Any ATSers got a gecko as a pet?

I'm thinking of getting a gecko (or two) as a pet. Much better than dogs.

Any ATSers got a gecko as a pet?

a reply to: AnakinWayneII

Nope, 2 guinea pigs....

Define pet ... I dont keep mine inside or claim ownership

But there's 2 western banded geckos living with my tortoise so I consider them pets

a reply to: AnakinWayneII


Yes. He's easy to take care of and gets me a great car insurance rate.

Only issue is that he never STFU.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: AnakinWayneII


Yes. He's easy to take care of and gets me a great car insurance rate.

Only issue is that he never STFU.

You beat me to it.

a reply to: AnakinWayneII

I used to have one.

Actually I caught it I kept it for a couple weeks then felt bad so I released him. He was cool I named him Godzilla. 😊

The little buggers are everywhere in SE Asia, their nightly click click click symphony kinda reminds me of the crickets back home.

There was an albino one that used to come into my kitchen in Penang, I’d occasionally leave a bit of mince meat out for him.
Can’t say he was a pet but I reckon we were pretty good mates by the end of my stay in that apartment.

I’m generally against keeping animals in cages or aquariums, get a dog or if you don’t have the space or time for a pup get a cat, I reckon they’re just low maintenance dogs.

What’s the appeal with geckos?
I’ve known a few people who had blue tongue lizards as pets and they always seemed kinda dull, not much interaction with reptiles and they always struck me as something closer to ornaments rather than pets

Yup...have had a leopard gecko for over a year now. He eats us out of house and home (we have to buy a container of mealworms and wax worms every single week - he is picky only likes fresh and wriggly worms).

Very low maintenance pet. Only needs about 15 min of attention a day. He has never bit anyone...and we do handle him regularly.

What type of gecko are you thinking about getting?

a reply to: AnakinWayneII

I had 2 Tokay geckos. Terrible pets.
Loud calls that sound like "to-kay" and they could give you stitches if they bite you.
I'd get a different species.
Like leapord geckos, or chameleons, which are pretty interactive.

originally posted by: AnakinWayneII
I'm thinking of getting a gecko (or two) as a pet. Much better than dogs.

How are they "better than dogs"?

I have a crested gecko and had owned a tokay gecko as a kid. The crested gecko was given to me a few years ago, they didn't know how old it was, but I was told they live like 20 years (and I believe it). It is obvious as to sex because the male has a defined set of nads near the base of his tail.

They hand fed it gecko food or jar fruit baby food. When I got it I found it liked super ripe bananas, but really liked crickets. I also fed it moths and the occasional tiny tree frog (about thumbnail sized). It can go about a month on just water, but can finish off a couple dozen crickets in about two weeks. If he gets really hungry, he'll bounce around his terrarium and try to escape. He is pretty tame when handled and will jump without warning.

I like the crested gecko over the tokay gecko who became an escape artist and would bite me when handled (it wasn't breaking the skin when it would bite). They are about the same size (fairly large for a gecko) and both change from dark to light colors when the sun went down. They both like to hide and sleep during the day and are active at night. Normally you give lizards water by spraying the plants in their enclosure with water, but the crested will drink from a water dish.

When I went to the pet store to get some crickets, I told the girl that my crested gecko had RD - reptile dysfunction - and might need a young girlfriend. She told me they cost about $80. Pretty pricey, so no luck for Mr Lizard. They do breed in captivity though. And if your thinking that's what it would cost this old fart to have a go at the attractive cricket girl, I believe she was actually talking about how much it costs to buy a crested gecko.

originally posted by: Mandroid7
I had 2 Tokay geckos. Terrible pets.
Loud calls that sound like "to-kay" and they could give you stitches if they bite you.
I'd get a different species.
Like leapord geckos, or chameleons, which are pretty interactive.

I lived in an apartment that came with a resident tokay. I made the mistake of grabbing it once. Once. I had to pry it off my bleeding finger with a butter knife.
It was latched on like a pit bull.
It lived under the fridge and only came out at night.
Never saw a roach or mouse in the place.

Never had one, but I think leopards and fat-tails are the more common ones to keep. Just make sure you do your research before you take the plunge. Diet and heat and humidity requirements along with lighting are the important things to consider.

a reply to: AnakinWayneII

We have crested gecko. Love it!

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

My understanding is they were thought to be extinct but were found on a remote island in the mid 80's. Also, the original geckos are still alive I guess. We really still dont know how long they live.

a reply to: AnakinWayneII

I wouldn't call geckos pets, more like freeloaders.

I get them all the time, they crap everywhere and don't catch any bugs, but I've had huntsman that do the same, damn lazy arachnids.

a reply to: AnakinWayneII

I had one once - well the wife decided she must have one.

Stupid thing would not allow itself to be held and got a nice eye infection that we had to drive 30 miles to a reptile vet and then I had to put ointment on HER Gecko's eye twice a day while trying to keep the thing from getting away.

I had crested geckos and loved them!!! They feel velvety and are just adorable.




Whatever you choose, get as much information as possible before purchasing. Check out videos or sites dedicated to the breed. Good luck!

originally posted by: wrathofall
a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

My understanding is they were thought to be extinct but were found on a remote island in the mid 80's. Also, the original geckos are still alive I guess. We really still dont know how long they live.

Yeah, I looked them up when I acquired mine. Apparently it was rare when it was found on some island near New Zealand and since it breeds so well in captivity and does best at room temperature (if it is uncomfortable for you, it's uncomfortable for them) they made good pets. I thought of getting a couple of green anoles to put in with him as they are active during the day and likely big enough to not get eaten. Plus, they don't go after any prey that is inactive at night.

Green iguanas are my next favorite lizard. Apparently they are on the menu down in Mexico and taste like chicken, so I've heard.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

Iguans get big and can get very mean. They are far more wild than Cresties.