Co-habitation | Leopard Geckos | Page 1

tender panther Jul 21, 2023, 5:41 PM

#

So what is the going philosophy on having two Leo's in the same tank?

short raven Jul 21, 2023, 5:41 PM

#

tender panther So what is the going philosophy on having two Leo's in the same tank?

do not do it.

tender panther Jul 21, 2023, 5:42 PM

#

short raven do not do it.

Understood! Thank you!

short raven Jul 21, 2023, 5:42 PM

#

Currently with the scientific data we have leopard geckos are not social creatures and do not benefit from that sort of thing. They don't form social bonds or complex feelings like love.

#

!cohab

wet thistleBOT Jul 21, 2023, 5:43 PM

#

In general, it is likely not a good idea to cohabitate leopard geckos, even just females. While some keepers are currently exploring possible benefits of social interaction between leopard geckos, there is no proven benefit to cohabiting, and they are not generally known as social creatures in the wild, despite there being some accounts of them living in groups.

While there are no benefits, there are definitely hazards. Hazards of cohabiting in general are domination behaviors, food stealing, spatial and thermoregulatory competition, fighting, tail dropping, stress, etc. Cohabiting different sexes comes with even more hazards, such as overbreeding, surprise eggs, and more.

In addition to outright hazards, many people who support cohabiting do so due to misconceptions. Leopard geckos do not have the ability to form strong emotional bonds (make friends), cuddle, or be lonely. People also sometimes separate their geckos and then assume that the adjustment period of each gecko now living in a new situation as the geckos missing each other, which is not the case. 99.9% of people are also cohabiting in much too small of a space. A single leopard gecko should ideally be in a 3x1.5 ft enclosure on it's own, let alone two in a similar or smaller size.

Due to these reasons, it is considered unwise to support cohabiting leopard geckos at this time. Our recommendation to people currently cohabiting is to separate them as soon as possible, whether that be by buying a new enclosure or by rehoming one or more. Please keep responsibly and keep in mind that geckos are incredibly adept at hiding their stress, so you likely wouldn't even know if your gecko was severely stressed.

short raven Jul 21, 2023, 5:43 PM

#

this explains it a bit more

#

all the "cute" pics people have of them cuddling and stuff is actually a form of dominance behavior and not them liking eachother and being cute fun fact

#

Dance

tender panther Jul 21, 2023, 5:44 PM

#

Gotcha gotcha! Thank you!!!

#

I just am roped in by the hobby I want another leo or another reptile but don't have the room! Thank you for my help

#

If there are any reptiles that thrive in a less wide but taller enclosure please lmk 😄

short raven Jul 21, 2023, 5:46 PM

#

Nod i'll also add my little spiel here in relation to that.

It's super fun getting new animals but give yourself atleast 6 months to a year before bringing in a new animal. Espeically since you're a new keeper and just got the little guy. Getting animals too quickly can end with bad situations and can also just be the result of someone chasing the dopamine from oo a new thing / purchasing high ElmoReee

#Co-habitation