American Bully Dog Breed Information and Characteristics
Caring For Your Crested Gecko - WebMD
There are thousands of species of reptiles, but only a few are normally seen. Even fewer make cute and fun pets, but crested geckos are a great beginner-level choice for a pet reptile.
With proper care, crested geckos can live up to 20 years. Before adopting your own gecko, make sure you're ready for the long haul!
Your crested gecko's habitat is an important part of their health. The amount of room they have, light, temperature, humidity, substrate, and other items in their tank all influence their habitat.
Choose the right tank. The size of your gecko's tank (also known as a vivarium) is dependent on the gecko's age. A juvenile crested gecko does just fine in a 10-gallon tank, but adults need a 20-gallon tank. A tank with a screen cover provides proper ventilation throughout the vivarium.
When given the choice of the tank's dimensions, a taller tank will make your gecko happy. Crested geckos are natural tree-dwellers and love to climb. Providing them with vertical space and decor to climb on will provide an engaging environment.
Provide enough light. Natural light is sufficient for your crested gecko. If the tank is located in a space where it won't receive adequate natural light, an additional daytime light will be necessary. Geckos are nocturnal creatures, so they need to know when it's nighttime to maintain their natural cycles.
If your household doesn't have access to much natural light, extra light sources can be used. A lamp with a low-watt bulb or a ceramic heat bulb works well.
Maintain the proper temperatures. Crested geckos don't need the higher temperatures that other pet reptiles do. On average, your gecko prefers a temperature range of 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit, with a warmer part of the tank around 78-82 degrees for basking, and a cooler section around 71-77 degrees. They can tolerate natural temperature drops at night as low as 68 degrees, but you might need to use a heat source such as an under-tank heat mat to make sure the temperature doesn't drop too low.
Make sure the tank stays humid. While room temperature is an adequate amount of heat for your gecko's habitat, they prefer a more humid, tropical environment than probably exists in your home. This humidity can be maintained manually by misting the vivarium twice a day, or by installing a tank humidifier.
Choose the right substrate. The vivarium's substrate (the material covering the tank's floor) should be something that holds in some humidity, but doesn't stay wet enough to grow bacteria. Popular choices for substrate are:
Certain loose substrates can be accidentally swallowed. This can lead to impaction in your gecko's digestive tract if swallowed in large amounts.
Pick out fun decorations. Crested geckos love to climb. Sticks, tall plants, vines, and branches offer plenty of opportunity for climbing and jumping. Fruit trees and grapevines are safe sources of wood for geckos. They also love to hide during the day, so props like half coconut shells or cork bark tubes will provide them with plenty of enrichment.
A dirty tank is a health risk to you and your gecko. To properly clean the tank, make sure to use a combination of daily spot cleaning and monthly deep cleaning. To spot clean, simply clean out any noticeable waste from the tank when you see it. To deep clean, wipe down all surfaces in the tank (including decor) with a reptile-safe disinfectant — which can be purchased at most pet shops — and rinse well with water.
Reptiles, even your pet crested gecko, can carry Salmonella germs. Wash your hands before and after handling your gecko to help prevent the transmission of these germs. Regularly cleaning the tank will also help prevent the spreading of bacteria.
Your gecko should have access to fresh water in a dish at all times.
In the wild, geckos typically eat insects. In captivity, they can rely on a meal replacement powder (MRP) that contains all the nutrients they need. You may also feed your gecko insects with a dusting of supplement powders such as calcium and vitamin D3. Allowing them to hunt live insects in their vivarium can also serve as enrichment for them — perfect for a treat.
Geckos also love mashed fruits like blueberries, pears, papaya, strawberries, and mango. Just make sure you aren't feeding them fruits that prevent calcium intake like citrus or banana. If you have a question about what's ok for your gecko to eat, call your vet.
As nocturnal creatures, crested geckos are most active at night. This is the best time to feed your gecko, as they will wake up at night to search for food.
Multiple crested geckos can be kept in the same tank, provided it's large enough for them all to have their own space, but they are generally not social creatures. Multiple male geckos in a tank will likely lead to aggression. A solitary gecko will live a happy long life.
Crested geckos can be handled. You can gently handle geckos once they have settled into their vivarium. Startling your gecko with rough handling can cause it to act aggressively toward you or to drop its tail. To prevent scaring your gecko, let it climb into your hand on its own instead of grabbing it.
Geckos drop their tails when they feel like they're in danger. Unlike other geckos, a crested gecko cannot regrow a dropped tail. However, your gecko won't experience lasting harm from dropping its tail.
Keeping your gecko out of its vivarium for too long can cause its body temperature to drop. Return your gecko to its tank after about 10 minutes of handling.
Like other reptiles, crested geckos regularly shed their skin. The frequency of their sheds depends on their size and age — younger, growing geckos will shed more frequently than older ones. Your gecko may eat their shed skin to regain the energy lost during their shed. This is normal.
A bad shed can cause your gecko to lose toes when the leftover skin clings to the toes and cuts off circulation. To prevent this, ensure your gecko has a good diet, hydration, and humidity.
If you notice stuck-on skin after a shed, you can place your gecko in shallow, lukewarm water and rub the skin off using a cotton swab. Do not pull off the skin without placing your gecko in water first, and make sure to be gentle so you don't damage the new skin underneath.
What Is A Leopard Gecko Morph? - WebMD
Aside from the furry critters you see during your pet store visit, such as cats, dogs, rabbits, hamsters, and guinea pigs, reptiles are a popular choice to have as a pet. One of the most popular pet reptiles is the leopard gecko. These reptiles make fantastic pets due to their docile nature, which makes them easily domesticated.
Leopard geckos are native to countries like Pakistan, Northwest India, western Nepal, Afghanistan, and certain areas of Iran. They come in many different shapes, sizes, colors, pigments, patterns, and eye colors, thanks to the various breeds that have been created through selective breeding.
Generally, geckos are small critters that can fit in your hand. They can grow to be around 5.9-7.8 inches.
The variations of gecko lizards are known as morphs. Morphs vary mostly in color and pattern, and while selective breeding has resulted in the occurrence of many varieties, some gecko morphs have formed naturally. While there are many types of geckos, crested and leopard are the most popular in terms of pets, and have the most variety of morphs.
While it's true that geckos make wonderful house pets and are quite popular to keep, you must understand how to properly care for them. Like all living things under human care, geckos must be kept happy and healthy, so ensuring they have the proper habitat and food is essential.
Here are some quick tips for leopard gecko care.
Caring for a Leopard Gecko
Leopard geckos are solitary creatures that prefer to be alone. However, if you proceed cautiously, your leopard gecko can adjust to human interaction.
Owning a leopard gecko is a big commitment, as the average leopard gecko lifespan is around 10 to 20 years in captivity. Healthy geckos will have big eyes that are clear and bright, a thick tail, and a belly that only rests on the ground when the gecko is resting.
Leopard Gecko Habitat
The type of habitat that you buy for your gecko is known as a vivarium. While you may purchase a starter kit for your new friend, your gecko will quickly grow and require new equipment. If you don't mind spending extra money upgrading the enclosure within a few months, starting out with a starter kit is fine. However, for the most part, getting a big enough enclosure from the beginning is prudent.
Your final enclosure must be big enough to hold your fully grown gecko, so a tank around 23-24 inches long, 15-16 inches tall, and 11-12 inches deep should be enough.
Leopard geckos are used to rocky terrain with a mixture of clay-gravel soil and sand, so you should attempt to imitate this habitat in your gecko's enclosure. Geckos prefer to hide out through the day and are more active at night, so be sure to provide your new pet with some burrows and shaded areas.
They prefer a climate that is not too hot but not too cold either. The ideal temperature for a leopard gecko is around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Lower temperatures may cause your gecko to enter a semi-hibernation state.
Because they prefer a warmer temperature, it's important to include a warm basking area, with access to climbing structures and plenty of food and water in your gecko's enclosure. You should also consider providing your gecko with a heat lamp at one end of its enclosure and a cooler area at the other end. Also, use a thermometer to track and regulate the temperatures.
Some tips to keep in mind when setting your gecko's enclosure include:
Leopard Gecko Diet
Leopard geckos need a continuous water supply, so ensure that there is a dish with water in their enclosure constantly. Some geckos may also need a calcium supplement to support their growth.
As for food, leopard geckos are primarily carnivores with a diet based on insect consumption. Some insects that leopard geckos are fond of include spiders, centipedes, scorpions, and beetles. However, in captivity, leopard geckos eat various types of worms such as mealworms, wax worms, and super-worms, as well as crickets.
Unlike many other varieties of geckos, the leopard gecko has eyelids that are moveable and enable them to shut their eyes and blink. Another difference between leopard geckos and other geckos is that they lack adhesive, or sticky pads, on their feet, and instead have tiny claws.
Male and female leopard geckos are similar in appearance, but males tend to be stouter with a thicker neck and head when compared to their female counterparts. Male leopard geckos also have a row of pre-anal pores used to create a waxy secretion and a hemi penile swelling at the tail's base.
If you notice that your leopard gecko loses its tail, don't worry. Leopard geckos can regenerate their tails after some time, usually after four weeks of being without one. The shedding of their tail is used to help them escape from predators.
Leopard geckos have more than 100 types of morphs. A typical leopard gecko will have yellowish-brown skin with black spots. However, morphs can vary in color and pattern, depending on the dominant gene.
Some common leopard gecko morphs include:
This leopard gecko morph list is minimal, many other variants exist.
Pet Gecko Checking On Owner Showering Has Internet In Stitches: 'Hi Mom'
Most people know the basics of looking after a cat or a dog, but when it comes to tropical pets, things can get a little more complicated.
In a video shared on the TikTok account @valeriel0vesy0u, the poster offers a tip given to her by her vet to ensure her pet gecko stays as healthy as possible.
Text overlaid on the clip, which has received over 7.7 million views, says, "When the vet said to bring him in while I shower for the humidity."
The camera then zooms in on the gecko, which is perched in his tank on top of the toilet, its head just visible above a paper towel and a bemused look on its face.
"Hii mom," reads the caption.
The lizard appears to be a leopard gecko, which is one of the most frequently bred types of geckos, according to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. "The majority of those kept as pets come from breeding programs in managed care," the wildlife alliance says.
The leopard gecko is native to dry and semi-desert areas in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and northwest India but has been a popular pet around the world for the past 30 years.
"They are one of the most commonly kept lizards today," says the wildlife alliance. "Their docile nature and relative ease of care make them popular for home terrariums, as long as their habitat is representative of their native homes."
Being a desert species, geckos need a relatively low-humidity living environment, which should be between 30 and 40 percent according to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).
Despite needing a dry environment, geckos will require slightly higher humidity when they begin to shed their skin, "which they do every one to two months," says pet advice site Pet Keen. "Your pet will need the humidity to be 70 to 80 percent to remove the old skin."
A stock image shows a leopard gecko. A video of a woman's trick for caring for her gecko has gone viral on TikTok, with over 7.7 million views. A stock image shows a leopard gecko. A video of a woman's trick for caring for her gecko has gone viral on TikTok, with over 7.7 million views. DikkyOesin/Getty ImagesThe skin will look dull when a gecko is ready to shed, as the old skin separates from the new.
"The leopard gecko will spend time in its humid hide, softening the skin," says the RSPCA. "Then it will normally pull it off gently and eat it. Poor shedding on the feet can cut off the blood supply and lead to the loss of toes. Do not pull off old skin if it seems stuck as it can tear the new skin underneath. If you still see dry skin caught around the toes or eyes, consult your reptile vet for advice."
Users on TikTok loved the funny video. "My gecko constantly stares into my soul for no reason at all until i pick her up," wrote one.
"I just use repti earth coconut fiber, doesn't mold, and it helped my leo shed easily and consistently," suggested another.
Newsweek has reached out to @valeriel0vesy0u via TikTok for comment.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.Com with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Comments
Post a Comment