Our Geckos: Alex, Shakira and Lady GaGa live in the Aquatics Room and have been affectionately named after musical artists by their senior caretakers. Leopard geckos have unusual markings that resemble the big cats for which they were named.
Some people think that leopard geckos have funky tails.....and they are right! The leopard gecko stores excess fat and water in their tails. Their tails can be used to indicate their health too! When their tails are nice and plump, you have a healthy gecko. And as you can see the Bristol Aggie geckos all have chubby tails.
Since geckos are reptiles, they require special care. Reptiles are cold blooded which means they rely on the outside environment to regulate their body temperature. Their tank features a heating pad which is stuck to the outside bottom of their tank and allows them to get nice and toasty. They also have a heat lamp on the top of their tank. If they feel too warm they have the option to move to the opposite end of their tank to cool down. You will almost always see they in the warmer side of the tank though.
Geckos have different eating habits than other pets. Most of our household animals are fed commercialized pellets or canned food. Our geckos are fed a live diet consisting of meal worms and pinkie mice. We always make sure that they have fresh water available so they do not dehydrate.
Leopard geckos are great pets, however, before purchasing one make sure you do your research. They are very fragile creatures with certain needs. They requires diet of live food and caretakers must be prepared to handle that. They are a big responsibility and should only be kept by older, more mature children and those dedicated to caring for reptiles.
Our leopard geckos are a great addition to our aquatics room and teach our students proper caring procedures and responsibilities of owning a leopard gecko. Our geckos here live a happy, healthy life where they are cared for by our fellow students and staff.