10 DOs and DON'Ts of Reptile Keeping! 🐢 🐍 🦎

Today I will go through 5 things you should do, and 5 things you shouldn't do when it comes to Reptile Keeping. I personally own Leopard Geckos, Crested Gecko and a Chahoua but these points can probably be applied to all reptiles.
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[@JessicasAnimalFriends]

I definitely agree with not having cats dogs etc around reptiles. And I also hate calcium sand. And I hadn’t even thought of people buying heaters and lights on wish WOW

[@illyannaturtle6950]

Ugh, I totally agree. My cat always jumps on the snake cage and I can’t wait until I move to a house with 4 rooms so that the snake can have his own room where the cats can’t bother him

[@AJ-cg7vd]

My cats and dogs know I have a gecko and don’t care one bit lol

[@E.Saca89]

My Leo likes to climb on top of his hide and look at my dog when his walking on the floor, and sometimes they’ll just stare at each other

[@maya-xd1ve]

@@AJ-cg7vd They may want to eat it if u bring it out near or in the same room

[@AsatruPatriot]

DON'T USE HEAT ROCKS! The positioning of the heat cable is done in a way that creates hot spots that the animal will stay on and could literally cook itself.

[@evahargreaves8]

I Know right and a lot of Immature reptile keeper use a UVB light and vitamin D3 also and that can give them very severe burns. Just like heat rock COULD COOK YOUR GECKOS

[@SteviiLove]

Amazon is the best place to get inexspensive exo terra, zoo med and Fluker's products! That's where I get everything

[@leopardgeckotalk]

ah cool, I usually either go on a few reptile shops online, or in-store, whichever is cheaper haha

[@TheFlippyNioa]

i bought some eco earth online and then went to a pet shop and it was about half the price there... regret....

[@tobias2375]

Now I will go on amazon. Thank you so so much.

[@toffletorte]

fluker’s supplements and calcium are usually less than $5 on amazon~ i got a reptile supplement and calcium for about $4 actually, definitely recommend buying those online

[@cakelake963]

I would say another dont is allowing your cat in the room your reptiles in while you’re not there. With certain cages this maybe safe but I saw a post recently on Facebook where someone’s cat sat on their reptile cage when they weren’t there, broke the top, got to the lizard, and it resulted in a dropped tail and very stressed out gecko

[@Pikapower7]

Sometimes you can't close the door all the way, so one has to resort to building a fortress around the tank.

[@cakelake963]

Pip lol that’s a cool idea!

[@leopardgeckotalk]

oh no that sucks :( I will say my cat grew up with my geckos being in my room, we didn't allow her in there as a kitten as she was obviously hyper, but since shes like 11 now, and mellowed out, she often sleeps in my room, doesn't even notice the geckos :)

[@cfol4437]

I'd say this depends on the cat and the enclosure. For example a wooden vivarium with a lock would be impossible for a cat to break. However I totally agree. A young and active cat can still sit in front of the cage or climb around and try to get in and that's not just stressful for the reptile inside but also the cat itself which is being overstimulated and unable to fullfill its hunting need.

[@fionashepley478]

It can be fine to let them in the room. The lid won’t break unless it’s an Exo Terra. However, they can never be in the room when the reptile is out and the cat can’t be able to knock the tank over. Same goes for dogs. If they’re overly interested in the reptile it may be best to keep them out of the room.

[@TheWildWondersSA]

As always, great video with great tips. Greetings from your friend from The Wild Wonders of Southern Africa. *A tip I can share is not to become a hoarder. Ask your spouse or loved one if they think you have enough animals. Then also name your animals, that way, when you struggle to name them all you know you have too many.

[@tiffyspetlife2500]

Liaan Lategan good point, however if your wife or other person isn’t educated on animals like you may be, they may see 2 well cared for lizards as weird and too much. Also, some animals’ names are tongue twisters when put together. I can remember all of them and type them however when it comes to saying them, I just talk worse then a baby haha. Good points!!

[@TheWildWondersSA]

@@tiffyspetlife2500 I agree, but then a person that goes through all that determination deserves to keep as many pets as they want, because they will be looking after them with that same determination.

[@tiffyspetlife2500]

Liaan Lategan yes exactly! Thx for subbing hehe

[@TheWildWondersSA]

@@tiffyspetlife2500 no proplem if you are this passionate in your comments I am seriously checking out your videos ;)

[@leopardgeckotalk]

Ah thank you :) Yes haha, if i ever get to the point where I can't spend time with each one of my animals everyday, then I know Ive got too many for me lol

[@Frazzle8119]

I feel like with Christmas approaching so soon, perhaps a video about why giving these animals as gifts is generally a bad idea could be helpful. I love your channel and information you share. My leopard geckos and crested gecko all watch with me. We're all big fans!

[@RandomCities]

When my fish tank and my leo were close together they'd sit and just watch each other, it was so funny

[@redhystori2106]

don't impulse buy

[@thingsnstuff7526]

Yes👏 people 👏 need 👏 to 👏 stop 👏 doing 👏 this

[@leopardgeckotalk]

haha yes! very good point, should have definitely popped that in, but i guess that isn't unique to just reptiles, all pets :)

[@rayf5360]

So true Red Wood, many animals die or get dumped because of impulsive shopping behavior. Classic example of this is baby Trachemys offered at local regular petstores. Babies are small and cute so people by them for their kids, not realising that they need specialised care, grow pretty big and have a nasty bite.

[@Beast_of_The_Blade]

100th like

[@rachelhardy2957]

Boom, that's an amazing don't right there. Always, ALWAYS do your homework, and make sure you triple check.

[@Goomiiu]

Take information from lots of sources, not just 1 person. (Even if they are very knowledgeable)

[@lawka2699]

A do I want to add, or at least a recommendation... It's 1000% more responsible to have a source of income before you decide to invest in some reptiles. There's a lot of reptiles and small mammals too, who are 'owned' by kids with parents paying for everything. The thing I'm pointing out about this, is that most of the time... parents think of reptiles like bugs. Some also expect it to be a short phase and aren't prepared for the 20 year or longer investment. This is common to see with bearded dragons as many people have no idea how big they're actually going to get. Therefore, parents will force their kids to give those animals up. So unless you want to raise your pet like a skink in a shoebox, make sure you have income before getting into the hobby. Costs can explode and going half way to meet the requirements is just hands down torture for a lot of species. I learned this stuff the hard way starting at 14 from parents divorcing and having to move regularly or having to beg to go pickup food. My first two crested geckos died from neglect when I went traveling, on separate occasions too. I wrote out a two page guide for daily temp/humidity, feeding, signs to watch out for. Anything you can think of, and my gecko still died of dehydration right on the lip of the water bowl. Or so I'm told. Two different people were 'designated' to take care of them, my father and my sister. Simply put: Most families don't care and thanks to that it can turn the hobby into a nightmare of underachievement. My own family set me back a full 5 years purely out of lack of respect for myself and my hobby. Now I have to pay another reptile hobbiest to look after my critters. And that sucks for people with valuable specimens for say, a breeding project, because the cost of care goes up relative to the value of the critter to be just a tad more reassured that your prized pets don't 'vanish' somehow. Gotta make sure your family is more than reptile friendly and is willing to both learn and understand what lives in their house with them. Lots of this seems like common sense but there's an overwhelming amount of reptiles being given up for these types of reasons all across the internet... and many of them are suffering from malnutrition.

[@LilianaSaeb]

I relate so much to this. I got my gecko during high school, but I had to move to another city when I entered to college and had to make my family responsible for my gecko. So far so good, but I've been having some issues with old skin stucked in its fingers. Right now I'm very conflicted cause I'll probably need to move again, but I need to take care of my gecko cause none of my family members are willing to even touch him. I've been thinking to just stay here where my gecko is, but I might be limiting my professional life and opportunities.

[@lawka2699]

Liliana Saeb what kind of gecko is it? I prefer nocturnal species because they don't need attention all day, making it less of a daily hassle and more of a bedtime chore. If you're having trouble making sure it's taken care of because you're busy, you should find someone you can trust to give it to. College is important, for as I mentioned, income and self sustainability are the most important factors in how well you can care for your pet.

[@illyannaturtle6950]

As a young reptile owner (I’m in middle school) I completely agree with you. I got my snake last year. I paid for everything myself and have been paying for everything (besides the occasional mouse or two when I had spent all my allowance and dog walking money on a new cave for my boy) and I think that that’s the way to do it. Both my parents were also previous snake owners, along with my dad owner multiple other kinds of reptiles in the past. He was super excited when I was talking about wanting a snake. I couldn’t help but cringe when u over heard some boy that I sat next to in math class talking about how his two leopard geckos (male and female) kept laying eggs but the eggs always died. I Did at least 4 months of non stop everyday research before getting my snek, but I feel like a lot of people will just ask a pet store what’s best to do, which is so irritating and irresponsible. Overall, most kids should not be left to care for a reptile, or hamster, or really any animal, but there are the rare few that will take good care of their new family member.

[@hmj211]

Your family kinda sucks. I hate to say it but I can see this happening to me. As a matter of fact, it did, when we traveled, my mother let an aunt who had no idea what to do with small animals (birds, guinea pigs) "watch" them and they would die six months later. At least she gave them water but she didn't clean anything! I was 9-10, too immature to really have thought what might happen, and my mother just never ran it by her. Easier to pay someone.

[@jenniferhislop7007]

Great points in this video. I've had many different exotic pets, and people constantly ask me questions about how they all get along. When I explain that they've never met each other, they're very surprised. I totally agree with you on protecting your pets from each other. Instincts can come into play at anytime and there's no photo cute enough to risk the life of a pet.

[@leopardgeckotalk]

Thanks :) Yeah, i see you have a guinea pig, my friend was at the vets once and someone had to rush their guinea pig in as their cat had swiped at it and caught its eye :'(.

[@jenniferhislop7007]

@@leopardgeckotalk that's really sad. The cat nor the guinea pig know any better, but you would hope that the owner did 😞

[@lilly.c2536]

Hi leopard gecko!! I just wanted to say you take amazing care of your animals, keep up the great work!! 😁

[@leopardgeckotalk]

aww thank you :)

[@a5hh]

Watching this with my leopard gecko now 😁🦎

[@leopardgeckotalk]

aww so cute :D

[@reptitan5498]

Watching this with my crested gecko :D

[@a5hh]

Reptitan888 ahh cuteee

[@dezanfahreza149]

My Leo is still afraid at me

[@illyannaturtle6950]

What there name?

[@elpinko5092]

Thank you @leopard gecko, my leo is arriving in 2 days and thanks to you I have everything ready for her, please continue uploading videos :)

[@leopardgeckotalk]

Ah how exciting!! Good luck :D No problem, glad to help :)

[@romaash5432]

I was thinking about commenting this a while ago, but I kept on forgetting. Leopard Gecko, just a suggestion that could have saved you a lot of money. For all of your leopard geckos, you have a separate thermostat. You could have gotten one habistat 600 watt mat stat, and plugged a surge protector into the thermostat, and plugged all of your heat mats into the surge protector. Then put the thermostat probe on one of the heat mats. I have heard this is what a lot of people in America do if they have a lot of the same types of reptiles that have the same temperature requirements. I am pretty sure that all your heat mats are the same model, so it would work perfectly. When you get a deep heat projector for Drogo, then you could also use the same thermostat for him and Lyra.

[@macawlover8251]

I am now proud to announce my 5th sense, knowing the day Rebecca is going to upload, I woke up this morning thinking Leopard Gecko, ladies and gentlemen my theory has been confirmed edit: I was laying on the floor with my back to my leo's tank and I look over and she was right at the front staring down at me, so I get her out and she IMMEDIATELY runs onto my laptop and starts to watch your video she's only about 2 and a half months old but I can tell she loves you and your channel just as much as I do! :)

[@allisonparramore2642]

OMG that is so cute!! You definitely have a 5th sense. 😁

[@leopardgeckotalk]

aww that's so sweet :D I remember someone saying they watch my videos when they feed their gecko, but now when they put my videos on their gecko thinks its getting food :')

[@lmiles23]

Thank you for saying this! It needed to be said, and who better than my favorite youtuber! Also, I am proud to say I got 100% if this was a test!

[@leopardgeckotalk]

haha thank you :)

[@artsytiger7116]

I watched this with my Leo on my shoulder and it’s so funny, he seems to look at the geckos on the screen!

[@josephbennett3482]

Hey Rebecca great video as always. One thing that you should always advise people in every one of your videos is to do their research before they even get any reptile because of how long they live and how much of a commitment they have to be. I have a Murphy's patternless leopard gecko with a little bit of carrot tail, she is such a sweet girl to me but is pure evil to my other family members lol.

[@baylee_1822]

I commented one of your videos a while back about how i got a leopard gecko and named it gizmo after yours. He’s about 7 inches long already haha. They really are and absolute joy to keep and i genuinely enjoy your channel. Keep up the great work!

[@robinb.4868]

Thanks this was a really helpful video!!! By the way I love your shirt XD

[@leopardgeckotalk]

haha thank you :)

[@rayf5360]

Great tips, love the video. Every aspiring reptile owner should watch this kind of info. First "do" in my opinion is "do your research" so you have a firm grasp of what kind of animal you want and CAN keep, as well as how to meet its needs. This also applies to housing, especially when making a bio active enclosure. If someone is planning to really become a dedicated keeper then a huge amount of time will be needed to study what materials, plants and setups work best for individual species. Worst "Don't" is - like Red Wood said - buying on impulse and not knowing how to care for an animal properly. Or even worse, not even knowing what species it is.... Love your accent by the way, lovely voice ;)

[@mintymarshmallows9231]

Great video Rebecca, as always! I used to own leopard geckos before I was taken into foster care and I watched your videos all the time! Your videos always make me smile when I'm sad about having to give up my geckos, and reminds me of the good times I had with them. But thank you for your channel and all your vids that would keep my geckos safe and healthy.

[@melissaann1543]

thank you for the tips, i've had my first gecko for almost a year now! your channel is what really pushed me towards getting a leopard gecko for me being a first time owner. i love watching the videos to get even more information to make sure my sweet lady is happy and healthy. although this is a bit of a weird thing, every time i am doing something spiritual my gecko will practically run out of her hide and stare.

[@jacfrench2732]

Thank you for all the amazing information if it wasnt for you my geckos would never have the good lives they do now💜🦎💜 keep up the good work love the vids

[@leopardgeckotalk]

thank you so much :)

[@themilkman4064]

Honestly I got eco-earth because of your videos and I firmly believe without your videos my first little geck (Geiko) would probably not be here because my parents got me her without letting me know, not gonna lie I was a mess, A MESS, no exaggeration, when taking care of her, then I found your channel, and now she's happy, healthy, and doesn't stare at me like she wants to kill me in my sleep, thank you dearly

[@moistlydripping8416]

I remember when I first started keeping leopard geckos, it wasn't unheard of to keep a leopard gecko in a 10 gallon tank. It was the standard at the time. Now that I've grown into the hobby, I've changed so many things about my housing, my care, my views on certain things. I used to be such a hardcore advocate of "simple is okay". But now that I've changed my thinking, I think that providing mental stimulation is always going to help your animals in the long run. I've even thought about making my own foam background for my leopard gecko, Lucille, in the near future because her tank has no foam background and I want to make something personal for her and myself. And the whole thing with the thermostats for me, was that I wasn't using one at first. I thought, "well if they get too warm, they can move to the other side of the tank". But now That's I've really kept myself up to date on how to keep my leopard geckos, I now have a thermostat for them, and they are much happier, and healthier, and I won't have to worry about something like a fire happening. I used to mix my calcium and my multivitamins like a scrub. But now they have a strict calcium and multivitamin schedule. All the bugs I feed them are gut-loaded with Repashy, and various veggies to maintain good food sources for the geckos.

[@fionashepley478]

FlavouredMoist69 are the geckos housed together?

[@moistlydripping8416]

@@fionashepley478 No, why would I house them together? I've seen what can happen to geckos being housed together, and it's not pretty. They all have their own enclosures and the only time I plan on bringing any of my geckos together in the same place is when I breed a pair of them in the spring, and that'll only be for an hour or so, and they'll be monitored during that time.

[@ravzn]

YAS girl love this so much 💖 DO research research research and always open yourself up to learning as things change! (and plan for when to get a pet, don’t buy here and there)

[@nefariouseternity]

My parents were friends with the people who created the repti/calci sand. Its interesting because back when it was first made, nobody thought about the dangers. My mom even kept her Beardie on it ((this was like 20ish years ago.)) And now its so frowned upon. Glad research is constantly improving

[@lisamccullough5150]

If you have heat mats I highly recommend switching to Che’s. Heat comes from above not below. Good video for newbies. Should definitely answer a lot of their questions. 👏🏻

[@lenazoenagymihaly4]

thank you for today's video, I really enjoyed it, and of course, I can always learn something new from you every single day! :)

[@Karma-ge1ku]

Love all the videos you make I watch every one I love all the information you have in you’re videos keep up the great work! I was wondering where I could send you pictures of my geckos tank for the subscribers tank set up videos because I would love to hear you’re opinion on my setup and what I can do better.

[@indigochild3334]

I'm a new owner for my leopard gecko leo and before I got my leo I watched alot of your videos there very educational and so far my little leo enjoying his home thanks to you I set his home up just the way he likes it. 😁😁 keep up the video's

[@demetriixx9964]

Is it a lot of work

[@d0rsalFinn]

You put a milk lid with calcium in the terrarium for your leopard geckos. I don't use a UVB lamp and in my nearest pet shop there are only Calcium and D3 mixtures. Can I also give it to them?

[@emilyrice2689]

You’ve helped me so much with the upkeep of my leopard Gecko Zen thank you for you’re advice xxx

[@Kingslayer29]

I take notes everytime I watch your videos I love them so much u should have way more subscribers by the way u make your videos and how true they are without u I wouldn’t know anything about Leo’s thank you sincerely❤️📝

[@thingsnstuff7526]

I’m getting a crestie and I will never let my cat in my room when my crestie is out! 😑😮

[@Kluleess]

Great video! I agree with everything you said. Thank you for sharing this information.

[@21dysfunctions]

I love this video! only tip i can really share is please never cohab reptiles unless they are known to live in packs which i don't think any reptiles do. leopard geckos to be more specific do not live in packs - so cohabiting is a definite no.

[@leopardgeckotalk]

yeah even some animals that may come into contact in the wild, shouldn't be put together, especially when restricted to a tank. Thank you :)

[@lelandpovey2180]

@@leopardgeckotalk This for me is the biggest problem. I work in a well known Pet Shop chain and I am the reptile adviser in my store, by far and away the most common questions are about keeping two animals together, Leo's, Beardy's etc.. People just do not appreciate the risks involved and are ignorant to the dangers.

[@DiamondYoshi101]

Any advice? I let others handle my Geckos but I tell them my three Golden Rules: 1: NEVER pull the tail! 2: If you’re going to pet their back, be very gentle and with only one finger. 3: Always ask for permission from the Owner. Which I usually give unless they’re way too young.

[@TaleRavenTarot]

Great tips! My reptiles are in an entirely separate room that my cats and dogs don't have access to. On the rare occasion where a cat or dog slips in when I'm going into the room (before I quickly usher them out), I can tell how stressful it is for my reptiles to see a huge predator outside of their cage.

[@josephbennett3482]

Captive reptiles don't really know the difference between another animal because they don't have the instinct to watch and hide from predators since they never have to deal with that in a glass enclosure, the only reptile that does scent hiding are leopard geckos by eating their shed skin. Your reptiles are probably only just frightened by the cats and dogs or even you disturbing them as they sleep.

[@leopardgeckotalk]

aww, my cat kind of grew up with my geckos, so she sleeps on my bed, but she's never reacted to my geckos, but i'd never get them out with her in the room lol

[@Harkenzo]

Great video thank you, I have ordered a little crestie called Momo for myself. Will be delivered in a few days from good trusted breeders. Went the extra mile and made sure to get temp and humidity control :) for when cold winters roll around. Thanks for the amazing advice and instructional videos.

[@leopardgeckotalk]

ah thats awesome, always good to be prepared. Good luck :D

[@alliminoobersvods9660]

Just had my leopard gecko for 2 weeks now, my first one. And I love that I already follow all of these! (Although I haven't gotten a thermostat yet cuz problems happened so I am extra careful currently and making sure nothing bad happens) And like, I see so many "compilations" of cute lizards but they let their cats or dogs poke them and I'm like "why endanger your lizard like that?". I have a dog that is the chillest dog ever but he can't walk on the stairs we have so he can't even get to where my enclosure is lol XD

[@exoticswithsteph4169]

Also don't buy wild caught or from chain pet stores ! :)

[@screaminggecko7660]

I strongly agree with the pet fund thing. It is very easy to have something break and find yourself in the difficult situation of not having enough money to fix it. It's just unneeded stress on you and your animal. And I know it can be hard for some people to save money and I get it, but if you can't afford a pet, it might be better to wait till you are in a better spot financially. I grew up rescuing animals (mostly dogs) and sometimes we'd get an animal that was in very poor health because the previous owner had put off taking them to the vet for several months before realizing they couldn't keep their animals. I know how hard it can be to give up a pet, but sometimes you have to put their well being first

[@DiamondYoshi101]

Also, because I have a faulty heat mat (Too cold) I keep the heat lamp on because I prefer cold climates. And I cover their tanks with black paper to help keep heat in.

[@fionashepley478]

I would get ceramic heat emitters instead of lights, and get better heat mats that span 1/3-1/2 of the tank floor area

[@willh3212]

I did 4 years of research and I am still learning new stuff😂

[@ashleyleeme]

I have advise I just got a baby leopard gecko, I think the one most important tip is to trust your gut meaning research. Like if you believe something is helping ur gecko then you do not need to listen to people who have negative things to say. Of course you should always make sure he’s healthy but there are so many controversial things about Leopard geckos especially. This viedo is very good for peole who need advise but keep in mind it could be viewed as controversial in some people.

[@ChevyguyLtz]

Awesome video, i have been watching your videos lately because i do want to get a leopard gecko. I really like how the lights look in this video. What kind of lights are you using? Also would the lights that you are using be good for an exo terra terrarium?

[@fionashepley478]

Adam she uses Arcadia UVB, which is difficult to get in North America. UVB is beneficial but not completely necessary. I use it. Zoo med’s 5% tube UVB is good, and can be used with an Exo Terra like I use. Make sure the supplements don’t contain d3 and the gecko doesn’t have red eyes

[@ChevyguyLtz]

@@fionashepley478 awesome thank you!

[@darrenc308]

Heyy havent watched your vids in a while love themmm

[@leopardgeckotalk]

thanks :D

[@trenthobson2756]

Thanks for this amazing video. I'm sure that it will help out many keepers.

[@leopardgeckotalk]

thank you :)

[@trintrin9086]

Thank you for this! Yu have taught me so much, I bet my leoperd geckos would be so unhealthy if it was not for you, but I do have a question that I've had for a while of anyone in the comments knows this please tell me: My female leoperd geko has been in it's hide for a long time and it never comes out not even for food, when I try to pick her up she seems stiff and stressed, please help.

[@brynnagrace-]

She could be going into partial brumation. You should watch her video "A Year in the Life of a Leopard gecko". It could help

[@trintrin9086]

@@brynnagrace- thank you

[@brynnagrace-]

@@trintrin9086 Your welcome. Something similar happened to my geckos and the video really helped

[@allisonparramore2642]

Watch the video 20 Reasons Why My Gecko Isn't Eating from this channel. You can also try placing her on the hot side of her tank, or giving her a warm, humid bath. Just please watch the video first and other videos similar from this channel so that you know what's going on before you try my suggestions.

[@trintrin9086]

Also, she will eat if I pick up her hide and put food in her face, but im not sure why she is always stressed, she never comes out of her hide and when I put her in the warm side of the tank she walks away into another hide, the temperature is right, everything in the tank is correct .

[@nightfloof_adoptables9264]

I have a leopard gecko named tango. He is only 10 weeks old starting today. Well anyways my auntie had one too she did know alot about them but she dident know proper care. She had a blizzard morph named angel. Then my uncle got about 10 other tiny little green geckos and put them in angels tank. They came back next day, all the green geckos were gone. And angels belly was all black an green... They.brought her to a vet and found out she ate them. She sadly died a week later

[@talishajade8391]

When I first got my Leo, I bought a second hand vivarium from someone online and when I drove to collect it the guy gave me a bag of calcium sand with it.... obviously I had done my research and I knew the dangers, I literally told the guy how bad that stuff was and he just got annoyed at me, I was so confused because I'm pretty sure you're supposed to do alot of research. I felt so bad for his gecko oof

[@fuzzymelon1261]

we lost the calcium powder bottle for my Leo and didn't give him any for a few years. he was fine actually, but I got some new calcium and then found the old one like a month ago.

[@froginbucket7023]

I may be getting a leopard gecko for Christmas

[@leopardgeckotalk]

ah awesome :)

[@summerhale8699]

Oof idk if I’m first so like imma not say but it says there are no comments but like idk

[@leopardgeckotalk]

haha great comment :')

[@arrestonettemerilan1200]

Congrats you are the second comment. Edit: no I am not a bot

[@yulmarodriguez4]

I have a stand that’s tall enough my 2 small dogs aren’t able to be in the bearded dragon’s face that I’ll be getting soon. My dogs do bark a lot just from seeing other people through the window and stuff but they like to hang out in my room. Would constant barking stress the gecko out? Should I just close my door and not let the dogs in?

[@Ihavethreeaxolotls]

A lot of these things are the same for amphibians too! Great video to watch before your first reptile or amphibian!! ❤️🐸

[@leopardgeckotalk]

thanks :D

[@starbyray7828]

I am ALWAYS amazed that every shop I have visited, that sells reptiles has a range of Calci sand in various colours some of which are quite garish but they never have earth mix type substrates!. I absolutely agree DO NOT buy unbranded cheap import equipment for the sake of saving a few quid. The risk to your property and above all your pets health just isn't worth it!!. I have two cresties and one Leo and I would never get them out together. My female crestie can sometimes see my Leo and She seems to be curious about him. She even moves closer to get a better look on the ocassion that she spots him on walkabout. He used to try to scramble off my hand intending to try and walk into her tank. Since buying him a bigger vivarium and adding aloes and sansveria etc at the cool end so he has a nicer environment He seems more content with his home. But I would never allow them to meet even if they "seem" to be interested in each other. I don't know if anyone else has discovered this but LED lights in your room should be turned off when your Geckos are awake and/or out and about. We ran out traditional bulbs (its getting harder to get the old fashioned filament bulbs) and had to use an LED 5w. The strobing effect that we can't "see", but can be seen if you video with your iphone camera, really upsets them. My Leo is especially disturbed by them. Hope you all have a Merry Xmas :0)

[@mythicr6483]

I love your videos keep up the good work

[@thecreaturescorner539]

Thank you, very helpful vid

[@vanessajensen9156]

THANK YOU for saying that with multiple animals out at a time cuz i saw someone having a baby crestie out with another animal i cant remember the species name of.. it was like a foot or two long .-.

[@chloewatkins3656]

Great video Rebecca:)

[@leopardgeckotalk]

thank you :)

[@leeannesiek4594]

I have such a hard time figuring out how to supplement my crested geckos food. He only wants live and I’ve been searching all over to figure out if he needs just calcium with d3 or calcium supplement and vitamin separately. Most places I’ve looked just say to feed them the fruit mix but...

[@Reptillian8071]

I try to keep my cat away as much as possible some times you can't really do anything with out putting your gecko closer to the cat

[@leopardgeckotalk]

Best thing to do in that situation is shut the cat outside the room lol

[@scarce169]

Where'd you get your supplies for your Reptiles at? Like the cages, decor, stuff like that?

[@micahclark724]

I have a couple of questions. First one is where do you buy everything for you gecko when you first started? Is their any good sites to get everything you need from? And the second question is what are the recommended dimensions of the enclosure?

[@fionashepley478]

Micah Clark 24x18x12 or larger for an adult. Check petstores, expos, Amazon, and Craigslist

[@falonwilker2700]

I’m about to get a gecko and I have been doing soooo much research and the only videos I have been watching are yours but I have a question. I’m confused about the heat mat. Can I put it in the tank and where do I put it. Also for the tank what size is good because so many people say different things is it 20 gallon or 10? Love you so much❤️ @leopardgecko

[@fionashepley478]

Emo chicken tender15 20 gallon long minimum for and adult. Bigger is better, just clutter larger tanks. Heat mat goes under unless the tank is wooden. It goes to one side

[@eve54069]

Thanks your videos are always useful

[@leopardgeckotalk]

aw thank you :)

[@naimarose8839]

You are so helpful! Tysm! 🥰❤️

[@leopardgeckotalk]

thank you :)

[@bee_dragon5435]

I have a leopard geckos!!

[@fredericfuruborg9275]

Me too😄

[@bee_dragon5435]

Mine is 6 moths and 2 years don’t worry different cages

[@emiliavega1938]

What color

[@emiliavega1938]

I have 2

[@bee_dragon5435]

Emilia Vega both are orange with a white tale with black spots

[@bri_jako1328]

I’m pretty sure my heat in my crested geckos tank is perfect because he or she never gets shed stuck on their toes or claws or anything which is Fantastic for me and the gecko 😁

[@allisonparramore2642]

I recommend going online because you can get them shipped pretty cheap. If not, ask you cousin to bring some and buy some dried insects. Feed her the live one and encourage her to eat the dried ones so that she switches, but look online first

[@fionashepley478]

Allison ! Dead insects are terrible. Most geckos refuse them and they have hardly any nutritional value.

[@allisonparramore2642]

I understand, but if she's not able to get live insects, that's what I would try, as long as the gecko gets extra multivitamins. If you know of something that would work better, though, please share.

[@fionashepley478]

Allison ! If someone isn’t able to get live insects they shouldn’t have the reptile. Live insects aren’t optional.

[@allisonparramore2642]

I understand where you're coming from, and I agree that this is something she may need to think about. I'm sorry if my opinion frustrated you

[@fionashepley478]

Allison ! Who’re you taking about, Rebecca? She uses live insects

[@Boredom-ds5yg]

Hiya! I have a question. So I have a (about) 7 year old female leopard gecko. She is currently going through a stage of laying infertile eggs and she has had no interest in any food for a while now. She’s lost quite a bit of weight, not to the boney degree, but I’m still concerned. Do you have any advice? Thank you! Your videos are great! :)

[@fionashepley478]

Boredom 101 take her to an exotic vet to check for parasites. They don’t usually ovulate this time of year and weight loss can be a sign of parasites

[@Marie-cq7eq]

Great video, as always. 💜One thing I would add is unnecessary breeding. There are so many reptiles that need homes already.

[@seancallaghan2007]

Hi i am a new owner i set up my moist hyde using spagnum moss but i have seen many conflicting videos on youtube from gecko keepers saying you shouldnt use it and you seem to be the person ti ask by veiwing your other videosq

[@hannahcarson5688]

I agree 100% with you! 💕 I absolutely love doing research even though I only have a leopard gecko I tend to research many different species of reptiles! Right now I am using Exo Terra calcium with D3 and Exo Terra multivitamin for supplements, are there any other supplements you can suggest? I just feel like I am not doing enough and I want to make sure Wren is thriving. Also I don't have twitter, snapchat or Instagram, but I would love it if you I could someone send you a photo of my current terrarium set up so you can give me some tips if you are continuing to do those videos still. Is there any other way I can send it? If not no problem. Great video 💕

[@fionashepley478]

Hannah Carson make sure the calcium with d3 doesn’t go in the tank and isn’t used with UVB. Dust with calcium every other feeding and vitamins every three feedings. Once those expire you could use an all in one such as Repashy Calcium Plus or reptivite with d3

[@jesusbeloved3953]

Great video! Perfect advice!

[@leopardgeckotalk]

thank you :D

[@Olivia-vj4lg]

I'm a first time reptile owner I'm 10 and scared omg

[@jamessweeney3566]

I have a question, so I have a leopard gecko in a 29 gallon tank. my heat mat doesn't raise the temperature enough. I've been using a red light heat lamp to get the temperature up for about 2 months now, and she seems less lethargic and more energetic, generally. Is this okay? and if not, what do you suggest?

[@allisonparramore2642]

First of all, in December and January most leos sleep a lot, eat less, and move around less. This is called brumation. It's a bit like hibernating, because they normally eat lots before winter, but they don't sleep the whole time underground like a hibernating animal would.

[@allisonparramore2642]

And secondly, I would replace the heat mat rather than using an overhead light. An over head light can mess up their sleep schedule and possibly burn them. They absorb heat from their belly, she try replacing the heat mat, using a thermostat, and keeping that area monitered with a thermometer that has a probe.

[@leopardgeckotalk]

You may need a more powerful heat mat, and set it with a thermostat, the other thing you can do is use a ceramic heater, and use a thermostat for that too. This way it can be kept on day and night and will not disturb their day/night cycle, unfortunately red lights arent great.

[@newdawn1968]

I just thought of something out of the blue lol I visualized you having a Pigmy Marmasett 😎 you would do so good with those little guys but IMO you would need at least 2 because they love having another friend . There are several people that only have one but however from what I've noticed when I watch some of the vids on KZbin they seem to do really good and have fun with a friend ☺ those are the cutest little munchkins I've ever seen in my life . Bottom line is you should buy a Pigmy Marmasett 😎☺

[@midwest_elf]

I’m annoyed because I was doing research on leopard geckos before I got mine. I read on multiple sites that they could be homed together! I thought that seemed odd so I watched on of your videos and it cleared that up for me. The internet has a lot of false Leo info ugh

[@fionashepley478]

Aidan Ann yeah, regardless of gender they can’t be housed together, like all solitary species

[@midwest_elf]

Fiona Shepley I’m aware that is exactly what my comment stated.

[@cyclopscritters3480]

Very helpful, thank you.

[@daulpenino5542]

Is putting a leopard and crested tanks next to each other ok? They’re glass so they could see each other

[@coolg.u.s.]

My gecko, her name is Geico, lost her tail a month ago and now its almost fully grown back

[@brynnagrace-]

That's good. Also, nice name.

[@leopardgeckotalk]

Ah wow that was quick, nice to hear it's healed and grown well :)

[@saga2795]

I came as soon as I heard

[@christiegardner6464]

Angellicaaa

[@leopardgeckotalk]

wooo :)

[@saga2795]

Leopard Gecko aah, you responded! I’ve been a fan of yours for a while now, and it literally feels like I just won the lottery. Thank you for this wonderful content!

[@Weirdanimalboy]

All the way from London? _Damn_

[@elizabethcritter6543]

Dont : waste money on reptile starter kits. They never come with everything you need and have a bunch of stuff you will never use.

[@infamousinferno2506]

While I agree with this to an extent, I also disagree as well. If you plan to own a larger variety of species, then kits could actually be a bit beneficial. I'll use my situation as an example... I bought the 40-Gallon Breeder Kit for my Bearded Dragon, knowing that it'd be a few days before I would receive her feeders (ordered mealworms, crickets, and a larger variety of veggies than what I have available where I live). I fed her the canned mealworms during this time, and set aside the over-sized water and food bowls that it comes with and just used a medium food bowl that I'd found at a yard sale. as well as placing the sand aside. A year later, here I am with a Corn Snake, who will eventually need that water bowl. And I plan to purchase a Kenyan Sand-Boa, which will need that sand. I'm using the giant food plate/bowl to cover the substrate whenever I feed my Corn Snake so that he doesn't ingest any of the Aspen with the thawed pinky. Quite situational, but we shouldn't count out those kits 100%. P.S. I'm sorry if any of this came off as me trying to under-mind you. That's not my intention at all. You make a good point, and seem to be a well-educated woman. P.P.S. Love the tattoo. 👌

[@elizabethcritter6543]

Loyd's LizardsIII if you plan to own a large variety of species yes, but for Leo’s you will use maybe two things, the water conditioner and calcium, the tank the “leopard gecko” starter kit comes in is even a little small. But yeah if you have or plan to have others then eventually yes you will use it all I suppose

[@someonenew2672]

Hi! If I were to buy a crested gecko 5 hours away, would it handle it? And would I have to keep it in a container? Like the ones they use in reptile expos? And would I have to spray the container?

[@lydiaeddins2083]

You would very much want to have it in some kind of container for the ride. Jessica's Animal Friends has a video of how a bearded dragon she was taking home, jumped off her hand and ran BEHIND the dash of her car. She had to take apart the inside of her car to get it out. A leftover food container with holes poked in it is fine for transport. And maybe a towel to wrap it in if you are worried about the gecko getting stressed (so it is dark and safe feeling).

[@someonenew2672]

Lydia Eddins thank you

[@allisonparramore2642]

I would use the container you got the crestie in. Anything bigger may stress her out, and the small container she came in will feel like a safe hide. Place paper towels or clean napkins in the bottom and spray it, but take the lid off for a bit whenever the lid fogs up, if it does. Only spray one time on the sprayers mist setting so it doesn't get too humid. I would cover the sides and half of the top with a hat or something on the outside of the container so it feels safe, and keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't fog up. I would say handle her while talking to the vendor before buying, then don't handle her again until a day after she is in her cage at home.

[@leopardgeckotalk]

Yeah keep it in the container for sure. You can always spray the tub a little bit so it can drink if it needs it :)

[@mclovinhopkins8816]

I didn’t get a thermostat until month of having leopard geckos

[@sjet5621]

Are Christmas lights outside of the tank but within the view of your gecko safe?

[@ayeshabehery1400]

Great video as usual✨ Feeling so disheartened tbh. Three female leopard geckos now and all of them jumpy, scatty, and barely tolerate being touched. Am i just very unfortunate? Have followed taming advice to the T and am not new to reptiles having already had beardies, but these girls of mine are just crazy. Not aggressive but just hate being handled. They're from great breeders too. :( no more leopard geckos for me again, although i do love my girls!

[@cfol4437]

How old are they and do you cohab? If you only had beardies before then it's no wonder you are dissappointed by your leos. They're really not the greatest for handling compared to bearded dragons. Not that you can't handle them and have a fun time but they're stressed out more easily and they don't like long handling sessions. I don't know which kind of enclosure you use but if it has sliding doors you can start by sitting next to it with opened doors when your geckos are exploring. They will learn that you are not a threat to them that way without you bothering them in any way. Then you can continue by just laying your hand in the enclosure and not moving it until your geckos relax. Do this every night or every other night and they should start trusting you sooner or later. Constant interaction is the key. And it's very important that you don't leave them alone as soon as they start getting defensive. That way they will learn this kind of behavior keeps you, the threat, away. Of course don't overdo it. Start with 5 minutes every night and then slowly move up as soon as you see a progress.

[@kadenbane]

6:40 Best info ever

[@katiechester6581]

I personally keep my leos in my room now so they don’t really see my dogs and former cat that often but I did at one time have my baby Snow out around them and he was fine as I was holding him and keeping tabs on my dogs. I’d draw the line at things that can jump such as cresteds. But for leos as long as you monitor both animals they should be fine in my opinion unless of course it’s an unfamiliar dog that you haven’t been around a lot, like I have dogs come over sometimes as I watch them for extra $, i never handle my leos around them because idk what they’d do.

[@fionashepley478]

Katie Chester it’s not safe to have them out around dogs and cats. They’re predators and prey. One bite or scratch could severely injure or kill them. Even if the cat/dog doesn’t bother them they could still be stressed and even drop their tail. Are the geckos housed together?

[@Angryginger2421]

I got my leopared gecko two years ago almost three I still don't know everything. So, i'm still learning a bit I will start feeding the crickets when my leopard gecko eats them as I mainly get her meal worms I feed every 3 to 5 days or so when I'm not home my mother feeds her every other day I know meal worms are high in fat.

[@leopardgeckotalk]

ah cool, meal worms aren't really high in fat, they're just not the healthiest. Wax worms are pretty high in fat :)

[@Gabrielle.g]

Leopard Gecko my gecko refuses to eat crickets and Dubai roaches are illegal in my state is their any other options besides mealworms?

[@fionashepley478]

Gabrielle rainriver other roaches are likely legal in your state

[@fionashepley478]

You’re correct, mealworms are high in fat. Feed more crickets than mealworms and vary his diet

[@tylerprest3582]

Hello!Love your videos and i am getting my FIRST leopard gecko for chrismas!Do you have any advice,Like if i should get a baby or adult(2 years old or older)

[@gerileekelloway1784]

I am too so this goes for me too lol

[@tylerprest3582]

@@gerileekelloway1784 hah

[@SteviiLove]

I personally recommend an adult for a first time (I rescued an adult male about 6 months ago) The babies can be quite a handful for a beginner from what I've heard and seen

[@tylerprest3582]

@@SteviiLove ok thx

[@allisonparramore2642]

Yep! I agree, I wanted a baby and ended up getting a 5-yr-old rescue for my first and am so thankful that I did!! As for advice, just watch tons of this channel's videos since they are awesome!!

[@fallingfern]

Could you possibly put a divider down the middle of a 40/50 gallon long to have 2 Leo’s in? Like something they can’t climb like plastic or wood?

[@fionashepley478]

CloudyLps possibly. However, two separate tanks may be better. They cannot be able to get past the divider and shouldn’t know the other gecko exists.

[@fallingfern]

Fiona Shepley Ah, Thank you. Sadly the tank broke by my sister 😂

[@b_jean755]

So what lights should be used for a leopard gecko ? I have a heating pad but I was told I didn't need lights and I've looked up alot of stuff but there are places that say use this and that or oh you don't even need any of those lol. So figured I'd ask you (: I'm a new viewer and I've been trying to learn all about leopard geckos before I get one for my son.

[@lydiaeddins2083]

She already has some helpful videos about what lights she uses. But the gist is: Leopard geckos don't really need any, and lights can even stress them out. UVB lights can be benificial, but, if you use them, provide hides that allow for places of total darkness, use a weak one specifically for Leo's (or they will get a burn like a sunburn, in very rare cases, skin cancer), and adjust their supplements for ones to be used with UVB. Usually your room's over head light or light coming in from a window (not directly next to the cage) is all they need, but neither of those provide UVB.

[@b_jean755]

@@lydiaeddins2083 yeah I seen not to us uv light but on her cages she does have lights so I was just wondering what kind of lights it was that she did use. Cause I did watch the one about the uv light but they do need to have a day and night difference so I just wasn't sure how to do that and what light I should use

[@lydiaeddins2083]

@@b_jean755 Oh, okay. Sorry I misunderstood. I just have a window with blinds (no curtain) in the room with my Leopard geckos, and that works fine for them. Some people just use an ordinary low watt light bulb over the top if they want to do a day/night cycle that way. Rebecca's uvb bulbs do give off normal visible light as well. I think she uses Arcadia brand?

[@sageexotics1589]

Never mix animals! I saw a video of somebody cohabiting a leo and a crestie. Horrible. No matter how controlled you think the situation is, it just doesn’t work. I’ve seen a picture of a baby mourning gecko siting on an adult Leo’s head. Mourning geckos are soooo tiny and quick and skittish, especially the babies, it’s so probable that the little mourning gecko would get eaten by the leo. You can’t control mourning geckos. Another photo showed someone holding a crestie, a garg, a chewie, and a Leachie at the same time. Chewies gargs and leachies are so so extremely aggressive that if a fight broke out (which is a very real possibility), you wouldn’t be able to get four geckos under control in time, somebody (probably the crestie) would likely die. It’s just a bad idea. No reason to do it besides a few likes, not worth a life.

[@jesspalombo961]

Sage Exotics I saw someone housing a boa constrictor and ball python together 🤦‍♀️

[@leopardgeckotalk]

Yeah gives me second hand anxiety, just don't risk it lol. Like when they photograph babies with adults too, its so risky.

[@dezanfahreza149]

U can mix fits tho

[@meredithe8379]

So when you talked about supplement, you said that you used a specific type and also a UV. Can you only use that brand if you have a UV light? I know the importance of supplements but I'm still learning about them.

[@fionashepley478]

If you use Arcadia multivitamins and calcium you’ll need UVB because the supplements don’t include d3 and d3 is necessary to absorb calcium.