Amongst the many pets to choose from, many choose a dog or cat, but which pet is the greatest? As cuddly and cute dogs and cats are, they are not the best when thinking about how easy they are to maintain. If pet owners need a small, cute, and easy-to-take-care-of pet, then the African fat-tailed gecko is the best choice.

African fat-tails can be found in almost any pet store and some special morphs can be sold by breeders. The cost of these geckos can range from $70-$300 depending on the seller and the rarity of the morph. The yearly cost is around $360, which is half of the yearly cost of a cat ($634), and 14% the cost of a Fennec Fox ($2,600). 

The yearly costs for geckos come from the things necessary to take care of these geckos, such as food, which runs out about every two months since geckos need to be fed once every 1-2 days. A pack of 100 live mealworms costs about $25, depending on the size of the mealworms. 

Other things that are needed to take care of geckos that usually are bought as an initial purchase with the geckos are water, a hiding space, substrate, a terrarium, cleaning supplies, and a heat source(s).

When buying geckos, it may be hard to choose what to buy for them, but most pet stores will sell “packages” that contain all the essentials to take care of your gecko. Plus, these essentials usually do not need to be bought more than once, since they will last a long time, decreasing the overall cost. 

Besides the low cost, African fat-tailed geckos are docile and can enjoy being held. They are allergen free, since they do not have any fur. Thus, they also do not produce large messes of leaving hairballs and shedded hair around the house. 

Geckos also are not climbers and move slowly, so worrying about them escaping is non-existent. Plus, they are quiet creatures and do not need attention 24/7, so they are perfect for people with busy lives. 

Owning one of these tiny friendly creatures can make anyone happy, since they always look like they are smiling and will sit in their owner’s hand. 

Most people are known to have a dog or a cat, but being basic is boring, so call your local pet store and pick up a gecko today. Literally!