA/UVB lighting but day geckos are diurnal so they do require a good source of UVA/UVB lighting.



6. Can you handle day geckos?

Day geckos are somewhat fragile so it is best to handle only when necessary, i.e., for moving into a separate enclosure during cleaning, etc.



7. Help!! Its tail came off! Will it grow back?

That depends on what kind of gecko you have. While most geckos will regenerate a lost tail, crested geckos do not.



8. Can I feed my gecko pinkies?

Some geckos such as adult leopard geckos can be fed pinkies as a treat or once per week during breeding season as a way to help females regain weight after laying each clutch of eggs.



9. How often should I clean the cage and change the water?

Water should be changed daily, or at least every other day.

Feces and other waste should be removed from the enclosure at least once per week. Every 30 days the enclosure should be stripped down and all of the contents disinfected with either chlorhexadine/novalsan solution or 10% bleach, 90% hot water solution.



10. Can different geckos be housed together?

It is not recommended that different species of geckos be housed together.



11. Do geckos eat their shed skin?

Yes. One theory is that they do so to avoid leaving any traces of their presence in view of predators.



12. In general, if you keep the enclosure relatively clean, are geckos stinky creatures?

Geckos do not stink. Any smell coming from your gecko cage is a sign that you are not keeping up with your husbandry and that you should clean it more often.



13. Are tokay geckos really as mean as people say?

Tokays are known to be relatively feisty geckos. A tokay would not be a good choice if you wish to have a gecko you can handle often.



14. What is the largest gecko typically found in the pet trade?

The Grande Terre Giant Gecko, Rhacodactylus Leachianus Leachianus is the largest gecko measuring up to 17 inches from snout to tail and weighing just over one pound.



15. What is the friendliest gecko typically found in the pet trade?

That is all a matter of opinion. If you consider an easily handled gecko to be friendly than you might choose crested or leopard geckos, but an untamed leopard gecko is definitely not a friendly creature, so it can depend on the individual gecko.