Determining its gender

[matt_winter]

Hey everyone

I want to get 2 normal or 2 albino leopard geckos. Which ever i choose, how will i determine its sex at the store?? Any suggestions would help

Thanks:D

:grab:

[Alicewave]

1st of all, I would not suggest buying a reptile from a petshop, especially the large chains unless you have good reason to be positive of the quality of the animals. That said, search the web for "Sexing Leopard Geckos" to find some websites which pictures of both males and females.

[reptilez]

Why would you suggest that Alicewave? If he gets it t the pet store he has like a 30 day guarentee or whatever.

[marisa]

Oh my god! There are a MILLION reasons to stay away from pet store chains.

30 day promise? Who cares about 40 bucks or so over the qaulity and health of an animal. If you want QUALITY stock, you don't buy from pet stores. Period.

1. Pet stores are like a giant melting pot of animal disease. If I remember correctly, leopard geckos have become a focus of such issues because of a few certain chains. You bring this cute little cheap 30 day guareenteed animal home and it infects your entire collection, seperated or not. And then dies. And you are paying vet bills before it dies because no one wants to make the poor thing suffer more by returning it, and you have to deal with much emotional turmoil as you did nothing wrong but the animal is still dying.

2. Mites. Most pet stoers don't care. And mites can travel, fast. From room to room.

3. Quality. Breeders, good breeders have strong, healthy leos that are good feeders, CB, clean and have records to back this up. Pet stores normally do not. Also genes. The breeder can tell you what your gecko is, where the normal pet store is like "Uh its a gecko....it has feet" they know near nothing about the animals they sell, and if they seem to know something, half the time its total wives tales and BS.

Those are a couple reasons not to buy from pet stores. If you want quality animals you aren't worrying about a "guareentee" because you are buying from a quality breeder, period.

Sexing Leopard Geckos:
http://www.reptilecare.com/leopardgender.htm
http://www.cybergecko.org/album/jan02/gendermale.htm

If I was you I would search out a high qaulity breeder and purchase healthy, and often CHEAPER leopards from them. Not only do pet stores drive prices high but they sell something worth less. Its sad. Besides. the geckos you may bbuy from the pet store will all have to have fecals from the vet because they were at a pet store, probably more than once....You will be happier if you go breeder. Not store.

IMHO.

Marisa

[Leo-Land]

Here is another place to show you how to sex your leos

http://www.leo-land.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=FAQ&file=index&myfaq=yes&id_cat=6&categories=Sexing&parent_id=0

[matt_winter]

thanks everyone it was very good help

[Zoe]

http://www.roqufort.com/gex/images/sexingfem.jpg

http://www.roqufort.com/gex/images/sexingmale2.jpg



Ahh, I miss my gecko days... Those are fat-tailed geckos, but it's the same for leos.

[Leo-Land]

Did you scan your geckos to get those pics Zoe?

[Zoe]

Yes I did, but I was careful and tried the scanner on my own eyes first, and it wasn't too bright, and I covered the geckos with a warm, dark piece of cloth so they weren't scared. Worked out well.

Zoe

[Alicewave]

Thanks Marisa! Well said.

[marisa]

Well come on, you gave good advice and someone wants to make sure they get a 30 day thing? *L*
:)

Marisa

[Tim and Julie B]

Regardless of what kind of money back guarantee you can get away with, stay away from pet store geckos! I have seen far too many die from starvation, and infections. Unless they allow you to do a fecal exam BEFORE buying then don't bother. And if the exam doesn't turn up anything, make sure it is 100% healthy-active, big fat tail, and bright clear eyes.