lonely leopard gecko?

[Flock Runner]

i'm getting my gecko a new tank but its 120 gallons and i think that she would be a bit hard to find in there. she's a fully grown female(even though her name is lenny) and i was wondering if anyone new anything about lizard sociality. im not sure if i should get a friend for her or if i should just leave her by herself. i would have to get a baby and i don't know if she would pick on him/her. also, is there a way to tell the difference between a male/female when they're babies? i don't intend on having eggs if i get her a friend.

 

[ChickenWisperer]

Sometimes female leos do enjoy company in the form of other females.

However, do NOT buy a smaller lizard to put in with her, especially NOT A BABY! She will probably harass her, pick on her, and other things which are completely unacceptable. The baby could get so stressed she might stop eating among other things. If you want to get her a companion, you will have to get a full grown adult. There are many breeders which keep their best morphs or patterns to sub-adulthood or adulthood and do ship.

And no, there's little to know way to tell if babies are male or female unless you hatched them. They can be temperature sexed during incubation - but that's not a guarantee there won't be any males.

She may not even take well to a friend... it just depends on the gecko.

 

[Stacykins]

Leopard geckos are in no way social, they are a solitary species. Actually, keeping multiples together would be more stressful. Competition for dry and humid hides, food, bullying, etc. She won't be 'lonely', that is anthropomorphizing human emotions (a social species) onto a very different animal.

That isn't to say there aren't social reptiles (the Solomon Islands Skink is a reptile that forms social groups), but they are almost all solitary, only coming together for short periods.

 

[ChickenWisperer]

Leopard geckos are in no way social, they are a solitary species. Actually, keeping multiples together would be more stressful. Competition for dry and humid hides, food, bullying, etc. She won't be 'lonely', that is anthropomorphizing human emotions (a social species) onto a very different animal.

That isn't to say there aren't social reptiles (the Solomon Islands Skink is a reptile that forms social groups), but they are almost all solitary, only coming together for short periods.

They are in the wild, but many breeders keep colonies together in less space with no problems whatsoever. 1 male and around 3-4 females, usually, all year round.

If they have enough hides for the leos, there should be no competition.

 

[Stacykins]

They are in the wild, but many breeders keep colonies together in less space with no problems whatsoever. 1 male and around 3-4 females, usually, all year round.

If they have enough hides for the leos, there should be no competition.

Yes, but the initial question is whether the gecko will be lonely if kept alone, which is a big NO. Yes, breeders do keep colonies, or else they couldn't breed. BUT the leopard gecko will in no way suffer if kept alone, and will in fact thrive. How they are kept in captivity to make them reproduce does not change their behavior, which is that of a solitary species.

 

[Flock Runner]

well thats not exactly what i was asking. i want to know if she will get along with other lizards as in not kill them. the new tank i'm getting is pretty big and it just seems like it will take all the attention away from her.

when it comes to her personal social life she's very friendly with people its just that i don't know how she is with other lizards.

 

[SillyChicken]

Lizards are lizards, most don't get "lonely" except during breeding season... if you want to share the tank, I'd split it with glass so you could have a few other types. But sometimes sharing an environment with animals that are generally solitary can cause unnecessary stress to the animal.

 

[Flock Runner]

i don't think you understand my question. i'm asking if she will get along with toher lizards of her own kind. i know lizards don't get lonely, she's been by herself ever since i got her. i just want to know if she will rip out the throats of any other lizards, get her own throat ripped out, or just ignore it.(btw, you know what i mean by get her throat ripped out, i just mean will they fight with each other.