| Choosing Your Leopard Gecko |
| When you purchase your Leopard Gecko, there are a couple of things to keep in mind when choosing which one(s). Here is a detailed list of what to look for. What Gender is The Leopard Gecko? Males and Females both make a good pet. Depending on the pet store, they might be able to determine the sex, if the gecko is old enough. It's difficult to determine the sex of very young leopard geckos. Leopard Geckos' sex can be distinguished by looking underneath around the vent area. Mature males have a row of dark, raised pores, or "bumps", in a V-shape in front of the vent, as well as 2 hemipenal swellings at the base of the tail. Females have the pores as well, but they're the same color as the belly, and they sort of "stick in" rather than "stick out". This makes the pores harder to see. You can determine a leopard gecko's sex around one year of age, sometimes, even sooner if you have some experience sexing leopard geckos. What is Its Health Condition? Make sure the Leopard Gecko is in good health condition. Check the gecko's eyes. They should appear full, bright and fully open when awake. The eyes should also be the same size. Check the mouth. Make sure there are no abrasions at the tip of the snout, or any cheesy-looking' stuff. The tail should be 3/4 the thickness of the neck, but sometimes it will be much thinner, especially if they have recently been shipped to the pet store. As long as the leopard gecko appears healthy, a thinner tail is ok. Check the gecko's body for any signs of injury, neglect, etc… Check for missing limbs. What Age is It? Try to purchase the youngest Leopard Gecko, for it will generally live longer. The older Leopard Geckos are much larger, and tend to be less active. If you are purchasing a new gecko for breeding, be sure it is sexually mature. If your Leopard Gecko passes all of these guidlines, then it should make a healthy, happy pet. And good luck with a name, it takes awhile. |
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