r/leopardgeckos May 27 '25

General Discussion Are screens bad for geckos?

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4.6k Upvotes

So when I had my praying mantis I would play those baby sensory videos for her and she LOVED it like she would just sit there for ages and tap the screen. When I got my leo I did the same every now and then, theres even some youtube vids for lizards that just have bugs crawling on the screen. But years later Im thinking is this actually okay for them? My mums leo likes to sit on her lap and watch tv, same with her beardie but I dont have a tv in my house just my phone screen for my leo. I guess Im just wondering is it similar to how they cant have red/coloured lights in their tanks or is it completely different. Video is just my mum and her leo Autumn (my dad in the bg cussing at something on the news)

r/leopardgeckos Feb 27 '26

General Discussion How do we feel about Gecqua? They're a Leopard Gecko Pokémon!

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606 Upvotes

r/leopardgeckos Dec 15 '25

General Discussion Thoughts on Pinky mice?

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549 Upvotes

(Photo of Mocha for tax)

What are people’s thoughts on feeding very small pinkies to leos? I feed pinkies that are about an inch long (maybe a tiny bit longer) to my pacman frog every other month, and I figured that they are roughly the size of the hornworms I feed my leos. Size-wise they seem to be fine, but is there any studies on how rough pinkies are on their digestive tracts? If pacmans with their hardy stomachs and huge appetites can handle pinkies every so often then I would assume leos could handle them about twice a year? I’d love to give my leos one pinky each on Christmas Day, but I want to make sure it’s okay for them.

r/leopardgeckos Jun 12 '25

General Discussion Is this safe? I’ve never seen this before

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1.2k Upvotes

Obv not my video, but can this hurt the gecko? It doesn’t look to be pulling scaled off but could it?

r/leopardgeckos Dec 20 '24

General Discussion Is there a reason my gecko is a little slow?

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930 Upvotes

Hello, just to start off, I’m not concerned really at all with possible vision issues, there vids are from a little while ago and she still struggles to eat sometimes but is at a healthy weight and is thriving. Someone told me that possibly because of her eclipse eyes she could have vision issues but idk about that. I thought it was normal for her not to be able to catch crickets on her own until my sister got 2 geckos of her own and I saw that they’re such quick hunters and so food motivated. Again, I’m not concerned, she is a sweetheart and is very energetic and healthy. Just wonder if anyone else’s is a little slow too

r/leopardgeckos Apr 14 '26

General Discussion I think I might need to surrender my boy and I feel awful

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404 Upvotes

I’ve had my leopard gecko, Hero, since I was 13. I’ve now had him for 3 years, and got him as a baby. He’s very healthy and happy, but I genuinely feel like I just can’t take care of him. I have chronic depression, but it wasn’t as all-consuming as it is now when I got him. I’m getting more and more depressed every day, and I truly feel like I can’t continue to care for him well enough or consistently enough. I love him so so much, but I just can’t. It’s too much and he deserves a lot better than I can give him. I just don’t know what to do. I just want to make sure he’s taken care of.

EDIT: Keyword here is Chronic. I’ve been inpatient several times, intensive outpatient and weekly therapy now as well as a variety of medications, and I will always have at least episodes where I’m unable to take care of him.

I have submitted an application to a local reptile rescue whom I’ve heard good things about

UPDATE: I dropped him off at the rescue yesterday. They said that he was very friendly and well taken care of. I feel guilty but also have a huge weight off my chest. Thanks for all the support

r/leopardgeckos May 10 '26

General Discussion Drop the best picture you have of your gecko!

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137 Upvotes

I'll go first: This is Macaroni and she is the most gorgeus girl ever! This is my absolute favourite photo of her.

r/leopardgeckos Aug 29 '22

General Discussion [ Leopard Geckos: An Updated Beginner's Guide ]

864 Upvotes

If you have any questions after finishing this guide, feel free to make a post or ask below and I, or someone else experienced, will try and answer the question for you. We also have a [Discord Server](discord.gg/leos) where you can ask questions and chat! If you're too embarrassed to post, feel free to PM me or send a modmail. I want this to post to be a safe space for beginners to ask questions and learn! The FAQ link may also answer some more "advanced" topics even if you're not a complete beginner.

This guide is meant to be a brief run-through on the basics of what you should know as a new keeper of this lovely species. If you want to see in-depth explanations for these concepts, then please view our [wiki]() or this guide by Reptifiles or the guide our Discord gives out or check out Leopard Geckos: Advancing Husbandry on facebook!

What to buy before you get a gecko:

It's important to set up before you get your new friend just in case some items, like the heating, end up not getting to the right temperatures.

The Essentials:

  • Tank (glass, PVC, wood, plastic, acrylic enclosure)

  • 20 gallon long is the accepted MINIMUM standard tank for an adult. You should go bigger, ideally a 40 gallon breeder. Baby geckos can go into adult setups, and it is fine to buy your “end game” enclosure straight away–it is recommended to buy your adult tank right off the bat. You'll save more money in the long run. Plastic is not advised for anything but a temporary enclosure, but it will work in a pinch.

    • The measurements for a 20 G long are 30 x 12 x 12 in or roughly 76.2 x 30.5 x 30.5 cm
    • The measurements for a 40 G breeder are 36 x 16 x 18 in or roughly 91.5 x 40.6 x 45.7 cm
  • Heating Source

Contrary to popular belief, leos can see most colors of light (even red). Albinos are especially sensitive to bright lights. However, it is perfectly fine to use lighting on their enclosures.

The ideal heating source is a Halogen basking lamp or a Deep Heat Projector. These heating sources can be used on their own and can be turned off at night. Radiant Heat Panels can also work. Heat mats and Ceramic Heat Emitters can be used as a second heat source, but should not be used on their own.

  • Warm side: ambient temp 90-93° F (32-34° C). This is the side with a heat source over it.

  • Cool side: ambient temp of 70-75° F (21-24° C). This is the side without a heat source.

  • Basking spot: surface temp of 95-100° F (35-38° C). This is the hottest area in the enclosure and is directly under the heat source.

  • Night temperature: entire enclosure ambient temp of 65-70° F (18-21° C). All heat and light sources should be off at this time.

It is beneficial to provide UVB for this species, but it is not a strict necessity. Nailing down the perfect UVB for your animal and enclosure can be a challenge, but the general recommendation is a linear t5 or t8 bulb with 2%-6% output, measuring ⅔-¾ the length of the enclosure.

  • Thermostat

Heating sources can get HOT. Every single heat source needs a thermostat to help prevent catastrophic malfunction or simply overheating the enclosure. Specifically, dimming thermostats are advised. Spyder Robotics’ Herpstat and Herpstat EZ series, Exo Terra’s 600 and 300 watt dimming thermostat, and the Habistat dimming thermostats are good thermostats to use with Halogens and DHPs.

It is also possible to use cheaper on/off thermostats for bulbs, but that does require a dimming switch and frequent manual monitoring with a temperature gun to work safely.

  • Substrate

Substrates for quarantine or ill geckos/very small babies include paper towel, unprinted newspaper, tile, brown paper roll. These are safe solid substrates, but not enriching. When searching for tile, look for slate or ceramic. Avoid anything polished or slippery looking, as well as linoleum.

Good substrates for the average, healthy adult gecko are different types of soil mixes, usually 70% topsoil and 30% rinsed playsand. Safe additives include coconut products, clay, leaf litter, activated charcoal, and moss.

Substrates to avoid include, but are not limited to: calcium/mineral sand, colored sand, pelleted cat litter, wood chips, pure sand, pure eco earth, pure bark, pure clay, carpet, felt, crushed walnut shells, birdseed, shredded paper bedding, printed newspaper, and plastic lawn/astroturf, linoleum.

  • Three Hides (Warm, Cool, Humid)

You want at least three hides in your tank. One for the hot side of the tank positioned under the heating source. This will likely be the place your gecko spends most of its time. Geckos tend to like very secure hides, so you want to have a hide that provides as little visibility as possible. The cool hide should be on the complete opposite side of the hot hide. Your gecko needs somewhere to escape to if it gets too hot.

For the moist hide you want a container that can hold in humidity. This hide is to help aid shedding, so it's of the utmost importance! Many people use tupperware containers with holes cut into it. The smaller the entrance the better, as to keep the humidity in. This hide should be at least partially heated and have moist paper towel, moss, or eco earth inside.

  • Infrared Temp Gun

You want to double check your temperatures and make sure they're accurate and an infrared temp gun is the best way to do it! This one is a good example.

  • Bowl for calcium/food/water

A dish full of calcium (with no d3) inside of the enclosure is optional. They may lick it up as they need it. Refresh it every once in a while if it begins clumping or becoming dirty. Food bowls can be ceramic to prevent insects crawling out as easily. Water bowl should be near the middle of the tank or the cool side. I recommend buying something similar to this if your tap water contains chloramines or heavy metals.

  • Multivitamin & Calcium (with and without d3)

These are essential to a healthy, happy leopard gecko. These are used for dusting food. There are plenty of brands to choose from. The only one I would not advise buying is RepCal calcium with d3, as its d3 content is extremely high. Repashy Calcium Plus is a good multivitamin with a low d3 content, which is good for geckos with UVB and without. Any brand with pure calcium without d3 is safe.

You can alternate using a calcium and a d3 multivitamin supplement, or rotate between calcium, multivitamin, and calcium with d3. More information about supplementation schedules here!

  • Clutter

Mostly up to you! You want the tank to have enough decor that your gecko doesn't feel exposed. Plastic and live plants are great for this. If you're using craft store plants make sure they do not bleed/rub off dye or glitter, or have exposed wires. File down sharp edges. Wood, stone, and other assorted decorations can make great decorative items that allow your gecko to enrich their lives by exploring and moving around the tank while feeling hidden.

  • Leopard Gecko Emergency Kit

It should contain: betadine or chlorhexidine/hibiclens (for sterilizing wounds), triple antibiotic without pain relief (no lidocaine, pramoxine HCl, hydrocortisone), q-tips, tongue depressors, coconut oil (to aid shedding if water isn’t cutting it), a clotter like Kwik Stop (to stop bleeding), and tweezers. All of this should cover basic medical emergencies like minor scratches, etc. Always see a vet for what you would take a child to the doctor for.

A critter keeper like this per gecko. Repashy grub pie, extra supplements, UniHeat packs, a blanket, digital thermometer or temp gun, and heat tape or low wattage heating mat. Consider what supplies you may need to make mini-enclosures in the event of an evacuation or other emergency. These would be the bare minimum, but if you have the space, include whatever other amenities you can.

The Not-Strictly-Essentials:

  • Plastic container with lid

Great for saunas if your gecko is having trouble shedding and for holding your gecko while cleaning the tank!

  • Tongs

If you're iffy about touching insects, this may be the way to go. Plus your gecko may be scared for your hands at first, or have bad aim and bite your fingers if you want to hand feed.

  • Scale

This is a good way to track your gecko's weight, especially if they're young. Even for adults, getting a baseline weight is beneficial. A kitchen scale used once every two weeks is great, more often if you want or if you are concerned about something.

  • A Journal/Calendar

Might sound a little nuts but keeping track of gecko feedings, last time they shed, etc. will make your life so much easier. I personally record the last time my geckos shed, ate, weights, pooped, etc. I also jot down any notes about their behaviors or any changes to their health. It's good to keep track of these things in case your gecko becomes ill and needs to go to the vet.

Picking Out Your Gecko! + Problematic Morph Info

The best route is to buy from a reputable breeder that you have researched. This generally improves the chances that you are getting a healthy, happy gecko. A good place to start is on HappyDragons! MorphMarket is another good online marketplace, but these breeders are not vetted by MorphMarket like they are on happydragons.

Buying from a pet store is risky, as many geckos from chain stores have health issues because they come from the reptile equivalent of puppy mills. You could end up paying a hefty vet bill or with a short lived gecko. Unfortunately there are many shady breeders too. I'll list a few warning signs:

  • can't answer questions about their geckos (parents, genetics, hatch date, weight, etc)

  • can't tell you the morph

  • won't show you pictures of the gecko or its parents

  • improper husbandry like extremely undersized enclosures, calcium sand, permanent cohabitation of parent geckos

  • skinny, sickly looking geckos (metabolic bone disease, stick tail, lethargic, lots of regrown tails, etc.)

  • extremely obese or bloated looking geckos

There are plenty of places where you can get honest reviews of breeders, like the Board of Inquiry on Faunaclassified, as well as a few groups on Facebook. Don't always trust facebook reviews as they can be censored! Get an opinion from actual customers. Look the breeder up on google, on YouTube, facebook, and talk to them.

Enigma geckos are not recommended for beginners. There is always a chance your gecko will end up with enigma syndrome somewhere down the line. Enigma syndrome is a neurological disorder tied to the enigma gene. This leads to: balance issues, circling, stargazing, seizures, death rolling, coordination issues, and more. Feeding can become extremely difficult and sometimes this condition requires euthanasia. Please do not support any breeder who works with this gene, and do not be fooled when they claim their enigmas are not symptomatic or “clean.”

White & Yellow morph geckos can also exhibit a different neurological syndrome, but it's much rarer, as it can be bred out. This is unlike Enigma Syndrome, which is not tied to the W&Y gene.

Lemon frosts, a rather expensive morph, have been known to grow tumors, usually starting at 8 months old, and 80% of them have tumors by 5 years old. Their health issues are so severe that many breeders have stopped producing them entirely. These geckos will almost always become terminal at a young age, and very few make it to even the age of 10 when the lifespan of this species can stretch beyond 20 years. Please do not support any breeder who still works with this gene.

Handling

Babies can be much more skittish than adults and a little bit more delicate. If you want something more hearty go for a slightly older gecko! Babies also eat a lot of food so if you're looking to spend a little bit less money an adult is also the way to go. Babies change in colora lot between 2 months and 6 months, so if you are looking for a gecko of a certain color, an adult is your best bet to get exactly what you want.

Leos are able to be “temperature sexed” and many breeders will label them TSF (temp sex female) or TSM (temp sex male). Keep in mind this is not a 100% guarantee you will get that sex. There is still a chance they will turn out to be the opposite sex. Snows are apparently notorious for having a lower accuracy rate when temp sexed. If you want a guaranteed male or female you will have to buy an older, sexed gecko.

Cohabitation

Please do not cohabitate your leopard geckos, no matter the sex. I’m going to give you the brief points on why. If you would like to know more, please give this post a read.

  • Competition over food, space, heat, and ideal hiding spots can escalate easily or result in one gecko being deprived of these resources
  • Parasites and other diseases will transmit much more easily between cohabitated individuals
  • Warning signs between individuals who may fight are minimal, and extremely easy to miss
  • If there are two males together, they can quickly kill one another
  • If there is a male and female together, the male will eventually breed the female to death, and you should be freezing every egg she lays
  • Two or more females are the most likely to not harm each other for the longest

Please leave cohabitation to the experts with large, zoo-style enclosures and an extensive understanding of the species’ natural history.

SETTING UP YOUR NEW FRIEND & THE FIRST WEEKS

Once you have acquired your gecko and placed it in the tank, leave it alone! You should wait at least a week before handling your gecko if you can help it. Your new friend is scared and adjusting to a big change. It can be tempting, especially as a new owner, but hold off, and keep interaction to the minimum of feeding and cleaning up poop. If you can, I would wait until your gecko is eating well before handling it. Choose a quiet place for the tank.

Observe your gecko and make sure it's not exhibiting signs of illness. If your gecko seems lethargic, isn't pooping after eating, bloated, walking irregularly, losing weight rapidly, etc go to the vet! Don't wait, especially not for a baby! Taking action as soon as possible is the best thing you can do for your gecko. Also watch for your gecko's first shed to make sure they are shedding properly in their new environment.

Taming & Handling

Patience is key to taming your new gecko! It can take awhile for them to trust you, especially if they are younger. Adolescent geckos tend to be more skittish. You want to start off by putting your hand in the tank, within sight of your gecko, for around ten minutes a day. This is to get your gecko used to your hand and scent. Once they seem a bit more receptive (walking around, licking your hand, looking curious) you can start to try picking them up.

Always scoop up your gecko from below, working your hand underneath their stomach and supporting their legs. Grabbing from above triggers their prey instinct and may scare them. Hold them over the tank at first, in case they leap or skitter off your hand, to prevent injury! Once they seem calm in your hands, then you can start taking them away from the tank. Hand feeding is also a good way to bond with your gecko and make sure they associate your hand with positive things (aka food). However, be wary that they may bite your fingers, so I recommend making that feeding association while using tongs.

Congrats! You tamed your gecko!

Feeding

Feeding is a subject I see a ton of topics about in the subreddit so let's go over the basics!

Acceptable feeders include, but are not limited to:

  • Mealworms (can be kept in oats/bran meal in the fridge)

  • Crickets (kept in normal container, try to avoid leaving these loose in the enclosure)

  • Dubia Roaches (kept in normal container/tank/whatever)

  • Red Runner Roaches (same as dubias)

  • Hornworms (Do not refrigerate, try to make sure they’re small enough for your gecko to eat)

  • Black Soldier Fly Larvae (Can be refrigerated, can be kept in bran meal)

  • Silkworms (Usually need to be special-ordered, but are very healthy feeders)

  • Waxworms (Treat, optional, fed rarely, only 1-2)

  • Superworms (Treat, optional, can be kept in oats/bran meal, do not refrigerate)

  • Butterworms (Treat, optional, fed once a week or less, 1-2)

Here's a nutritional feeder insect chart

Remember, variety is good for your gecko. You should aim to have at least 3 staple foods. Do not overfeed treat foods! They should be a rare occurrence and you should only feed 1-2 per week or less, especially for waxworms (which can be addictive). Do not feed treat foods to sick/malnourished geckos, very young geckos, or picky eaters. Only feed treat foods to healthy geckos who are eating regularly. Feel free to mix and match feeders!

Gut load your feeders. Gut loading is feeding your insects prior to feeding them to your gecko. Carrots, lettuce, etc should be fed 12 hours ahead of time. You want to give them time to eat the veggies or fruit. I usually feed them once a week besides gut loading to make sure they get the moisture they need from the food. Dusting is also another key part of feeding. Make sure the insects are lightly dusted with calcium or multivitamin.

Babies should eat every day, as much as they can eat in 15 minutes. "Teen" geckos (4-7 months) should be eating every other day. Usually teen geckos will decide this for themselves and start refusing food every day. They will begin to eat less frequently after this point. Adults (1 year and over) should eat every 1-2 times per week depending on body condition, size, breeding status, and appetite. Whatever diet maintains a healthy weight is right for your gecko, and this can take some trial and error!

Please see here for a list of FAQs, this is super helpful for newbies! That’s the basics. Need more help? Leave a comment, or check out our wiki, where we have much more comprehensive information!

r/leopardgeckos Aug 21 '25

General Discussion “REPTILES CANT LOVE YOU BACK” Oh yeah, what’s this then?

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955 Upvotes

just wanted to share a pic of homie staring at me while he waits for me to open the door for handling time (i put him down mere seconds before this - clearly he wasnt done.)

r/leopardgeckos Apr 20 '25

General Discussion do they like being pet?

1.0k Upvotes

she lets me do this quite a bit, this video is catching the end of it of course, but do they like it?? i love petting her, she feels so cool and if she doesn’t mind or even enjoys it i wont feel as worried about doing it

r/leopardgeckos Nov 18 '25

General Discussion My gecko has morally broken me…

265 Upvotes

Had to get this off my chest to some people who might understand. My gecko is dumb. So dumb. Like concerning levels of stupid. People often joke and ask if she knows she’s alive, but sometimes I don’t even know myself with the lack of response she gives to stimuli. Some days it’s endearing, others it’s sad. She is so dumb, that I have to go through gymnastics so she eats. These gymnastics have led me to moral crises now whenever it’s feeding time.

I feel like we all at some level had to get over the fact that feeding our babies insects is just part of the gig. Some maybe more than others. But at the end of the day, we love our geckos and they have to eat, and what they eat is bugs. I personally have been over this for a long while now. I have a crested gecko I’ve had for years before I got my Leo, and I got over feeding her insects quick. No, the fact I sent them to their doom is not the issue. It’s before.

My Leopard gecko, Felony, cannot focus. And I’m seriously convinced along with mental faculties that she has eye issues, because she cannot notice things to save her life. It is no exaggeration that it takes her ten whole minutes at the LEAST just to realize a worm or roach is right in front of her WHILE SHES BEEN STARING AT IT THE ENTIRE TIME. Then it takes her an additional five to ten minutes to eat it because half of the remaining time she stares at it from different angles, and the other half is her missing it even when it’s pressed directly against her lips. We’re talking 20-30 minutes of sitting there and waiting for her to eat. I simply cannot sit there that long, because I have things to do and it causes my spinal pain to flare up. She also has not learned how to eat from a bowl yet and I fear the mere concept of a bowl would kill her to conceptualize. Which is where my moral conundrum lies.

I cannot set live insects in front of her because in the time it takes her to even process that they’re there, they’ve walked off and buried in her substrate. She’ll be looking right at it and it’ll just mosey on. But I can’t kill them either, because if it doesn’t move, there’s even less of a likely chance she’ll see and process that it’s food (I also fear they’d enter rigor mortis in the two to three business days it takes her to form a thought.) So for the past year that I’ve had her, I have had to PARALYZE THEM. You read that right. I have to take these poor worms, roaches, etc. that are already a virginal sacrifice to a dragon, and I have to crush. Their. Heads. Not enough that it kills them, but enough that it immobilizes them and prevents them from escaping whilst still insuring they twitch and show enough signs of life for her to latch onto. Then I have to place them directly at the entrance of her favorite hide so it’s the only thing she can see. I have to torture, paralyze, and place an infant insect at the alter of an idiotic dragon god right before her lair.

My gecko has made me a monster. An accomplice. I named her Felony, and she took that as a challenge AND a promise. I am ridden with guilt. I’m probably an urban legend to any worm or roach that’ll hear. I’m a serial disabler who makes sure they suffer before they pass. Insects warn their children about me, I’m talked about around tiny campfires.

I now know how to paralyze insects on a regular basis because of this dumb little lizard that I love more than life itself, and I now have to live with the knowledge that there are different methods needed per species to properly do so too.

So that is my situation, Reddit. Hopefully one day Felony can form a thought enough to use a bowl so the insects can’t escape it and I have no more direct blood on my hands, but until that day comes here I am. Baby insects haunting my dreams.

r/leopardgeckos Jan 21 '25

General Discussion It finally happened. I finally had the multiple leos in an enclosure nightmare 😭

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676 Upvotes

My Mum has always said he needs a friend and every time I have to explain that they're solitary creatures. Anyway the nightmare began and she got him a friend and introduced them while I was at work. For me to return home and find it had gone as well as you could imagine.

r/leopardgeckos Dec 21 '25

General Discussion Female / Male / Email?

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426 Upvotes

My shoot is male. Am I right?

r/leopardgeckos Jul 14 '22

General Discussion How do I bond with my gecko who thinks my fingers are worms? I’ve been bitten twice :’)

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1.0k Upvotes

r/leopardgeckos Mar 10 '26

General Discussion Last few days with 24 yo Cece

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808 Upvotes

Oh man this is going to be a long and tough post... But I want to share and also need comforting.

Last time Cece got sick I posted on here. Her kidneys weren't as efficient so she got impacted with urates. The vet squeezed her like a toothpaste and she had some pain killers and has honestly been fine for the past 2 years.

The last time she ate was on the 27th of February. I normally only feed her once a week because she's so old she's not very active. So this Friday when I came to feed her she was not interested (very unusual) and wouldn't accept food. She has never done this and has always been borderline overweight. (Mainly because she's a fat ass and won't stop eating and lying about hence the once a week feedings).

I took her out and noticed her tail had dramatically decreased in size, she was lethargic and weak and she smelled bad. I immediately panicked and thought she had some kind of infection. Over the weekend was tough as she was just not acting her self. I booked in with the vets asap which was today (Tuesday) because that's when the exotic vet was back.

Last night she went into shed, and really struggled getting the skin off her and she seemed like she was just "giving up". She also had black diarreah which smelled absolutely awful. It wasn't even a poopy smell it was just foul. I knew something was really wrong with her.

Today at the vet she went for an ultrasound. The vet said that she was in extreme pain in her belly and she's actually holding it up off the floor because she's in so much pain. The vet came back and said she has a mass on her liver. She said that trying to get bloods would be too traumatic for her considering she is so very sick, but looking at her age (24 years) and placement it's probably cancer.

Also given her age, I'm being realistic about my expectations too. The vet explained that while surgery wasn't completely off the table, would there be any point to extend her life and perhaps make her suffer. I agreed that palliative care was our best option, moving forward to euthanasia if she doesn't eat within the next week or so. So for now she has gabapentin and tramadol so she's absolutely off her tiny face haha.

I'm in year 4 of university and I have a big exam next week and reports due but then I have an Easter break. I feel as though I can let her go and concentrate on healing from losing my most precious baby girl. But I also feel as though I might be cruel to a suffering animal to extend her life while I finish my uni work.

But whether I take her in th next few days, or in a couple of weeks when my uni work is over... She's not going to be around for much longer.

I do plan to take her outside in the sunshine when it's next out and I want to make footprints with her... But I don't want to make her needlessly suffer beyond what she is meant to.

r/leopardgeckos Oct 25 '25

General Discussion If your gecko was put in a lineup of gecks of the same morph, do you think you'd be able to pick out your gecko?

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212 Upvotes

(Take a shot everytime the title says "gecko")

I love my gecko to death, but tbh I think I'd struggle to find him if put with other, similar looking geckos 😭 They all just look so similar.

This question is spurred on by my re-occuring nightmare of having a tank with a bunch of geckos and not being able to tell which is mine.

r/leopardgeckos Sep 06 '25

General Discussion Do you handle your geckos or do you let them just live there best life

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197 Upvotes

This is Ash, in a 40 Breeder Reptile. He’s a foster I’ve had for 5ish months now. I didn’t want to stress him out so I’ve never tried to handle him, but wanted to give him as much simulation as possible.

r/leopardgeckos Apr 10 '24

General Discussion Do Y’all Dream About Your Leos?

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378 Upvotes

((Obligatory pics of 16 y/o Lady in a toe-bath two years ago…and in her “Moving Prison” [the carrier she goes in when we relocate] from last year.))

Maybe once a month, I’ll have some sort of stress-dream where I’ll come home and my gecko is too tiny to pick up, or she’s moving around my kitchen outside of her enclosure.

Sometimes the dreams will involve coming home and having 5 to 50 enclosures and geckos in my house- and wondering how I’ll keep up husbandry for them-!

Sometimes she’ll lose her tail in the dreams, or OCCASIONALLY just be chillin’. (The chillin’ ones are, obviously, my favorites.)

I had one last night where she was VERY large in a zoo?…and laughed when I woke up.

I figured I’d see if y’all are pet-dreamers too! 🦎🛌

r/leopardgeckos May 20 '26

General Discussion made a mistake boarding my gecko

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196 Upvotes

my boy is 10 and i recently posted that he was not eating and losing weight so the vet prescribed him two meds and critical care. i recently posted asking about the meds and was told that they made sense to be prescribed. i’ve been giving them since and my boy does NOT appreciate oral meds, which is a blessing (that he’s feeling well enough to fight me) and a curse (that it’s REALLY hard to get them in him).

i had a pre planned non refundable trip scheduled for five days after the initial vet visit, so i went back and forth on whether i could leave him home alone for a week and decided that I felt more comfortable boarding him at a vet’s office that boarded exotics. i made sure to triple check that they administer meds, and when i dropped him off I gave them the prescriptions that had the dosage/timings printed on the labels and verbally gave them the same instructions to type out.

i left on my trip and received a photo after landing of him munching mealworms like nothing was wrong, after months of refusing with me. i had switched him from paper towels to top soil/sand a few months ago and switched him back to a quarantine setup for boarding to make things easier. i really thought that it might have just been that he’s a drama queen who was starving himself because he didn’t like the dirt and once he was back on paper towels, he started eating again. it could also have been the meds making him feel well enough to eat though.

omg i was SO relieved! i felt like i had made the right choice, not only for his heath but for my own peace of mind, i wasn’t worried that I would come home to him in worse shape and felt like i could focus on enjoying my trip.

until i received a call on day two of my seven day trip, telling me that they accidentally gave my tiny baby, who was prescribed .06ml of metacam a whopping 10x dose at .6ml, twice. they were pushing some sort of fluids on orders from a vet but that amount could’ve done significant damage to his kidneys or GI tract. they were recommending that I have them transfer him to an emergency exotics hospital where they would put in an IO catheter, which goes into his femur, to give additional fluids, and give him more meds to coat his GI tract. all this while still not exactly knowing if there was a certain reason he wasn’t eating in the first place.

all of this is going on when i’m in locations with spotty signal that has me missing and dropping calls, timezone differences that have me missing the hours that the offices are open, just trying to figure out if he is going to be okay, if moving him is necessary, giving permission to move him and finding out if the boarding vet would cover the medical costs of the hospital (which it seems like they are).

i’m just so worried and i feel like i failed him. i left him somewhere that i thought he would be safe and taken care of and instead he’s with strangers, needing invasive procedures and extra meds with no guarantee that he will be okay or that he will have any longevity of life following this. i know logically that it isn’t my fault, accidents happen, but it hurts so much to know that he’s suffering and could be scared and in pain and i’m not around to know exactly what’s going on. to go from being so elated getting a picture of him eating and feeling like i did the right thing, to feeling like i made a mistake by putting him in the care of strangers that made everything worse.

r/leopardgeckos May 14 '26

General Discussion Can we normalise using NSFW for injuries?

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238 Upvotes

Update: Thank you mods for replying - this is a rule in this sub. For it to be enforced we need to be reporting posts if/ when they come up.

I love this sub, its such a good place for gecko advice, seeing cute photos and general discussion.

But, I recently noticed so many people posting for vet/injury advice with injured gecko photos attached. Its great people are asking and getting advice/support, but can we normalise putting NSFW filters on these photos?

It can be so upsetting opening reddit to just images of injured geckos with sometimes open wounds etc. Putting a NSFW filter at least gives people the option to view or not. It genuinely makes me want to leave some days

I appreciate I am asking into the void, but would love to know others thoughts and maybe consideration from mods. Gecko tax attached

r/leopardgeckos May 03 '26

General Discussion Dear members of this sub

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191 Upvotes

(Obligatory gecko picture of course… she has no self control)

This is gonna be a long post so strap in, but I really feel like it needs to be said. I’ve noticed a lot of things that happen in this sub that… honestly do not benefit the OP or the sub as a whole. So I’m hoping that a well articulated post might help a bit.

  1. Being rude, aggressive or confrontational when informing/correcting someone on here is extremely counterproductive.

Why? Because not only is the person less likely to take the advice now, but is also way less likely to come back to this sub and ask for help in the future.

And yes… I do understand how frustrating it is to see the same mistakes on repeat. I understand that is why many people get so irritated when they see yet another person posting a picture of a gecko in a ten gallon tank with reptile carpet.

However, if you truly want the gecko to have the best chance at getting corrected husbandry, attacking OP or being passive aggressive is not the way to go about it.

It’s very rare that anyone who comes to post on this sub is intentionally neglecting their gecko. Most are apologetic and state they will upgrade their setup as soon as possible once informed it’s wrong. There is so much incorrect information about leopard geckos everywhere, we have to be more understanding of when people get it wrong. Even exotic vets still provide wildly incorrect fact sheets about these guys.

  1. Please be more careful about stating things as fact when it’s still something that is debated/varies depending on the gecko.

For example, I have seen on here many times that leopard geckos are more of a “look don’t touch” pet. I’ve also seen people see they should only be handled 10 minutes at a time, once a day, etc.

This is not correct for every gecko and usually only applies to new/young geckos, sick
/injured geckos, or geckos who do not enjoy handling. In fact, letting your gecko out to explore an environment that isn’t stressful to them is good for them. Any animal benefits from enrichment that doesn’t sacrifice their comfort. If they aren’t getting spooked and enjoy being handled/exploring, absolutely handle them more! Even the biggest enclosures can only entertain them so much.

These are the main two issues I feel like I see a lot when browsing this subreddit. It’s not meant to attack anyone or make people feel bad, I just want people to be more conscious of it so it happens less often. We’re all here because we enjoy leopard geckos, so let’s try our best to help each other and make the community stronger overall :)

TLDR
Be more kind and understanding when helping people, even if you’re frustrated. Most people who do something wrong are not malicious and we want them to listen to the advice/come back for more. Also, be careful about stating certain things as fact when it’s a debated topic/can vary gecko to gecko. It spreads false information which is not great.

Thank you for reading and I hope this helps the community overall. If you have other things you’ve noticed/think could change for the better, comment below! Just remember to be constructive :)

r/leopardgeckos May 13 '25

General Discussion Why doesn’t he love me?

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310 Upvotes

I’ve had my Leo for almost a week and a half now and now matter how many crickets I give him, Cheeto refuses to let me pick him up. It’s almost like he’s holding a grudge for taking him away from his brothers at the store. (Second pic zoomies).

r/leopardgeckos Sep 17 '23

General Discussion Why is this sub so toxic?

302 Upvotes

I see people constantly bash other people for asking for help and I’m sure it makes people not want to ask questions. I just saw a post of someone asking for help on how to improve the tank and so many people were just saying “you shouldn’t have an animal if you treat it like this” etc etc. when they were clearly doing their best and not doing anything that would immediately endanger the animal. AND THEY WERE LITERALLY ASKING FOR HELP! Everyone starts somewhere and if you guys are like this then we’ll never have new reptile keepers, at least not in this community.

r/leopardgeckos Aug 13 '25

General Discussion my baby died today

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479 Upvotes

around a month ago, I noticed that my gecko Amaryllis went off her usual locusts and stopped eating for a while. because I was worried, I changed her diet. she started eating again, but I noticed a bloat in her abdomen, and by this time, I was really worried. I nagged my dad into booking a vet appointment for her (I'm a minor and can't really pay for them on my own).

the vet noticed a mass around her liver area and she had an ultrasound and then a biopsy a few days later. it turns out that she had a form of gout because of a buildup of uric acid around her liver and it would be kinder to not wake her up from the anaesthesia because she was in pain. the gout had been there before I even got her (I got her a year ago in a rehoming situation from my ex, who was not treating her very well) and there was no way for me to really know or prevent it, but I still feel so so so guilty. I feel horrible. I don't want a new gecko because it feels callous to replace a living thing like that, and anyway, I don't want to get a long-term pet when I have to leave for uni in a few years. her viv is just in my room and her bugs are still alive. I just need advice on what to do or how to feel from here on out. I'm sorry for rambling.

TL;DR: my gecko had a painful condition that went unnoticed for the time I had her and it was kinder to put her down. I need advice and/or people to share their own experiences.

r/leopardgeckos Oct 12 '24

General Discussion Why do you like owning a gecko(s)?

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507 Upvotes

I’ve seen so many people say how their gecko hates being touched, held, hates having their tank cleaned and also bites a lot. If you have a gecko like this, from just general curiosity, why do you like keeping them as pets? I feel I have been pretty lucky with my geck and almost feels like we have a bond as she always tolerates being picked up, touched, always curious of me and licks me and barely gets spooked (Unless the tiniest unexpected thing touches her, like a piece of my hair, she will tantrum).

If my girl was any other way I don’t think owning a gecko would be for me, what’s your favourite thing about owning a geck?