Baby Leopard Gecko Care - Is Your Leopard Gecko Not Growing Enough
Starting off with baby leopard gecko care can be challenging. A friend of mine recently acquired a pair of young leopard geckos as pets. Although it took some time for him to get accustomed to them, he eventually learned how to take care of them effectively. However, he was taken aback when his female gecko gave birth to four babies, leaving him with a total of six geckos. Being new to taking care of infant geckos, he had to start over again. As someone who loves geckos, I would like to provide some guidelines on how to properly care for baby leopard geckos.
Between 45 to 60 days, moisture droplets will start to appear on the surface of the leopard gecko eggs. The eggs will gradually shrink and partially collapse, signaling that the eggs are starting to hatch. Baby geckos have an "egg tooth" at the end of their snout, which they use to break out of their shells. The tooth falls out after a day or two. The baby geckos will shed their skin within 24 hours and will only start to eat after their first shedding.
It is best to separate the baby geckos from their parents and provide them with a separate enclosure. It is recommended to house two infants together in one enclosure, as overcrowding can affect their growth and lead to competition. A small aquarium or tank is suitable for their shelter as it will prevent them from escaping.
Create adequate hiding places in their enclosure to reduce stress for the baby geckos. Avoid constant handling or touching, which can be stressful for them. Try to build trust between you and your pet by being calm and relaxed while handling them. Place your open palm on the floor of the enclosure and let them crawl onto your hand. If they allow it, hold them using both hands and support their body on both sides. Avoid startling them as they may jump out of your hand and get severely injured.
Be cautious while handling your gecko and avoid holding their tail, as it may shed off if handled incorrectly. The tail contains large amounts of fat that the gecko needs for survival. Feeding your baby leopard geckos small amounts of crickets, mealworms or locusts is recommended. Place them in a shallow container and put it in the enclosure. Tear off the rear feet of insects to make them less mobile and more accessible for the geckos.
Although they may seem tough and fierce, baby leopard geckos require constant care, attention, and affection. They are still infants who need food, shelter, and security. As gecko-lovers, we should never deprive them of the care they need.