good first time Gecko or Lizzard?

[FourDeadFish]

I just did a quick search online (I am still a work so it had to be quick):

There are clearly alot of people with similar advise NOT to use Calci-sand, particularly with juvenile animals. The animals I kept on this substrate were adults, so perhaps I got a bit lucky.

Here is a good basic care sheet:
http://www.geckonetwork.com/caresheetleo.htm


Later,
Paul E. Turley

 

[Beardo]

Many enthusiasts are quick to recommend leopard geckos. Thye are friendly and get a few inches larger then 6 inches. They don't require UVA/UVB or a large enclosure. IMO, they are often loaded with internal parasites. Of the 6 I've ever owned, all were purchased with parasites. So, while initially cheap, you'll probably end up shelling out alot more then the original price due to vet bills. If you aren't devoted enough to take your animals to a vet, don't start with a leo.

Either you bought unhealthy animals or you just had a bad run of luck. Of the 50 or so Leopard Geckos I've owned and produced, none of them had internal parasites. To say that a species of animal which is commonly bred in captivity is "often loaded with internal parasites" simply because your experience was with subpar pet-store livestock is very misleading. IMO, Leopard Geckos make great beginner lizards for many of the reason already mentioned in this thread.

Also....on the topic of loose substrates, including sand of any kind, there is always going to be a certain amount of risk of impaction. If you want to play it safe and eliminate this risk totally, just use newspaper or paper towels. IMO, the safety and proper husbandry of your animals is more important than what is aesthetically pleasing in an enclosure.

 

[atavuss]

one thing that I did not see mentioned about the crested geckos is that they do NOT like high temps. leopard geckos will tolerate higher temps better..........

 

[6StringSamurai]

Hm, I'm considering a leopard gecko now.

How would they do on the peat moss I use for my Ts and scorps?

 

[Bedlam]

In terms of the amounts of crickets lizards eat a day, it seems like you'd end up spending a decent amount of money on crickets every week. Do people generally start their own colony when they have an animal eating this much??

 

[FourDeadFish]

Raise your own (But not crickets, they stink, they're loud, I hate crickets!):

I currently raise mealworms and super worms. Both are very easy to culture, you'll find great posts on these forums.

A couple years ago, I used to have a colony of roaches as well, but with only four insectivorous lizards at the time, they couldn't keep up with the roach production.

I was raising a mixed colony of Blaberus species(discoids I believe) and hissers. I could only feed them out as nymphs. Once they reached a larger size (bigger than ~3/4"), only the Blue-Tongue Skink I had could take them but he only got them at treats, not staple diet. For me, a smaller species of roach would have been a better choice.

I was able to freeze a couple pounds of adult roaches to grind up into blender mix fish foods though... It made a great high protien food for my fish.

Later,
Paul E. Turley