Q&A for How to Care for a House Gecko

Pick a tank that's at least 20 gallons (76 liters) so your gecko has room to move around. You can go larger if you like.

Yes, they need a heat lamp. Heat is a very important part in a reptile’s life; if a reptile does not have enough heat they may become inactive and could fall ill. Your gecko actually needs a heat gradient, which means one side of the take is warm and one is cold. Place a heat lamp on one end so the gecko can warm up, and leave the other end unheated so it can cool down when necessary.

You should feed an adult gecko every other day, or about 3 times a week.

Yes, geckos tails are made to fall off. But if you're taking care of it, make sure you have the essentials a gecko needs.

No, because insects are part of the gecko's diet. If a gecko doesn't eat insects, it could starve.

Geckos can climb on on basically anything, like wood, bricks, plants, cardboard, metal, steel, plastic et cetera.

You will see that your gecko will like the moss and geckos can sleep on it.

Yes, they are good pets for kids and breeders that are just starting out. Tell your kids to be careful with the tail, because it is very sensitive.

It might be, but shredded coconut fiber bedding is recommended. It is nice and moist and easy to find.

Yes, just make sure they are not too big.

Most pet stores will have a small section of assorted insects near the reptile section that are okay for most types of reptiles to eat. Discuss the specifics with the retailer.

No, this would be a bad idea. Your gecko could escape and get lost. It also requires constant heat; without this heat, it could die. Lastly, the spiders (or any other insects) your gecko finds and eats could make it very sick.

Push on its butt softly, and if nothing pink comes out, it's a female.

It usually isn't a good idea to have two species in the same enclosure.

The insects need to be alive. There isn't enough water or nutrients in dehydrated insects.

No, because if you add too much the gecko can drown in the sand. It is a much better idea if you get coconut fiber, potting soil and dirt from outside.

Yes, this is their diet.

No, your gecko will very likely starve if you only feed it once a week.

Try to feed it by hand. And mist its cage three to five times a day. Let it go if you caught it, as it will thrive better where it came from (but not if you purchased it as a pet).

It depends on the kind of calcium. Some calcium products are designed to be mixed into the animal's water, but some need to be in a bowl or dusted onto their food. You should make sure you have the right kind, or it could negatively affect your water, and your lizard.

It depends on the type of gecko. It's best to look up a species-specific care sheet to determine. Leopard geckos, for example, eat 10 - 15 large meal worms 2 - 3 times per week.

No. You have to wait until it reaches the age of 3-4 months or older. To do so, gently pick up your gecko and look closely where its tail meets its body. There should be either one or two hemipenal bulges, as well as pores. One bulge means it's female, and you'll have to look very closely to see the pores. Two bulges means it's a male, and the pores should be quite visible.

No. Ants could harm your lizard.

That is a common concern with lizards, but don't worry! Geckos only shed their tails when they're scared, and usually they grow back within about a month.

Yes, it is safe as long as it is cleaned out.

The best way to "care" for a wild uninjured animal is always to release it. Keeping it will require a tank, lamps for warmth, and a lot of insects for food. For a wild animal, being held in captivity is very stressful.

You could, but every once and a while, give them mealworms or crickets.

Yes, you could, but you should not rely on that alone.

It depends on how old the children are. Young children should never own geckos, but older children may. Leopard geckos and Bearded Dragons (although Bearded Dragons are not technically geckos) are good for kids.

Yes, you can use plastic bins, a lot of people do that, actually. Reptile breeders do it too.