You did all the research and decided to get a leopard gecko, now what? Where do you find a healthy, happy gecko? Should you buy one from a pet shop or from a breeder… or adopt a gecko in need of a new home? How do find a good breeder? What leopard gecko do you pick?
All these questions will be answered in this blog post!
Where to find a leopard gecko
In my opinion, buying a reptile from a pet shop, like Petco, isn’t a good idea. They often mistreat their animals. Supporting that doesn’t sit right with me. You’ll also have a bigger chance of getting a unhealthy gecko.
Getting a leopard gecko from a responsable breeder is the way to go! You will be able to research them, ask questions, check how they house their geckos, what substrate they use… A lot of small leopard gecko breeders are people who are passionate about the animals and know what they are doing.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for all breeders. That’s why it’s important to do your research and find a good breeder.
How to find a good breeder
The first thing you can do, is look on Facebook. A lot of breeders use social media to promote their business and share pictures of their animals.
I didn’t find any breeders via Facebook at first so I found another way.
If you go to websites from reptile expos in your area, you’ll (most likely) find a list of all the breeders that will be attending. Write down those names and search them on facebook. It’s important to research the breeder and not just buy from anyone at a reptile expo. Go through their pictures, check reviews, ask questions…
Adopting a leopard gecko
Another option, is to adopt a leopard gecko in need of a good home. There are a lot of people who have to (or want to) rehome their gecko. And those geckos deserve a good and loving home just as much as the baby leopard geckos you find at reptile expos.
You have to be prepared to pay for vet costs if the gecko is malnourished or injured, so keep that in mind.
Picking a healthy gecko
When researching a breeder, check their geckos to see if they’re healthy.
A healthy leopard gecko has a plump tail and isn’t overweight. There shouldn’t be stuck shed on their body and they should have clear eyes. They should also be alert.
Know that there is always the possibility of something being wrong with your new gecko. You should be prepared to pay for vet costs in case they need vet care.
I hope this short post has helped you in your search for your leopard gecko.
Take your time and don’t rush anything. Don’t just run to a pet shop and get the first leopard gecko you see. Do the research and choose a breeder you feel comfortable with.
You can always message me on instagram with any questions or remarks.
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