Without a doubt, dogs are the most loyal of all household pets. Some people who live alone with a dog may feel compelled to add another pet to the household. You might get an exotic leopard gecko for a fair price if you’re looking for a new pet requiring little attention or room. Pets of this reptile species are beautiful to look at and surprisingly tame. According to theories, leopard geckos may like socializing with humans and even form attachments to them.
But things may become tricky if your dog isn’t fond of your new reptile family member, things may become tricky. Dogs are great companions and friends, but they sometimes have short tempers. For your dog to feel comfortable around a leopard gecko, patience is required. Find five effective tips to introduce your dog to a leopard gecko below safely.
1. Start With Teaching Your Dog the Basics
Leopard geckos are friendly, but one wrong interaction may set the impression for the relationship between your pet lizard and dog. For this reason, you should teach your dog some basic commands that you can rely on to stop your dog from acting out of control during its first interaction.
It’s still a good idea to train your dog in at least the basic commands, even if you have yet to make plans to add any additional pets to the household. Your dog must be completely reliable at the “Sit,” “Stay,” and “Leave It” commands. Train your dog to respond in different environments and when distracted. It will only do a little good if the dog can successfully use the training in new circumstances (like when it encounters a gecko for the first time).
2. Make a Dog-Free Room For the Leopard Gecko
The second tip for introducing your dog to a leopard gecko safely is to set up a personal space for the lizard. Geckos should be kept in a safe environment and be given a healthy diet. Mealworms, waxworms, Dubia Roaches, etc., are all great food for your reptile friend.
You should place them where any accidents won’t harm their tank. That being said, You should let them scope out the room for themselves when they first arrive. After that, you should let them wander throughout the space. Geckos are not particularly nimble, yet they do occasionally move. Don’t let them out of here for a week! A dog should not be allowed in the room at this time.
Why? Taking care of two animals at once is difficult, but it can be even worse if they set off on the wrong foot. For example, the dog might come off as a threat if the gecko is still getting used to its new territory. The dog might also accidentally break the tank or eat the gecko’s food which may not be good for it.
3. Observe How Your Dog Behaves With the Gecko
When you are adopting a new pet while having another back at home, it’s always a concern that they might be good friends. What’s the best way to know this in this circumstance? Observe your dog’s behavior. After all, no one understands your dog better than you, right?
Observe the dog’s behavior after being introduced to the gecko. Its excitement to meet its new mate can be gauged by the amount of jumping and running around it does. As of right now, your work is over. That won’t be the case always, though. When a dog gives you the “evil eye” and makes a few low growling noises, it’s not fond of the new addition to the family.
Moving slowly around the gecko while staring intently at it is a sign of hostility and an impending attack on the pet. You should take precautions when the dog exhibits these behaviors. The commands mentioned above should help control your dog before the situation escalates. Do not assume instant best friendship; even dogs can sometimes be anxious.
4. Start Slow and Have Patience
The last of the tips to introduce your dog to a leopard gecko safely is by taking it slow while letting them slowly get used to each other with monitored interactions. Make sure that when the first meeting is taking place, you have safety precautions set. Keep your dog on a leash or harness, and your gecko inside its tank, which is best kept on the floor to avoid accidents.
The ideal scenario involves two animals who appear calm and interested in one another. If your dog begins to act aggressively toward the tank by barking, lunging, or stalking it, you should immediately remove the dog from the room. You might need to try a few times before they start getting peaceful around each other. Try of using treats as a reward for good behavior. If that doesn’t help, then chances are the two animals are better apart.
5. Be Prepared For the Worst Case Scenario
When taking a lizard home with dogs, anticipate the unexpected. They might not get along. Don’t force it if you discover they’re not a match after a long period. You may have to choose between keeping and letting go or keeping them both apart in their designated parts of the house.
Even if they get along, prepare. They may fight. So bring someone to the first meeting. One person controls the dog and the other the reptile. If attacked, one will be easier to retrieve. The dog or lizard may bite or scratch each other. To treat wounds, carry a first aid kit. Before it worsens, immediate intervention is needed.
In Conclusion
Both dogs and lizards make wonderful house pets. Still, it’s not easy to keep them healthy and happy. Make sure that you take the necessary precautions and are fully prepared yourself before bringing in a new friend to your home. More importantly, make sure that you don’t force them to be friends as nothing good will come out of that and they might even harm each other.
Lastly, be sure to study their behaviors and learn about both animals so you can reduce their hostility while also giving them the best life possible. The hope is that with the right amount of time, effort, and care, these two animals may just become best friends! We hope this article helped you with these five tips to introduce your dog to a leopard gecko safely. Good luck!