Aliza
[ad#250]
As much as we love our home and our pets, sometimes we just need to get away. Whether you own a single gecko or have a large, multi-species collection, plans must be in place for care and feeding of your pets while you’re gone.
[ad#sponsor]
When considering care for geckos, the most important thing to remember is that reptiles are not mammals. They don’t require the same amount of calories and frequency of intake that mammals need because reptiles don’t burn calories to maintain a specific body temperature. Adult reptiles are rarely fed every day and can survive for longer without food than their mammalian counterparts. There are 3 aspects of care to consider for all geckos: food, hydration and habitat management. Many older juveniles and adult geckos can go without food for 10 days to 2 weeks, though this is not ideal under normal circumstances. All geckos require more consistent hydration. Geckos that have humidity, temperature and lighting needs that differ significantly from the “outside” environment will easily become stressed if these conditions are not maintained. Babies and hatchlings are more delicate and require more frequent and precise feeding, hydration and habitat management.
Taking Your Gecko With You
Some people choose to bring their geckos with them when they go away. This is not recommended for geckos that can’t be handled, those who are very sensitive to changes in their environment or for short, weekend vacations. Obviously, it would be difficult and impractical to transport large collections. Most public transportation systems such as airlines or trains won’t permit live reptiles to be transported and sneaking your reptile on the airplane would be a very poor choice. If you’re going away for a week or more and will be in a single location during this time, pack up the gecko the same way vendors do when taking their reptiles to a show: place the gecko in a deli cup with holes punched, put the cup in a secure place and transport the cage separately. This will insure that the gecko isn’t harmed by falling items in its regular enclosure if there’s a sudden stop or an accident. The gecko will be fine if its exact temperature requirements aren’t met temporarily although running the air conditioning in the car will probably not be appreciated. Many people have been known to transport their geckos this way if they are going away for the summer or during long college vacations. I even heard of one person who drove from northeastern United States to Florida with a reptile incubator plugged into her cigarette lighter, though this is a little extreme. On arrival at the vacation destination, set up the gecko’s enclosure and return the gecko to it. If the trip will take several days, the gecko can either spend one night in the deli cup (I do this with my geckos when I take them to shows that are a distance away) or can be put into its enclosure overnight. It’s best not to feed geckos who are going to travel. Although many will do well, some do regurgitate (maybe they get carsick!).
Leaving Your Gecko at Home
If the gecko or geckos will be left home when you travel, some care will have to be arranged. As a general rule, most geckos can survive without any intervention for one or two days. If you plan to be away for a weekend, it’s probably safe to leave your gecko alone, though it’s always a good idea to have someone available in case there’s a household emergency such as a power outage that will impact the geckos. For longer absences, there are a variety of choices for gecko care:
—the “kennel” approach: some pet stores, pet sitters or other animal facilities will board your gecko for a daily fee. The advantage to this solution is that there is experienced personnel on site for extended periods of time and, if you’ve chosen wisely, quality care. The disadvantages are that it’s expensive and there’s no way to insure that quarantine from other reptiles on the premises will be carried out to your standards. If you have a friend who’s knowledgeable about geckos and is willing to house your pet while you’re gone (and quarantine it appropriately from any reptile he or she may own), you may be able to overcome all the disadvantages. I had a very positive experience caring for a pair of leopard geckos that needed medication for several weeks, after responding to a request on craigslist (I don’t recommend this method, but it did work out for me and the gecko owner).
— limited care in the home: For medium length vacations of 1-2 weeks, your gecko can survive without food, though this is not ideal. Your gecko should do well if there is someone who can come in every day or so, provide water and check to make sure the heat is working adequately. The “gecko checker” should be comfortable opening the cages and filling water bowls or misting, if necessary. He or she should have contact information for the gecko owner or other knowledgeable person and should be told what to do in case of emergency such as a power outage, flood or fire. Back in the days when I had only 1 leopard gecko, my house-sitter agreed to provide water for her when I had to take a 10 day trip across the country. Although she wasn’t fed during my absence, she was fine when I got back (that was 6 years ago and I still have her) with no obvious weight loss.
—experienced care giver: This alternative is essential for those who have large collections, geckos with special or specific needs, eggs due to hatch or hatchlings. An experienced gecko caregiver can be paid to come into your home every few days (or daily if you prefer) to provide the care that your collection requires. The care giver can be a professional pet sitter, a fellow herper, or even someone that you have trained. It’s essential that you prepare thoroughly. Cages should be labeled with species and names if appropriate. Food, including feeders and supplements should be labeled as well. Provide detailed, written instructions about exactly what you want done with each gecko. As in the case of the “limited care” described above, be sure to provide written suggestions for how to proceed in case of an emergency and contact information. If your geckos are under the care of a reptile vet, provide this information as well. I have found this method to be very successful. I have a friend who is comfortable and experienced with animal care. She comes in every 2-3 days on the rare occasions when I go on vacation and provides care according to my written specifications. She has also checked my incubator for eggs and moved new hatchlings to their enclosures which I had prepared ahead of time. I’ll never forget her text message to me about a newly hatched leopard gecko that looked different from all the other ones she’d ever seen. My first super snow!
Going on vacation with or without your gecko is a balancing act. When deciding how to deal with the situation, you need to weigh your needs and resources against the degree of stress put on your gecko by changes in its habitual routine. Remember, as you consider all the factors, that both you and your pet are capable of being flexible!
Me and my husband just got a white lined gecko. We are about to leave for vacation for a week or two. Now we have heard we can put live crickets in there jus enough for him to eat hes an adult so. We have a humidifier n we have both that and the lamp for his heat set at certian times for it to come on so sofar its been working good he wont eat the dry or dead meal worms n crickets so should we jus put enough crickets in there for if he gets hungry he can get them. The crickets like to hide up top where there is a crease between top on tank near lamp you think he will be fine? If were only gone for a week or two. Is there anything specific we should do to make sure hes good. Or ok while we are gone
My get go got out and we can not find him, he is in the house somewhere. Any ideals on how to find him and how long will it live without food
Read this article in Gecko Time:
http://geckotime.com/finding-an-escaped-gecko/
Some can go for months because they find bugs in the house.
Hi Aliza…
Just wanna ask,is it stressing the gecko when we bring it to travel….??
Its now 3 months old…more less,but if I left it in my house(no one is in my house during that time) what should I do? Put many mealworms?
AND IT JUST ARRIVED IN MY HOUSE YESTERDAY..
Should I bring…
OR
Should I left….
???????
Thank you..:-)
If there’s no one to take care of it while you’re gone, and you’re going away for more than a weekend, you will need to bring it with you unless you can bring it to someone else’s house while you’re gone. Hopefully you’re going to a single vacation spot where you will be staying. If that’s the case, travel with the gecko in a deli cup and set up its home when you get to your destination. If you’re going to be on the road for awhile with many stops, please find a friend to care for it or a pet store where you can board it.
If you are going on vacation do not leave a lot of crickets in with your gecko
This is because the crickets will get hungry and can possibly eat the geckos eyes or tail off which could get infected and this will be harmful to the gecko or possibly kill the gecko
So whatever you do, do not just put a bunch of crickets in the turrarium with the gecko if you go away. Thank you for reading
I just bought a leopard gecko Saturday a baby. He won’t eat.He has blue on his stomach was thwre when I bought it. I heard it was impacted? I’ve tried warm baths and stomach massages and he still doesn’t eat. And when I try and give him the meal worm or crickets he backs away or kinda lays down?
The blue may just be some of its internal organs. It’s not unusual for a new gecko not to eat for awhile. For now, leave it alone and just keep providing the food. Check back in a week if it’s not eating after that.
I have had my babies for about 2 years. I am actually moving to Japan in 6-7 years and I want them to go with me. But I’m worried that flying isn’t the best option. Any recommendations?
A lot of things can happen in 6-7 years with your babies, with flying laws and all sorts of stuff. I recommend that when the times gets closer, you investigate the laws about what you’re allowed to take with you and look at your options then. Remember, that every time a gecko is shipped from one place to another, it goes on a plane.
Hi Aliza! I will be getting an AFT about 4 months old, still considered young.
About once or twice a month, I’ll drive to visit family who live 2 hours away from town. I am wondering if she can come with me so I can feed her every day and provide fresh water? I would be stationary at home.
I would recommend you time it so you give your AFT a chance to settle in before you travel with her. If you’re going for a weekend or so, you can really leave food and water for her and she’ll be fine. If you really want to take her with you, get a small carry container, small enough so she won’t slide around in it too much, for transport. Set up a cage for her with your family so she can transfer to a “permanent” enclosure while she’s there. In general, she’ll probably do better staying at home.
Hi!!
I have had this adult leopard gecko, and i took her in the car with me for the day, and i think she is having a carsick… she didn’t vomit, but she is sleeping non stop for few hours already, and i am worried because she might be stressed
She may be less active because she got stressed, or even because she got cold and it slowed her down. Try not to worry about it. Leave her alone and give her some time to relax. Stress isn’t the worst thing in the world and eventually she’ll get over it.
Hello! I was wondering if it is okay to take my gecko around with me on my shoulder for the day. One of my friends brings his bearded dragon around and just puts her on his shoulder. I was wondering if it is okay to do that with a gecko. Mine is about a year and a half old and is sometimes a bit sensitive but other that that, he’s fine.
I’ve had leopard geckos that have been comfortable on my shoulder. Remember, though, that it’s easier to feel a beardie getting restless than a leo so you have to be really aware of when it’s had enough.
I will be going on a four day vacation and I am pretty sure I’m going to take my gecko with me, but the trip to the hotel is about 4 1/2 hours will she be okay?
Get a deli cup or other small plastic container. Put your gecko in there for the trip and bring along a set-up for the gecko while you’re on vacation (don’t drive with the gecko in the cage; it will slide around too much). If you stop for a meal, don’t leave your gecko in the car because it will get too hot. Get a canvas bag, put the deli cup in the bag and bring it into the restaurant. Don’t make a big production about having a gecko in the bag. There’s no reason for anyone to know what’s in there. Enjoy your trip.
Hi there, I am moving away and I will be taking a three and a half hour plane ride and I really want to take my leopard gecko with me. I have no idea how old he is but I’ve owned him for about 5 years now. I’m really worried about him getting too stressed out on the plane as the company says he will have to be put in the cargo area I’m just worried he could stress to the point of passing away. Will he survive ?
There are 2 ways you can get the gecko to your new destination:
1. check out “Delta Dash” which is an air service that will transport your gecko to an airport near you.
2. package up your gecko and mail it to the FedEx hub nearest you and have them hold it for you
In either case, check out http://www.shipyourreptiles.com for instructions about how to package up your gecko for shipment. If you follow those directions, you may even be able to send your gecko along with you in the cargo hold (the gecko will be traveling in the cargo hold for both of the two options above and next day air shipment of geckos is very common and safe).
I’m going on a 10 day vacation tomorrow and I’m leaving my leopard gecko at home with no one coming to take care of him. I just bought him 15 large crickets so he won’t be hungry while I’m gone. I’m not sure if I should leave the heat lamp on the entire trip or keep it off. Also, will he be fine with not having the water cleaned/changed daily? And can you tell me more about what misting is? My brother gave him to me late last year and he wasn’t very good with handling Raj (my lizard). Can you give me some advice on how to start actually holding him? He’s tried to bite my finger once and I’m afraid he might do it again. Thank you. It’d be helpful if you replied tonight, because I’m leaving tomorrow. 🙂
The food isn’t as important as the water. Leaving the crickets is fine. Can you possibly get someone to re-fill the water bowl every few days? It doesn’t have to be daily. Ideally you should be using an under tank heater as opposed to a heat lamp because the heat lamp will dry out the air a lot, but that’s for another day when you’re not leaving.
Misting: this means spraying the cage with water. You don’t need to do that with a leopard gecko, so don’t worry about it.
Handling: When you get back from vacation, talk to him every time you feed him. Let him see that you’re the one feeding him. See if he’ll let you put your hand near him. If you can, eventually, slide your hand under him and lift him gently, supporting his body. Just hold him a few inches above the cage floor and then put him down. When that seems to be working well (after a couple of times), try making a little cave for him out of your hands when you pick him up and lift him to the top of the cage. Good luck and enjoy your vacation.
No :/ I’ve tried asking a few people I trust but most of them are in vacation. I know that the water won’t dry out, but he likes to walk in the bowl sometimes so it gets dirty fast. Another question, ive heard other owners say they bathe theirs? How is this supposed to be done and is it required? I’m trying to be a good caretaker. Thank you.
He’ll be OK. They’re desert animals so don’t need bathing unless they have stuck shed. If you need more info about taking care of the gecko, read some of the articles on this site (www.geckotime.com/archives – check out the list of articles that have been written) or read my personal care sheet: https://geckcessories.wordpress.com/leopard-gecko-care-sheet/
This is a tough spot to be in! Luckily I have a friend/business partner that can keep everything taken care of for me when I leave. There should be another article on here about what to do with a collection during a storm since a lot of people had to learn this the hard way with the hurricane we just had.
Hi, I am wanting to get a Crested Gecko, i travel just about once every month for work and will be gone each time for a week. Will my gecko be okay if i leave it for a week? Or is it absolutely needed for it to have someone mist/water it. I would like to take it with me at least sometime, the drive is 9 hours, will it be okay that long of a car ride in the container?
It can probably survive without being misted for a week (especially if there are live plants to hold the humidity and a water bowl) but it would be best to get someone in halfway through the week to mist, in my opinion.
You could also consider getting an automatic, programmable mist system (e.g. mistking.com)
Hello Aliza. Your advice and tips are wonderful! Thank you for spending time responding to our many questions. My daughter purchased a gecko yesterday, and in our excitement forgot about leaving for a couple of days for the holiday. I am unclear about the lighting. Do we leave the black night light on, or the daylight on, or nothing on. ??
Why kind of gecko did she get? Is the light the only source of heat? If she got a leopard gecko, they don’t really need light at all as long as they are getting heat from the bottom of the enclosure and there is ambient light in the room. In any case, it’s easy to get a timer for the lights if you feel the gecko needs them.
I have a young African Fat Tail Gecko (not sure of the exact age) and I will be leaving for a 4 day trip. I am trying to make things as simple as I can for the neighbor who has agreed to take care of her while I am gone. I will ask her to mist the cage and change the water daily, but my question is about lighting. I have an under tank heater, and I switch between a white light during the day and a black light at night. Do I need to have her switch lights, or would it be okay to just have one or the other while I’m gone?
If you don’t have the lights on the timer, just turn them both off as long as there is some ambient light in the room. Otherwise, you could have the neighbor turn the white light on and off. Unless there are live plants in the enclosure, the gecko doesn’t really need the lights at all and certainly doesn’t need the black light.
Hi, I am going on vacation for 5 days and I was wondering if leaving my gecko with mealworms, a water reservoir, under tank heat mat plus the vitamin D on a dish would be enough for those days? I have no one to look over him and Im really worried. Also, in terms of its poop. Will leaving the poop in the cage for a few days be an issue of bacteria? All of this gets me worried.
I would highly appreciate your thoughts on this. Thank you.
5 days is probably the longest period that works adequately. I’ve had to do it a few times this year. Usually I get someone to check in once and mist the tropical geckos (I have a lot of geckos), but once this winter the person forgot to do it and everyone was fine. Geckos can easily go quite awhile without food. Be sure you have a deep enough water dish so it doesn’t dry up (and even if it does, it probably won’t be till the last day or so). The poop is fine in the cage for that amount of time. Enjoy your vacation.
Thank you so much Aliza. Also, for the quick response. Very helpful. Thanks again.
I’m planning on getting a Crested Gecko, but I need to set up a travel plan first. I have a 1-week vacation every six weeks, and I have no clue what to do with it. I’m not sure I will be able to take it with me, or if somebody could keep an eye on it. I know all they need is a gecko-smoothie, so is there a way I could create a week’s worth and leave it in the tank? Will misting be a problem for 1 week? Or is there some sort of 5-gal travel tank I can bring (I have a 10-gal)?
Do you go away for the whole week every time? Do you go to the same place? How do you get there? I have left my geckos for a maximum of 5 days. The crested geckos did fine without being misted in that time (I misted them well right before I left). If you could get someone to mist even once in a week long period, it would probably be fine. If you go to the same place and could have an enclosure for him there, and if you drive, or take a bus or train to where you’re going, you could put the gecko in a deli cup, and then put it in the “vacation enclosure” when you arrive. If you’re planning to get a very young one, by the way, a 10 gallon will be fine, but you’ll need something bigger for an adult (though a 10 gallon at the vacation location will do fine).
I am getting a leopard gecko and will be leaving to go on a 4 day vacation in an RV. I was planning on just leaving him home and was curious if that was okay to do.
I have left my geckos for 4-5 days without a problem. Make sure you feed it right before you leave and have a water bowl deep enough so you don’t run out of water while you’re gone.
Hello, I’m going to travel across the country from Colorado to Michigan, so its about a 20 hour drive. What are the recommended traveling precautions i should take, as in what should he be in while i travel? Also will he be okay without the UV light for 20 hours straight? i will not have the a/c on as it does not work. Thanks in advance
I’m not sure what kind of gecko you’re talking about, but I’d assume a crestie. I’d recommend putting him in a deli cup with holes punched. If you’re going to be staying places overnight, get a small cage so he can be a bit less confined overnight. The absence of UV is not a problem. Don’t leave him in the car if you make a stop for lunch or something. Get a small canvas bag, put the deli cup in there and don’t say anything to the restaurant people. Have a good trip.
If I pick up a leopard gecko as I am leaving vacation, will it be able to stay in the car for 30 hours? It’s a baby no more than a couple weeks but if I put it in a well insulated container during the summer will it be ok?
It depends on what’s going to be happening for those 30 hours. If you mean you’ll be driving somewhere and making stops, you could keep it in the car but whenever you get out I recommend you take the gecko with you (put the container in a canvas bag and don’t advertise what you’re carrying. If you mean can you leave the gecko alone in the car that’s not traveling for 30 hours, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Hello, I want a crested gecko, i never travel much, only 2 hours away every 3-4 months. I dont know. And am away for one night, a few times a month, and what is (in your experience the best choice of food for cresties.?) I have heard they don’t need much floor space as a cage just more heighth. Is that correct? Do they need heating lamps? Or cooling systems?
Thank you!
I
You’re correct that they are arboreal, so they need a taller cage. As long as the temperatures in the room are reasonable for humans, it should be OK for the crested gecko. Generally, temperatures above the low 80’s (F) aren’t recommended, though in my experience a day or two of high heat should be OK. Crested geckos mostly eat some form of re-hydrated “Crested gecko diet” (CGD) and also enjoy crickets. They don’t need to eat every day so going away for a night isn’t a problem. Based on the questions you’re asking, I highly recommend you read a care sheet or a book about crested geckos before getting one.
I have a a trip next week for about four days and my gecko is still growing, it is not exactly an adult yet. should I just give it water and leave? I need advice please.
Give it a generous feeding and water before you leave. It will probably be fine.
So I have been really reasearching crested geckos and I really want to get one, but in the summer I am going away for 10 days and cannot bring my gecko with me. I can ask my family to mist them while I’m gone, but they don’t know anything about geckos and I’m afraid they might do something wrong. Also, would it be ok if I just left the food in the cage for the duration of my trip?
This is my opinion: one solution would be to wait to get the gecko until you come back. You can also check in to local boarding opportunities (some of the non big-box pet stores may do this). If you decide to get the gecko before vacation and can’t find a place to board it, it will be really important not to get a young juvenile. An older gecko would do better. I think you can teach someone how to mist the cage; it’s not that hard. I also think the gecko, if provided with enough humidity and hydration (which they get with the misting) would probably be OK without being fed for that period of time. It’s not ideal, but I think it could work out.
I have a question for you. Can I bring Phoenix (crested gecko) in Arizona. I little bit concerned about temperate is 120 degree. Can kill any reptiles? Thanks Aliza.
Are you asking whether you can take the crested gecko to Arizona for a vacation, or whether you can have a crested gecko in Arizona? In my experience, if the temperature is high for a few days (I live in New England and have no AC, so it can get into the 90’s in my living room in the summer on occasion) the crested gecko will probably be OK. If it will be in 120 degree temperatures for days and days, it might not do well. If it gets really hot I put ice packs in the cages. If you send a few more details, I may be able to give a better answer.
Leading up to the trip should you feed them the same amount of food that you would normally or should you feed them more ?
They’re only going to eat as much as they have room for, so it kind of doesn’t matter. If you’re going to be away without feeding them for awhile, you could put some extra in there to tide them over, though they do fine fasting for a short time.
I read a suggestion about a tupperwear container with a hole, like a moist hide, with mealworms in it. I’m going on a cruise this winter and I’m looking for options. Thoughts? I’m also an SLP!
If you get a container, make holes in it for air and put powdered grain gutload in it, the mealworms will be fine for the duration of the cruise.
Hello, I am going home for Christmas for 3 weeks and I have no one to feed my leo gecko while I am away. Therefore, I plan on taking him with me, however, I am unsure what precautions I should take. The trip is approximately 4 hours away and the last hour and a half is a pretty bumpy ride. My gecko is pretty cool with anything and loves being handled, however, does not do so well in small spaces, therefore, I don’t think he will be okay in a deli cup. I live in -20 degree weather, so i know ill have to have the car heated before I bring him out, but, I am looking for any more recommendations for my trip. Thank you!
I have driven from Boston to NY in January with a car load of geckos to do a show, so I know it can be done. If you feel your gecko won’t do well in a deli cup, get a 6 qt. plastic tub with a lid (or larger if desired). Cut a square hole in the lid and hot-glue some mesh over the hole, or else just make some holes in the sides (a soldering iron works really well). Put a very light weight hide in there as well. Even if you get into an unheated car, it will be warm within a few minutes so it’s not really a problem. It would be great if you can take a more permanent enclosure with heat along for your stay. Your gecko should be fine, even the bumpy part of the ride.
I am going to Texas over the summer and I’m planning to get a leopard gecko with all the necessary accessories. However, it will be a juvenile leo and I’m not sure how to go about carrying it. The drive will be 18 hours and for three weeks, so I was planning on bringing a pack of mealworms and calcium but should I have a little carrying cage or my 24x24x18 cage in the car? It would be rather awkward carrying it considering I’ll have 3 others in the car with me. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I was planning on using the little portable hand held cage but I’m not sure how I’d go about heating/cooling it. Thanks.
I’m assuming you’re going to Texas for 3 weeks and it’s an 18 hour drive each way? If that’s the case you have several options. I recommend you get a 10 gallon traveling cage. Get some Zoo-med 11′ heat cable (pretty cheap on Ebay) and some Nashua tape from Home Depot or equivalent and get a thermostat. When you’re driving, keep the gecko in the 10 gallon with a lightweight hide, so it won’t get hurt if something slides. If you stop for lunch or something, don’t leave the gecko in the car because it will get too hot. You should have either a deli cup with holes or a small critter keeper that you can put the gecko in. Put that smaller enclosure in a canvas bag and don’t tell the restaurant people that you’re carrying a gecko around. When you get to your stop for the day, plug in the heater and feed/water the gecko. It may not eat too much but it should be OK.
Alternatively, you could look into finding someone to care for it while you’re gone.
I am going out of town for five days and may not have someone available every day to check on my Leos. The big issue here for me is that there won’t be anyone to switch over their night and day lights. Would it be detrimental to leave the night bulb on while I am away? Or is there a better way to go about this? Thanks for the help!
If there is light in the room where they are, I don’t see any need to do anything with the lights in the cage. If there is no light in the room where they are, if you could get a lamp and a timer and have it on for 12 hours and off for 12 hours that should do it. I have a lot of leopard geckos and none of them have any lights except for daylight coming in through the window and everyone is fine.
I’m going on a trip that requires a bit of driving… I was hoping I could bring my young crested gecko along with me. I got the little one at repticon and it (not 100% sure on gender yet) didn’t seem to have any problems with the car ride home and actually fell asleep. I would be at a beach and then the mountains and it’s about a eight-ten day trip (not sure on exact return date). I have a lot of anxiety on vacations and Chimera (my crestie) has been my own little support gecko. This also means that I’m not as “out and about” as the rest of my family members on vacation. I would be in the place we’re staying often, but I will be going out to the beach occasionally or on hikes in the mountain which would leave my crested gecko alone for an hour or so. The temperature isn’t extreme where we’re going and we’ll have a thermostat as well. I was thinking of using the 10 gal enclosure I have with the substrate I usually use. I would provide a small hide since Chimera is pretty small and I may even cut in half a roll from paper towels. I have things for climbing that I can also place in the enclosure that are light and pose no threat if they fall over. Would this work out or should I try and find someone to watch the little one? Most people I trust with my animals won’t be around when I’m away which is why I rather bring Chimera with me, but if it could put Chimera in danger I would want to know. I also would love suggestions on how to improve my enclosure plan. I may also have two geckos by our next trip and have two enclosures I can set up like this, I was hoping to get someone’s advice to see if my plan would be okay. Thank you heaps!!!
I have my leopard gecko on a day and night cycle light where I have to switch it every twelve hours. I’m going on vacation and don’t have someone to switch his lighting or do anything for him. What do I do about that
Go to Home Depot or equivalent. Get a timer that you can plug your light into and then plug the timer into the wall. Set it the way you want and you can use it all the time.
It sounds fine to me. I tend to feel that most geckos are pretty hardy and can take lots of changes. Other people will feel differently.
i am going on a trip to the beach from sunday morning to wednesday night i have no one to watch Hoops “my gecko” so i got the whole lighting system to work, i used automatic lights, but my question is can my leopard gecko go that long without food, could i feed him sunday morning and wednesday night because then it would only be two days without food. but the problem is i don’t know how old he is except that he is 5 to 6 inches long would you be able to determine the age please?
I have no way to determine age. However, I have geckos that don’t eat (by choice) for weeks. I have left my geckos, even when I had juveniles, for that long before with no problem. Just give them extra before you go and if you think their water will get dry, find a deeper water bowl.
I am going on vacation to Cali. around October, and I have a leopard gecko named Max. I will be gone for about 4 days, and not sure about what to do with my gecko. Will Max be okay if I don’t feed him for that long? Also, I’m not sure what to do about his lamp and if I should leave it on or off. Should I feed him extra before I leave and extra when I come back? I really appreciate any help, this is my first pet and I want to make sure to do the right thing. Thanks!
If you’re also heating with an under tank heater, and there’s light in the room he’s in, leave the light off. If you need the light for heat (under tank heater is better), get a timer and set it up. If you can get a deep enough water bowl so he’ll have water, use that. Put some food in right before you go and he’ll be fine.
I’m leaving for 2 days for my birthday would it be okay to leave my crested gecko without someone to mist them? I dont know anyone where I live she also has 2 eggs so I’m super worried
I have left my crested geckos for up to 4 days without misting. When you say that she has eggs, do you mean that she’s gravid and hasn’t laid the eggs yet, or that she has laid the eggs and they’re buried in the substrate? In the wild, there are probably times when it doesn’t rain so much, so I would imagine you’re OK
I am going on a long weekend trip for 4 days. I have a approx 3 month old Leo — I do not have anyone that can come check on it while I am gone. I have done a little bit of research short of calling my local pet shop for their advice. Some sites say a baby leo cannot go an extended period of time without eating and others say they would be fine for that length of time. What do you suggest?
My only other option is to bring my leo to my sisters house and have her geckosit, but I feel that could be excessive with moving his enclosure around.
In my opinion, it’s not ideal but it’s doable. I’ve done it before with a houseful of hatchlings during the summer. Find a water dish deep enough so the water will last. Put in extra feeders. It should be fine.
I just purchased a fancy gecko several days ago that has yet to eat. I purchased a feeding starter kit that consisted of dried/dead crickets, calcium powder and dried mealworms(a separate container of dried mealworms in a separate bottle also)…I understand that it may be temporarily stressed but also read that you should avoid feeding them any insects that aren’t alive? What do you recommend?
I don’t know where you read that you shouldn’t feed them any insects that aren’t already alive. Most leopard geckos will not eat anything that’s not moving, so it’s not surprising that the gecko won’t eat the dried insects. You need to get live mealworms and/or crickets. Two things to be aware of:
–it is true that some leopard geckos can take a week or more to settle into a new place and may not eat during that time
–some people do say that any live insects left in the cage after 15-30 minutes should be removed so they don’t hurt the gecko. In my experience, this does not usually occur and, especially with a new gecko, it’s a good idea to leave the feeders in the enclosure to give the gecko time to feel comfortable enough to eat them.
I also recommend you google some more leopard gecko care sheets and see what they have to say about care and feeding.
Helloooooo this is a cool website thanks for all the tips!!!
Im moving to Alaska with a gargoyle gecko. Will the temperature be ok for him?
can my beardie be left at home for 27 days without care?
I wouldn’t recommend it. How will he get water? What if the light burns out? I think he can be OK enough with minimal care which would include him being checked on at least once a week, fresh water provided (I know beardies don’t usually drink from a bowl, but they can, and, obviously if he doesn’t get any food he won’t have any source of hydration), either live feeders or greens provided. Some pet stores board beardies and you may also be able to pay someone to do this minimal care, which is what I do when I go away.
Are you asking about the temperatures while you’re transporting him or the temperatures when he’s living in Alaska with you? Presumably you will be in a house where the temperature is comfortable for you, meaning, at least in the mid 60’s. If that’s the case, he will be fine. If you’re going to have things colder than that, you will need to give him a heating pad or a ceramic heat emitter to keep the inside of his cage at least n the 60’s
My female leopard gecko has not eaten for a few months after summer into fall and winter.
It’s not unusual for geckos not to eat for awhile. Mine stuff themselves from August into early September and all of a sudden most of them stop eating very much at all. If the gecko isn’t visibly losing weight it’s probably fine.
Hi! I really want a Crested Gecko, but my parents want to know if / how the Gecko will survive a 9 hour car journey, + how the gecko will thrive when we arrive without a terrarium (since there is no room in the car with 5 people plus luggage ), before I can get one. I also need to know what to do with the gecko when I have arrived at where we will be a few days / weeks, depending on the holiday / events. If I can travel far and short with the gecko without problems, and be in another place possibly without his / her terrarium, I will be allowed to buy the gecko, according to my parents. I hope you have some good advice! I really want a Crested Gecko because I have wanted it for a long time, and I need a little friend who can support me in everyday life. Thank you so much for the tips!
I’m not quite sure of the exact situation. Are you saying that if you get a crested gecko, you’ll be making a 9 hour trip the same day, or that when you go on vacations it’s usually 9 hours away. So here’s my general response without knowing the exact situation: a crested gecko can travel in a deli cup with holes punched in the sides for air. This keeps the gecko from suffocating in the plastic. You can buy deli cups with holes punched in the sides of the actual cup or you can make small holes in the sides of a 16oz deli cup that you could buy from a food store that sells things in cups like that.
The gecko will be able to tolerate the drive as long as you don’t leave it in the car for more than a few minutes when you make a stop (it will be too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter with the car not running). The best way to deal with this is to put the deli cup in a nice canvas bag, take it into the restaurant or hotel, and don’t make a big deal about what you’re doing.
Once you arrive you will need some place to keep the gecko. You can do this for awhile by getting a plastic tub with a cover from a store like Target. While you’re traveling, take the cover off the tub and put other luggage inside. Read up on the things that need to be in the “terrarium” and have those separately as well. When you arrive, set up the temporary vivarium. When you’re ready to go back home, pack it up the same way.
Hi! I have to be out of town from Thursday-Sunday (leaving Thursday afternoon and returning Sunday night). I have a ~4 month old leopard gecko with no one to feed her while I am away. Will she be okay if I leave extra food in her dish before leaving tomorrow (and of course filling her water)? How many mealworms should I leave in her bowl? Thank you!
Fill her bowl with mealworms (don’t worry how many), and fill the water bowl. If the bowl is shallow use a bigger one. It should be fine.
I’m going in vacation for about a week and can’t bring my leopard gecko with me. Is it ok for me bring her to a friend’s house so they can watch her for me? I have a second cage that’s a little smaller that she can stay in while she’s there
It should be fine. Just make sure there’s heat in the smaller cage.
Hello I love your website.I am think about getting a leachianus gecko and I am wondering how long can they go without food if i go on a vacation?
The most important thing is that they get access to water, which means that the cage gets misted at least every other day (when you’re home, they get misted every day but if you’re away every other day should do it). My leachie seems to go quite awhile sometimes without eating, even when food is offered, so I don’t think that’s too much of an issue. It would be important to find someone to come in and mist the cage every other day or to find a place to board it if you can’t find anyone to take care of this in your home.