The leopard gecko is an ideal choice as a pet for those who are not experienced with caring for lizards. Let’s see why.
In recent times, lizards have gained popularity as pets. There are numerous types of lizards available throughout the world. They come in different shapes and sizes and each has their unique needs. Here are a few reasons that make leopard geckos the ideal choice for a pet lizard.
1. Fairly Long Life
Caring for a short-lived creature can be quite heartbreaking. Thankfully, leopard geckos live relatively long lives. With the best care to maintain excellent health for your pet, a leopard gecko can provide you with companionship and joy for about two decades.
Bearded dragons are another type of lizard that many prefer to keep as pets. However, their lifespan is about 12 years which is comparatively less than leopard geckos. Anoles, another popular pet lizard, have an even shorter lifespan of about 6 years.
2. Attractive Appearance
Nobody wants to pet anything that is not appealing to the eyes. Well, this should not be a problem with leopard geckos because they are quite adorable. Just look at their small faces and try not to go “awwww.”
In addition, leopard geckos can come in a wide variety of colors. This provides you with interesting color choices when you are selecting one as a pet!
3. Low Maintenance
One of the most appealing features of keeping a leopard gecko as a pet is that they are remarkably easy to take care of. They do not typically have a long list of demands. It is not difficult to create a pleasant and desirable home for them. They can comfortably accommodate themselves in transparent containers like those which are commonly available in pet stores.
The more spacious the box, the more comfortable your pet will be. Are you tempted to get one already?
Leopard geckos are especially low maintenance when compared to other popular lizard pets. For example, bearded dragons tend to grow more than 20 inches long. As a result, they require a large space and also need to be provided with their essential necessities.
Also, their housing must have UVB exposure. UVB light is not a requirement for leopard geckos. Bearded dragons are also highly sensitive to temperature which makes them high maintenance in comparison to leopard geckos.
4. Not Choosy in Terms of Food
Leopard Geckos are not picky eaters and are usually more than happy to consume a range of different insects sprinkled with vitamin and mineral powder. They are typically very fond of consuming mealworms, super worms, waxworms, beetles, and sowbugs. To provide them with their preferred diet, you can find Dubia Roaches For Sale.
While they are not picky, it is important to keep in mind that your leopard gecko’s nutrition should include vitamin and mineral supplements. Calcium is the most vital mineral. The owner must ensure that it is part of the gecko’s diet on a regular basis. Therefore it is recommended to keep a container of calcium powder close to the pet’s home. Before you plan to feed your pet, make sure that the feeder insects are nicely sprinkled with calcium powder.
5. Keeping Them Clean
Ensuring that leopard geckos are clean is very crucial. As reptiles, they are known to be carriers of bacteria that lead to disease. This is also common for other popular pet lizard choices such as iguanas and bearded dragons. Since nobody wants disease, it is of paramount importance to sanitize your hands after touching the lizard to ensure proper hygiene and prevent the spread of disease.
6. Size Does Matter
Size definitely matters in the case of pets. The size of the pet can determine how big or small the pet’s home needs to be. For leopard geckos, size is not a major concern because they do not grow large. They are typically about 6 to 10 inches long. This size allows them to easily fit on the hands or fingers of their owners.
On the other hand, pet lizards such as iguanas can be a total handful. Iguanas can grow to about 7 feet long and weigh nearly 20 pounds. Due to their large size, it is difficult to create good housing for iguanas.
7. Docile Personality
Personality differs across various pet animals. However, leopard geckos are generally regarded to be quite gentle and docile based on their temperament and nature. This is something that makes them a highly favored choice of pet.
With leopard geckos, you cannot expect them to be loving and affectionate like pet dogs and cats. However, they can be tamed and eventually grow to enjoy being handled by their owners. Who does not love their pet being appreciative?
In contrast, pet iguanas can never really be really tamed and they may run away from their home and owner. Furthermore, iguanas are not fond of human touch so they may fight it. This is not something we expect or want from our beloved pets.
8. Breeding
If you can provide your leopard geckos with a suitable environment and proper conditions, they are likely to reproduce by themselves without requiring any assistance from their owners. Often, you may discover a few surprise eggs in their home without even knowing that the pet was pregnant. It may not be easy to keep the adult males together. However, a group of females can be kept together with one male. It’s a lot of fun to raise your pet creatures.
Well, now you know the reasons behind the leopard gecko’s popularity as pets. If you are a beginner in the pet world and want a lizard, you really should not look further than leopard geckos. The features and characteristics highlighted above are enough evidence to prove that they are dream pets for beginners. So go and get yourself a leopard gecko.
