Picking up a leopard gecko

[Amphibious]

I'm looking to pick up a gecko in the next few weeks. If I put a young gecko in a 20L, will it be large enough to cause stress?
I have the option between juveniles and an adult. I have heard it's risky getting young geckos but I think it'd be fun to raise it to maturity. Advice?
Also, I have been doing my research, these are just a few polishing questions.

[JeffreH]

Stress will depend partly the individual gecko, age/size, and the number of hides you provide it; usually you want at least 3 hides in the viv, and one of these must be a humid hide (generally kept on the warm end of the enclosure). With adequate cover, the gecko will feel more secure in the larger enclosure. I don't think a 20L is too significant a jump up from a typical 10 gallon that might be recommended and it will be a lovely and spacious home for the gecko as is grows into sub-adulthood and for the majority of its life.

How old are the juveniles that you would be considering? Leopard geckos are a very hardy species and fare well in captivity. As long as they are 8 weeks of age or older I don't think think you'll run into any problems as long as you are following proper husbandry. Assuming they are healthy, once they have reached this age they are usually ready to be shipped and sold by the breeders safely.

[4mb3rNich0l3]

If getting a younger leopard gecko, if its a few weeks old and eating good you shouldnt run into any problems. And depending on size id keep a baby in a 10 gallon until its a bit older. Just makes it easier for them to hunt down food. But a 20 long is great for 2 adults so itd be great for one. Plenty of room. Must have belly heat of around 88-92ish and no sand for substrait. I use paper towela peraonally but if your looking for something more fancy id go with slate tile . Must also have a humid hide as mentioned above to help with shedding. If you have anymore questions please feel free to ask!

-Amber

[Amphibious]

I'm not sure the age. I'm going to pick them up at the local Petco, but they all look pretty solid. Clear eyes, alert, etc. Their housing there sucks and I'd like to snatch them up.
I wasn't going to use sand, from what I understand they don't even live in sandy environments in the wild. I was thinking maybe reptile carpet just cause it sounded to be of optimum comfort.
But one more question; These geckos, while appearing healthy, are really not taken care of well. One dry hide and three animals in a 5 gallon space. Is it likely that they have unobservable illness?

[JeffreH]

It is possible - a lot of the animals we see at pet stores come from puppy-mill style breeders where conditions can be foul right out the gate. A friend of mine works at petsmart and says that it is not that uncommon for animals to arrive dead in shipments and VERY young or in no condition to have been shipped (ill or very underage). A recent photo I received of a bearded dragon suggested that the animal couldn't have been more than a few days old before being shipped to the store and sadly it did not make it... There are mixed feelings about purchasing animals from pet stores: while you can make a difference in that animal's life and it can be a noble cause, it can also encourage the continued sale and reproduction... kind of a catch-22. But if the animals at this particular location appear healthy and you are pleased with them, then it may be worth a shot. It sounds like you have done your research and will really care about your new pet, so I'm sure things will work out for you with whatever decision you make = )

Reptile carpet works wonderfully; I always prefer non-adhesive shelf liner (the 'rubbery' kind) because it tends to be a little easier to clean and is cheaper, and you can purchase sandy color or textured liner. In addition, some of the cheaper carpet brands can snag teeth and claws with loose fibers, but for the most part carpet is very good. Slate tile is also a good, safe option that has a more naturalistic look and feel.

I apologize for not seeing this sooner by the way lol

[Amphibious]

I have a final question. While I know even the tamest reptile is still not a puppy, how handleable are leopard geckos? It seems like they can be pretty comfortable with an owner, and I would really like a reptile I can interact with in a positive way.

[4mb3rNich0l3]

It honestly depends how much you handle them. Also depends on the gecko itself. Ive had VERY tame leos and some pretty wild ones as well lol. babies tend to be a little more jumpy but as long as you handle them, they will grow out of it