Quarantine

Keep any new gecko completely separate from your other reptiles for 60 to 90 days. A gecko that looks healthy can still carry parasites or an infection that spreads to the rest of your collection.

Set up:

• A separate enclosure, ideally in a different room
• Paper towel substrate, so you can see droppings and spot problems
• Basic hides and a water dish, with nothing you plan to reuse in other enclosures
• Its own tools, which you wash and disinfect after each use

Routine:

• Care for quarantined animals last, and wash your hands and forearms afterward
• Weigh the gecko weekly and keep a simple log
• Watch appetite, droppings, activity and shedding every day

Call an exotic vet if you see weight loss, refusal to eat for several days, runny or unusually foul droppings, lethargy, swelling or labored breathing. A fecal test during quarantine is a good idea even if the gecko looks well, because parasites often show no outward signs.

The same precaution applies when a gecko returns from a reptile expo or from time away from home, since it has been around other animals.

Only move the gecko to its permanent home or introduce it to your collection once the full quarantine period has passed with no concerns.